The Railway Rapist.

The convicted double murderer, John Francis Duffy, was certainly also, undoubtedly, the killer of Anne Lock, and more than possibly, of victims unknown.

He was a cruel and sadistic, multiple rapist.

Our system is so worthy that his life sentence was imposed by a judge who recommended a 30 year spell of imprisonment. The 28 year old was convicted in 1988.

How reassuring to know that when the then 58 year year old comes out of a soft and agreeable jail, just four years from now, he will still represent a grave danger to all women.

If I might quote DCS Farquahar who oversaw his apprehension, 'Duffy is a walking advertisement for the return of the death penalty.'

But then - how unreasonable of him. Multiple rapist/murderers 'have their rights' too. Let's not worry too much about what future horrors this man of purest evil can and will commit to the innocent - his rights remain of paramount importance.

Once this level of evil is achieved, I am unsure that repentance is even possible. Nonetheless we must continue to pray for the salvation of this remorse-free individual - but pardon me if I pray more for the women who will cross his path a few years down the line from now!

You may of course argue that he will not actually be released after three decades and will, in fact, serve a whole-of-life tariff but as the judge did not impose that particular sentence, if not released, his inevitable appeal to the ECHR will equally inevitably be upheld!

(Incidentally, believe it when I say that, Mulcahy, his partner in crime was markedly worse!)