I cannot believe that the vice-chairman of the Hong Kong Employers of Overseas Domestic Helpers Association, Joseph Law, said that in his opinion, the 18-month sentence given to Liu Man-kuen for burning her helper's hands was 'a bit too harsh'.

I realise that this association needs to look at the position of employers generally, however to defend one employer, who has already been found guilty by our judicial system of ironing somebody's hands as a punishment, seriously undermines its credibility. In my view it is wholly inappropriate for this association to make light of this barbaric act.

NICK DEBNAM Mid-Levels