The Ipswich Murders

The involvement of the press in this series of murders is nothing short of appalling.

As soon as the news broke, the media circus came to town. There's nothing they like more than a story like this. It can help fill in those long empty 24 hours every day. There's great opportunity for those irritating 'breaking news' captions. Sky even sent their top anchor man, whose name, mercifully, I forget. The character whose middle age, deep voice and dodgy haircut/piece is supposed to pass for gravitas.

I've always said, get killed on your own and nobody gives a damn; get killed in a small group and its news; get killed with a hundred others and someone, somewhere is in for some money.

What the police think of it all, God knows. They might say, through gritted teeth, how useful the press can be, how much they value their co-operation, but in fact they know the press is a damn nuisance. It presents every half-truth as fact, it publicises the ravings of psychics, it undermines the police at every turn, with greasy sanctimony.

To keep the story going, it is opened out. We hear all the usual reasons why these women are prostitutes: the drugs, the abuse (but not the idleness). Liberals are having a field day, because for the time being no-one is allowed to talk about prostitution 'blighting' an area.

I heard some feminist blaming the men (of course) and regretting that these women were being called 'girls'. I think they're past caring, dear. Why don't we just call them whores?

We've had interviews with whores who have carried on working 'because it's Christmas'. Is she expecting a bonus? With MPs, about the legal basis of prostitution. Oh, and with policemen, ostensibly to ask how the investigation is going, but in reality to snipe at them for showing no fast results and to remind them of the Yorkshire Ripper.

But the worst thing of all is the coverage of this Tom Stephens' arrest. A man is arrested on suspicion and the TV screens are filled with his picture, his life history, examples of his handwriting, interviews with his whores. One reporter said that the police have to brace themselves for the possibility of having to release this man, 'their only suspect', if they can't crack him.

How is this man, innocent until proven guilty, going to get a fair trial after all this? How can he go back to normal life after this public mauling? The press has gone too far here. Quite apart from the fact that they have provided this suspect themselves, their whole reporting strategy has perverted the course of justice.

Guess what? The press is now discussing whether the press coverage is prejudicial. Have they no shame?