Shamed over the naked rambler

I FEEL ashamed to live in a country where naked rambler Stephen Gough has been imprisoned for much of the past seven years, is not even allowed visitors or contact with other prisoners, and may spend the rest of his life in jail (Insight, 17 January).

His punishment is totally out of proportion to the supposed crime - even sadistic murderers receive lesser sentences. Countries such as India (which has no problem with naked Hindu men in public places) must look aghast at his treatment, and regard Scotland as inhumane and uncivilised on this issue. Our justice system seems unnecessarily inflexible, as well as cruel and lacking in compassion for this eccentric yet harmless individual.

RM Atkinson, Edinburgh