When does life imprisonment mean life imprisonment? Seldom, it would appear.

Despite the regular 'we'll be tough on crime' messages from politicians, the judiciary is pulling the opposite way.

Lord Phillips, the Lord Chief Justice, tells us that some murderers are serving too long in jail, meaning prisons will become "full of geriatric lifers".

We can understand the consternation felt by families like that of murder victim Emma Knight when they read statements from liberal judges.

When John Puffett was found guilty of the horrific killing of his partner, he was given the mandatory life sentence.

It was no less than he deserved, considering the intensity of the attack.

He beat Ms Knight with a baseball bat, a metal pipe and a dumbbell, inflicting numerous injuries, then drowned her in the bath.

Now following a review of the case, Mr Justice Butterfield has set Puffett's minimum sentence at 15 years.

That means he could be released by 2009 - hardly a life sentence by anyone's standards.

The feeling is growing that our learned judges are more interested in the so-called human rights of the criminals than justice for victims and their families and protection of the public.

Too many criminals are set free early on the assumption they will go straight, then turn back to crime.