Death, Destruction and Horror.

That's right it's been just another week in Britain. With all the intensity of the Conservative party conference there are a couple of stories that may have slipped through the net.

The first of these is the discovery on Monday (5/10) of a bag of human bones by workmen clearing the verge of the M5 motorway near Bristol. By Thursday (8/10) the bones had been identified as belonging to Melanie Hall using a combination of dental records and a gold ring that belonged to Ms Hall's grandmother. Melanie Hall went missing from the Cadillac's nightclub in Bath in 1996 and although the case is not technically a murder investigation two men were arrested in 2003 but released after searches of their properties and farmland near Bath failed to uncover enough evidence to charge them. Therefore I think it's highly likely that Avon & Somerset police have known since 2003 exactly who committed the crime and where the body was buried but were unable to obtain the search warrant needed to go and prove it. That means it would be incredibly easy for another government agency that is less concerned with due process to go and dig up the bones before leaving them lying around for someone to find.

The reason behind this is that on Friday October 2nd I said that I was disappointed that the Brits were finding it difficult to boast that they were winning. This discovery in Bristol gave them the opportunity to claim that they have succeeded in their mission by recovering and examining the remains of the dead girl in Bristol. As this case is a long running and important story in Bristol, Bath and the small villages around Trowbridge the discovery also helps to turn up the tension in these important locations. After all it's never good for the ego to hear the television describe you as a bag of bones dumped by the side of the slow lane of the motorway. Of course that contradicts the claims of success because a man who has enough food has no need to fish further. As for the murderer I wouldn't be too surprised to learn that he's been given a staff position.

The second story is that Sharon Shoesmith has been seeking a judicial review of her sacking as the head of children services at Haringey council. Ms Shoesmith was dismissed for her post without compensation in the wake of the Baby P case a move which she claims was illegal as it was the result of a media witch-hunt. I think I have made my position on the Baby P case and those involved in it perfectly clear. However I think I should point out that Sharon Shoesmith held a senior position in Haringey's children's services department at the time of the Victoria Climbe's death in 2000 and during the ensuing investigation earned a reputation with the Brits for being difficult although judging by the way they behave that could means she wasn't being evil enough. As a result when the Baby P case broke I heard a strong rumour that the Brits would be more then happy to see Ms Shoesmith's career ended by the scandal and that this thirst for vengeance could well have been a contributing factor in the decision to stage the murder in Haringey. That should not be seen as me speaking in Ms Shoesmith's defence but it is a warning that if you think all the guilty have been brought to justice when her judicial review is refused then you are being taken for a fool.