I WAS somewhat confused by the Bolton Evening News report on the sentence received by John Foley, the paedophile with a string of offences on children.

Your report tells us he was sentenced to 10 years' imprisonment, but will serve nowhere near that length of time and is likely to be released in about six years.

So, a 10-year sentence means six -- does a five-year sentence really mean three years, and so on?

Not being well acquainted with the law, perhaps some expert will enlighten me to tell me what they say does not really mean that, on being sentenced by the courts, a sentence could mean any length of time, except what they say it is -- all very confusing.

John S L Evans

Howard Avenue

Deane, Bolton