Letter: Bad practices

KIM FLETCHER (30 May) thinks "a free press is a press free to behave badly". I beg to differ. The methods employed to extract the "confession" from Lawrence Dallaglio were those held inadmissible in the prosecution of Colin Stagg, accused of murdering Rachel Nickell. I therefore fail to see why the press should be allowed to use them. Exactly how does this affair "work as an essential corrective to those who wield power over us", as Mr Fletcher so stirringly proclaims? And should we not be suspicious of pleas by journalists in defence of dubious practices by other journalists?

WALTER CAIRNS

Manchester