14 NOVEMBER 1987, Page 32

A scrubber writes

Sir: I am the 'ghastly scrubber', referred to by J. Bernard (Low Life, 31 October), who wanted L. Piggott to get ten years.

I only wanted him to get that sentence because he is a rich cheat and I am only a poor one. But my main complaint is that not that I am a scrubber — the sentence is for life — but that your ungallant servant insulted my hat! (which is in fact a plain ordinary grey beret).

Although it is beneath me to trade insults I feel compelled to point out that Bernard is no oil-painting, with half a century of self-pity and self-indulgence. The title of his column should give him a clue to his own nature, but I fear that accurate introspection is beyond him.

Catrine Stothers 169 Fellows Road, London NW3