There was something quite horrible about the ritual of capital punishment as it existed in England. Probably everywhere, but - my memories of the years in which it existed are very vivid.

My own father was a policeman, and killing a policeman was one of the offences for which hanging was applied.

I can remember my father asking me, Why do care about these men? Do you think I would care about a man who killed you, or your Mum?"

But the reporting of it fed the sensual delight of the ghoulish public. There was something about the chastening and stilling of young flesh that appealed to the British public,

   The Daily Express had a feature on page 3, called photonews. The sort of beautiful high quality black and white photograph that makes you think of Hasselblad cameras.

One day I remember there was a picture of a man sitting down to eat steak and chips in a motorway cafe. It was the hangman Harry Allen on his way to kill someone. Totally chilling.

It is said people are in favour of capital punishment, let's hope it never returns to our country.