A JAIL sentence of 12 years sounds like long time.

In fact children's entertainer David Payne, who raped a girl and indecently assaulted two others, will almost certainly be out sooner than that.

And the fact that after his release his name is likely to be added to the Sex Offenders Register won't make that knowledge easier for his victims or their parents.

Society should be asking whether in cases like this sentencing an offender to 12 years is long enough.

Many people, specially parents, will doubt that it is.