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Richard Barker cites two reasons why he should be allowed to carry on in his post as professor of social work at Northumbria University: that he is a successful academic and has colleagues' support ("Was it a mistake or was it malice?", É«ºÐÖ±²¥S , October 11).

How can someone who has been shown, in the very activities in which he is meant to have expertise and generate trust, to be entirely lacking in professional judgement and integrity be considered successful? How can the sympathy inevitably felt by colleagues for someone in his plight be mistaken by him for a vote of confidence?

Barker should do the decent thing and resign. If not, his institution must come to his aid - and to its own - and do it for him.

Howard Moss
School of European Languages
University of Wales Swansea