"Barker's appeal against a conviction for raping a two-year-old girl in a separate case will be heard by the Court of Appeal on 24 November.

Due to publicity surrounding the case, it is thought all three individuals convicted are likely to be given new identities on their release to protect them from vigilante attacks."

Why should they be protected?

There is a fairly recent law in the US which requires sex offenders to register when they move into a neighborhood. I received a notice that my next door neighbor was a sex offender after I bought my house. Everyone on the street was notified. The son had had sex with an underage girl who lied about her age. The family has to deal with the repercussions forever or as long as their son lives with them. Small price to protect against animals like this. The worst offenders are drummed out of neighborhoods. One city had them living in a park. Given the percentage of repeat offenders, life imprisonment is not a bad idea whn the crime is as violent and vicious as this.