The Times has rightly given prominence to what Arnold Cassola described as The Cyrus Engerer Enigma, (July 30) which arises from police proceedings over allegations that Mr Engerer involved himself in “keeping and/or circulating pornography and computer misuse”.

I have no interest in this case or in its merits – except for the fact that, in this case, the accusations made by the police against Mr Engerer are said to have been originally made months ago, and that the police have doggedly pursued the matter ever since. The police have not been as solicitous when I raised a straightforward question in Parliament relating to (a) certain hotels that have been making money from pornographic TV channels and (b) pornographic channels on cable television.

Article 208 (1) of the Criminal Code states that someone who “for gain or for distribution, or for display in a public place or in a place accessible to the public manufactures, prints or otherwise makes, or introduces into Malta, or acquires, keeps, puts in circulation or exports, any pornographic or obscene material” may face a prison term of up to six months. At the time, Justice Minister Carmelo Mifsud Bonnici said the police would investigate. Nothing was heard from the police in the many months that followed.

I continue to hold the view that if the government wants pornography to be exhibited against payment in hotel rooms, it should change the law, not just ignore those who break it. For the police to invoke the Criminal Code at its discretion is neither democratic nor remotely acceptable. To me, it looks like a blatant case of two weights and two measures.