DAVID Quarrie's letter (State-run brothels, Letters, January 2) regarding the recent deaths of prostitutes in Ipswich is profoundly saddening.

The letter explicitly states that the case did not deserve the media attention or the police response it received, as the girls weren't just prostitutes - they were also drug addicts and shouldn't expect the same response as everyone else, given that they are voluntarily killing themselves anyway.

How can anyone be so heartless? Does that attitude extend to tobacco addicts, who are also killing themselves? The police response was correct - their remit was to investigate in order to prevent further deaths, not to wait until someone deserving died. Luckily for the people of Ipswich they don't have the blind, inhuman attitude displayed by this letter.

I am becoming increasingly aware of this type of attitude in many letters to The Press.

There seems to be a regular "hanging's too good for 'em" brigade, who declare that everyone should rot in prison, and druggies/cyclists/hoodies/Muslims/etc, should be rounded up and flogged.

It upsets me greatly to see such a loss of humanity and disregard for our fellows and it is to be hoped that these attitudes are currently being misrepresented.

If not, and our city really is becoming so sadly ignorant and bigoted, then I for one would be ashamed to call it home.

Jason Rayner, Wenlock Terrace, Fulford Road, York.


I WRITE with regard to David Quarrie's letter (State-run brothels, January 2).

It really doesn't matter what these young women were doing - they were entitled to the massive police response. A lot more young women might have died if people like David Quarrie had their way.

I do agree with him on one point though - state-run brothels.

Prostitution should be legalised, they should pay tax and National Insurance like the rest of us, and presumably, they would be safer without having to rely on pimps (probably).

Prostitution is alive and well on the continent, where these young ladies are monitored, and have regular health checks, but as we are so far behind our continental counterparts, who knows when it will become a legalised institution in this country.

Patricia Holmes, Outgaits Close, Hunmanby, Filey.