Should the police have paid a gang informant?

THE police gave £10,000 to a convicted paedophile and, in return, convicted an 18-strong grooming gang in a fraction of the time it took to deal with similar crimes in Rochdale and Rotherham. Meanwhile, Operation Yewtree costs the taxpayer £5 million a year and has had negligible returns in justice done. marK boYle, Johnstone, renfrewshire. THE police should be congratulated for bringing to justice the 18 criminals for their heinous activities — £10,000 is a small price to pay to secure these convictions. Who would not offer a reward for information that could save their loved ones from harm and would not care where this information comes from, as long as it brought the criminals to justice. DouglaS J. WaThen, Salford prior, Warks. LIKE the NSPCC, I am appalled that police paid a convicted child rapist £10,000 to be an undercover informer. However good the intentions, such a tactic could have backfired and seen the 18 attackers walk free. Can we really say that the ends justify the means? Simon Campbell, glasgow. THANK goodness for the Chief Constable of Northumbria for his splendid defence of his force. The outcry over the paying for information overlooks the fact that, as a result of this action, many young people are no longer at risk. D. YorWerTh, Stockport, gtr manchester. AS A former Thames Valley police sergeant and a child victim of abuse, I spent years supporting young offenders out of the ruts they had fallen into. I hope the informer has been offered rehabilitation as well as being paid. name and address supplied. A ROW breaks out about £10,000 for an informant who puts 18 sex offenders in jail. Yet a police officer is given £16,312 of taxpayers’ money for a fleabite (Mail). J. FeaSingTon, address supplied.