We have lost a sense of proportion

Today we learned that at Exeter Crown Court, paedophile 46-year-old Keith Morris, from Newton Abbot, Devon, escaped jail after pleading guilty to three offences of causing a person under 16 to engage in sexual activity without consent and one of sexual activity with a child under 16.

Judge Graham Cottle released Morris, facing a maximum of 14 years in jail, on bail pending a pre-sentence report because of prison overcrowding. "If this case had been here last week it would have been over by now and he would be in Exeter Prison," Judge Cottle told the court.

Also today, journalist Clive Goodman was sentenced to four months in prison after pleading guilty to intercepting phone messages. On 29 November 2005 Goodman pleaded guilty to conspiracy to intercept communications without lawful authority, under the Criminal Law Act 1977.

The charges related to three members of the royal household (Helen Asprey, the personal secretary to Princes William and Harry, Jamie Lowther-Pinkerton, the princes' private secretary, and Paddy Harverson, Prince Charles's communications secretary), but the investigation found that targets also included David Blunkett, then home secretary, the minister David Miliband, the footballer Sol Campbell, and The Sun editor Rebekah Wade.

Home Secretary John Reid has recently told judges to jail only the most dangerous and serial offenders to ease prison overcrowding. Or possibly, Mr Reid reiterated sentencing guidelines.

I would not seek to defend Clive Goodman's actions which have cost him his reputation, his livelihood and, today, his liberty as well his boss, Andy Coulson, his job as well.

However, will the public interest be served by jailing a tabloid hack and letting a paedophile walk free?