At last! New opportunities, fresh hope. Ever since the death of Myra Hindley plunged me into despair, expectations rise once again. She, of course, the poor, poor misunderstood, much reformed Moors Murderer, died, alas, before she could be released, which I at the time found very disappointing.
She would, naturally, have been released on the grounds that her continuing detention was a breach of her 'human rights'. How I longed to see a Labour minister justify their human rights legislation - aka The Crooks' and Perverts' Charter (hard core pornography for homosexual mass murderers? Certainly, Sir, what publication would you like? Asphyxiation Now? Head Boiling Today? New Tie Knots For Stranglers Monthly?) - when she was released.
Now, though, according to the Guardian, some creepy lawyer has decided to take up the cudgels (although perhaps that should be a lump hammer) on behalf of Peter Sutcliffe, arguing, again (and you may have heard this before), that his continuing detention is a breach of his human rights.
Let's see Jack Straw appearing on all our television screens telling us what a great boon for the population his Human Rights Act is, while simultaneously letting out the Yorkshire Ripper.
Besides, Mr Straw might say, Sutcliffe only killed thirteen women, and attempted to kill another seven, and - let's face it - some of them were prostitutes and so therefore probably deserved it. What's a few crushed heads between friends when someone's human rights are at risk?