Cingratulations to Louise Acford of The Argus for her article on the two gangs of thugs in Brighton (The Argus, April 27).

Congratulations also to Chief Inpsector Miller and his team of Brighton police officers. Most people will be delighted that the police have a clear strategy for dealing with these thugs.

But don't let us imagine the problem is as good as sorted.

Too many of the young people involved have spent most of their short lives making lives hell for those unfortunate enough to have shared their neighbourhood, school, or leisure facilities with them. These thugs have got away with their antisocial behaviour for far too long.

This is largely because politicians of all parties have talked tough - but have managed to erode nearly every effective sanction we ever had against this kind of behavour.

Let's support the police in taking these thugs on.

When we do, we can expect armchair strategists and "experts" to waste time by endlessly debating the fairness of using tough sanctions on "psychologically damaged" offenders.

Unfortunately, if we continue to heed those voices, the thugs will continue to be the winners and the rest of society, which has to live with the effects of their violence, will be the losers.

When we support the police and teachers in taking on these thugs in the streets and in classrooms, we can expect some setbacks and mistakes, and the results will not be perfect first time around. But, whatever the outcomes, they are likely to be a great deal better for the majority of young people (and adults) than the effect of giving in to the obscenity of these "happy slappers".

  • Dr Stuart Newton, Woodlands Close, Peacehaven