The agonising picture of a poor starved dog stared out from the Echo (November 18) – and no justice for those other poor dogs that died.

The so-called justice system allowed 21-year-old Natasha Longman, now of Maclean Road, Bournemouth, to inflict weeks of suffering and death on innocent creatures, following an allegedly violent relationship. How could she do it?

And what punishment does she get?

Community service and a few weeks to train her for a job.

The reasons behind the lenient sentence are denied us.

There’s only a five year ban before she can keep dogs again.

The costs of prosecuting are picked up by the RSPCA, presumably – and she doesn’t pay a penny.

No amount of personal anguish or suffering excuses an individual from inflicting such cruelty on innocent helpless creatures.

The law is not an ass – it is an idiot, wearing a black gown and wig, who does not enforce the law to reflect the crime.

Celia Marker, Post Office Lane, St Ives

* Letter's Editor writes: Natasha Longman’s former boyfriend, Andrew Cousin, of Wilkinson Drive, Townsend, Bournemouth, spent two months in custody as a result of allegations that he was violent towards her. The case was then dropped and he has not been convicted of an offence.

Longman’s defence case was not read out in court after the judge agreed to go along with the recommendations of a probation report. Giving her a 12-month community order, to include supervision by the probation service and 25 days’ attendance on an employment and training course, he told her: “Your case contains unusual features.” She was banned from keeping dogs for five years.