I WATCHED online Judge Lord Matthews sentencing Edward Cairney and Avril Jones for the murder of Margaret Fleming (“Carers sentenced to life for Fleming murder”, The Herald, July 18), along with multiple other convictions which included shorter custodial elements in the sentences.

As happened in this case I struggle to see the purpose of concurrent custodial sentences when the guilty party is simply incarcerated for the term appropriate to the most serious crime yet receives no meaningful retributive punishment for the others?

Is that justice being served or simply law enforcement cleaning house, so to speak? Surely if a crime merits incarceration, justice and real deterrence would be served by consecutive sentences for each and every crime committed. If that means a life behind bars then so be it.

David J Crawford, Glasgow G12.