The news item appeared a couple of days ago. It reported on the perpetrators of years of abuse and dreadful attacks made on a vulnerable man who was unable to defend himself. This family had taken him in when he was homeless but not, it seems, for his care and protection, more to meet their own needs for a servant who could be scapegoated and beaten for amusement.

The Court was shown mobile phone footage of this man being hit in the face, seeing the blows coming but having neither the wit nor the will to protect himself. He died, it seems, after a particularly vicious assault, the details of which escape me. I have searched for news items – this was only two or three days ago – but there are none. It would appear that this man’s death has been lost to a combination of volcanic ash and the novelty of seeing our political leaders in hot debate live on the telly. I can’t even remember his name.

I remember the video images though. I won’t forget the images.