WHAT kind of precedent does yesterday's judgement in the Court of Appeal set?

Nine Afghan hijackers, who subjected passengers to a terrifying ordeal, were acting under "duress" due to their fear of the brutal Taliban regime.

And they should not have been jailed because the law relating to that duress had been incorrectly applied at their trial.

What absolute nonsense.

At a time when such widespread concern is being expressed about crime levels in this country, it is a judgement which will further undermine the credibility of our criminal justice system.

Whatever the legal technicalities may be, the fact is that these were nine men who hijacked a plane and put passengers in fear of their lives.

Were the hijackers still living in fear of the Taliban during a three-day stand-off at Stansted? They could, at the very least, have cut short the passengers' nightmare.

Now, would-be hijackers the world over will hear the message coming from Britain - a country we are told is under growing threat from international terrorism - that they can always get off by playing the duress card.

It can only be hoped that the Crown Prosecution Service's appeal to the House of Lords results in this decision being reversed.

Otherwise, we might as well have a complete free-for-all and allow armed robbers, paedophiles and muggers of old women to argue: "We were acting under duress, m'lud."

Welcome visitor

FOR a third time, HM Bark Endeavour is bringing the sight-seers flocking to Whitby.

It was again a wonderful sight as the replica of James Cook's ship sailed majestically into view.

We welcome her home and applaud Whitby's initiative, alongside that of Hartlepool, in capitalising so successfully on the area's maritime heritage.

History brings in the crowds and generates wealth. Steam trains operating on the site of the world's first passenger railway would surely do the same.

Team shame

IMAGINE the outrage in this country if half of a South African national team snubbed an invitation to meet The Queen. They would be disrespectful in the extreme.

Shame, then, on the England players who couldn't be bothered to get out of bed to shake the hand of Nelson Mandela.