Biggs.

It has been announced this morning that Jack Straw is refusing to sanction the release of Ronnie Biggs from prison at 79 and near the end of his life.

Few readers can possibly be in any doubt that I firmly believe in punishments being made to fit crimes.

Train driver Jack Mills received injuries so serious in the Great Train Robbery that he was eventually to die from them. Was Biggs the dealer of the blow to his head? - Almost certainly not.

After 'cocking a snook' at the entire nation by 'living it large' in Brazil after his escape from prison, it was right that he was brought back to 'pay his debt to society' and that is what has happened.

I could not care less that Biggs has not shown remorse - few criminals do, although tens of thousands regularly pretend to do so for parole boards up and down the land!

I am simply astonished that the Man of Straw has turned vengeful. This is no longer justice and even if he lives another couple of disabled years outside jail - so what?

We seldom punish criminals in this nation - why start with a dying man?