People who have killed, raped, done awful things to children, and who have caused permanent life-changing (or destroying) trauma by their evil actions.

I don’t believe that to take such a person’s life with a swift and painless fall through a trap door for committing such offences is a gross human rights violation.

Many innocent people, including children, die horribly and painfully every day through accident and illness.

However, in spite of all of that, I would never wish to be part of a system that uses capital punishment.

The reason? The risk of mistake.

DNA evidence has just exonerated a gentleman, formerly dubbed “The Beast of Birkenhead” who has spent 38 years of a life sentence in prison.

He can be compensated to some extent and can, at least, have a comfortable retirement as a result.

Had we still had the death penalty in the 1980s, he would have been a prime candidate for hanging.

It is for that reason that I sincerely hope that the jurisdictions of the UK never entertain bringing it back.