Like the punishment for a penman? (5)

I believe the answer is:

penal

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'like' is the definition.
Both the answer and definition are adjectives. Perhaps you can see a link between them that I don't see?

I can't explain the remainder of the clue.

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(Other definitions for penal that I've seen before include "Relating to legal punishment" , "Involving punishment as by the law" , "Punishing" , "Involving legal punishment" , "Very severe" .)

I've seen this clue in the Evening Standard.

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