[West Ender]

This woman isn't a killer. She did what a great many women have done before, she gave an alibi to the man she was besotted with. She was guilty of being a liar, being naive and, not least, being underendowed with intelligence but she isn't a murderer.

The Great British Public takes it upon itself to be judge, jury and executioner in emotive cases like the Soham murders. Unfortunately the Great British Public, in its ignorance, often behaves almost as badly as the target it goes for; a paediatrician was set upon because someone's reading skills confused her with a paedophile; a boy wrongly arrested for the James Bulger murder was almost lynched by neighbours.

I can understand a degree of revulsion for this woman but, as happens so often, it all got out of proportion. God help that poor little child, it hasn't much chance of a normal life the way things are.