MRS J Burton (Letters, July 17) asks why we should bear the expense of imprisoning a drug grower who is going to be deported anyway.

The reason to me is unfortunately only too evident. Due to the abysmal immigration controls we suffer in this country he will be back within days of being deported.

At least we will have a few weeks relief from his activities while he is in prison awaiting parole and any other device our useless Home Office can invent to release him early from his sentence.

The best course would be to make him serve his sentence in his own country, where he may come to appreciate the error of his ways.

ALAN KEBBELL, Southampton.