I am writing in reference to the story headlined Illegal worker arrested , which appeared on the front page of the Exmouth Journal on October 1.

I am writing in reference to the story headlined 'Illegal worker arrested', which appeared on the front page of the Exmouth Journal on October 1.

This story described the events involving the arrest of a 41-year-old failed Turkish asylum seeker working illegally in an Exmouth Kebab shop.

I do not read the paper often, but this story happened to catch my eye and I have to say that I felt quite uncomfortable with the way in which it was reported and presented.

I took particular offence to the picture used (of the man being put into the back of a police van by three officers), which I deemed to be not only unnecessary, but also added to the rather distasteful, self-congratulatory and celebratory nature of the story.

This was perpetuated by the accompanying subheading 'On his way home', most likely a misleading statement considering that failed asylum seekers are often detained for months, after which only a small number are deported with 57 per cent remaining in detention.

Throughout the story no attempt was made to address why the man was forced to seek asylum in the UK. I understand he was breaking the law and had to be dealt with accordingly, but this article was devoid of any compassion or reference to the wider debates surrounding asylum and immigration, which remain largely misunderstood.

As a 23 year old local girl, I feel the way this story was presented was distasteful and irresponsible.

Name and address withheld.

EDITOR'S NOTE: it is only right to point out that, when a case is legally active, newspapers are barred from certain actions, including interviewing the people at the centre of allegations or going into the backgrounds of cases.