23 MAY 1998, Page 28

Sir: I do not always agree with Paul John- son,

but I do go along with his arguments in the RusbridgerfFayed versus Aitken affair. Jonathan Aitken has already paid a high price, in his personal life and fortune, for his libel suit against the Guardian, bearing in mind the latter's notorious forgery. To pursue the matter further, causing gratu- itous damage not only to Aitken but to his daughter Victoria, amounts to legalistic sadism. Scotland Yard, please drop it.

Brian Crozier

Flat AA, 1 Carlisle Place, London SW1