THE sentiments of Lucy Baxter, the adoptive mother of 21-year-old Otto who has Down’s syndrome, are entirely correct.

She wants him to have as normal a life as possible and be like everyone else in everything he does.

However, Otto has reached the stage where he wants a serious relationship — and the closeness that involves.

In short, he wants to have sex.

Mrs Baxter said she would be willing to pay for a prostitute if that is what it takes for her son to lose his virginity.

But that leaves us wondering whether she is just kidding herself.

She says she has succeeded in persuading Otto he is just like everyone else — and now, if he doesn’t succeed in getting a girlfriend, she would have failed.

True, if he does visit a brothel or employ the services of a prostitute, he would not be the first, nor the last to do so.

But we cannot help wondering whether this would cause more problems than it solved.