I do think we have to be careful here. He has not been charged, let alone found guilty and it is for the jury to decide in the light of all the evidence presented to them whether he is guilty or not. The arrest of Kelly and Paton apparently stems from the conviction of Jonathan King and evidence collected during that enquiry and it remains to be seen if any court cases arise.

What I cannot understand however, is the school of thought that says "..this was over xx years ago. Why drag it up now?". Is someone was abused years ago and can only now (perhaps because they see other people able to talk about it) be open about what happened then this must be good. It will reinforce the view that these matters can be spoken about and that action will be taken against anyone committing such offences.

I am from an era where abuse took place, but all too often either the child was not believed or the matter was simply swept aside and the child told to forget about it. Abuse is more common now, but it has more to do with the fact that the people carrying it out are more organised and can act as a group rather than as local individuals. The internet also gives these people access to all kinds of material which must have an impact.

These people are sad pathetic individuals, but I know I would find it hard to restrain myself if anyone abused any member of my family. The immediate reaction would be to want revenge, but that is probably more to do with the fact that I would have failed to protect the child in the first place and needed to salve my own conscience. The reasoned view would be that, having failed the child once, I should not make the same mistake again, and being in jail would make it impossible for me to protect them for a long time. In those circumstances (and I hope I never find myself there)reason may well be the first thing that leaves.

All in all, caution guys - wait for a conviction before using the noose.

Davebhoy.