It's a curious thing that in this advanced civilisation of ours people can be convicted of crimes which never happened. A mere accusation can be upheld by a court of law without any supporting evidence. We can truly say that the burden of proof is now firmly on the defence in criminal cases, and that the ruling of Viscount Sankey in Woolmington v the DPP has been entirely overturned.

It was Michael Howard who took the first serious steps towards overturning the ruling of Viscount Sankey and eroding the rights of the defendant in certain cases. He also tried to remove the right to silence. Possibly the most evil Home Secretary this country has ever known.

It should be very worrying to every person in this country that an uncorroborated allegation could rob them of their freedom.

This is a serious and massive news story which, curiously, is hardly touched upon by the nation's news media. When it has been exposed to any degree, it has been quickly buried again under a pile of less controversial material. Far better to concern the nation with Beckham's new hairdo than the rotting foundations of British Society.