The severe sentence handed down to our hard working and respected Member of Parliament has brought into question the following: are we fighting our political opponents with lawfare or at the ballot box?

There is an epidemic of court cases in western democracies today from undeclared payments to porn stars, collusion and conspiracy charges, even racketeering.

One of the greatest dangers to functioning democracies, let alone the sheer injustice of it all is bringing cases to court because the accused is a political enemy or political vengeance is being sought.

So many violent and humiliating rapes go unreported.

But this confronting injustice will not be resolved by ‘me too’ vendettas and/or political fault finding.

To send an innocent man to jail in order to punish the guilty is not acceptable.

It shows only the breakdown of the justice system.

I am happy to put my name down in Gareth’s defence.

I know he is in the prayers of many good people who have approached me in despair that a much-loved member of our community should be discredited and impugned so mightily.

We await the appeal as we await justice.

Gail Morgan,

Kiama