I FAIL to see how any compassionate person could ever consider eating meat, especially in our society, where there are innumerable healthy alternatives.

Evidently Roger Tucker (Viewpoints, January 29) is too busy tucking into his horse burger to worry about the recent video evidence produced by Hillside Farm Animal Rescue Centre, of horses being beaten with hammers at an abbatoir.

This is yet more proof of what occurs within these establishments.

Animal Aid and other such organisations have produced many similar videos involving cows, pigs and other creatures.

However, David Cameron has stated that none of the slaughterhouses exposed in all this film footage will be prosecuted.

If this Government gets its way, we will soon see a situation comparable to that which exists in certain states of America, where anyone gaining employment in these places for the purpose of gaining this sort of evidence is subject to a minimum five-year prison sentence. One senator even called for the death penalty.

MARK PRITCHARD, Linkside Avenue, Oxford