The Corruption of Innocence

Chapter 26

The five days of Jack's confinement passed horribly slow, and he seemed to be in full turbo mode when he was back downstairs with the household. Richard had seemed displeased with the boy's reappearance and watched him glumly as he sat reading the newspaper, tucking into his rice and bread.

Abruptly, Jack's spoon stopped mid – air and the child's mouth remained open. Richard, not taking any notice to the sudden change of mood, glumly told him he might catch flies, but he was ignored. It was then that the officer saw how amazed Jack's expression was as his wide eyes stared at a page in the newspaper, and he asked him what was wrong.

Jack's spoon fell into his bowl and he closed his mouth, biting his lip as he so often did. He paused, a look of intense thought on his face, and then shot Richard a glance, though he said nothing. In moments, he was up out of his chair, newspaper in hand, walking swiftly past the man and down the hallway towards the front door. Richard called after him and began jogging to keep up.

He followed the boy out on to a field on the estate, where Tyrell and Jennet were walking. So loud and excited was Jack's voice that both jumped.

"Mr Tyrell! Mr Tyrell!" he cried, sprinting now up to the man, Richard not far behind. He shoved the newspaper into Tyrell's face and both he and Jennet examined it. They looked at each other and back down at a beaming Jack. "Does that mean...?"

"I do not know yet, Jack," Tyrell replied quickly, not wanting to give him any false hope.

"But they haven't hanged him," stammered the boy, face flushing. "Why me and not both of us?"

"Come back inside now, Jack," Jennet coaxed, putting her arm around him. "I will get in touch with Mr Lancaster straight away."

"The judge's decision hasn't changed, Jack," Tyrell explained sincerely.

"That's not fair," Jack protested, eyes filling with tears. They moved to his barrister. "You've gotta do something."

"I will, Jack," Lancaster said. "I will try my hardest."

"That's what you said last time, but you didn't win, did you?" There was anger seeping into the boy's voice, and Tyrell tensed up, quickly interrupting.

"Mr Lancaster specialises in human rights, Jack. This is very unfair on you and Philip Device. This news will save you from death. I know it will, I am sure it will. You have to trust us."

"No," he moaned, dropping his head into his hand. "I won't."

"You wait and see. I will prove you wrong," Lancaster said, the defiance in his voice raising Jack's head, though his hopes were not raised.

"The judge won't do nothing to stop it, he hates me and Philip. We'll be hanged and it's not fair."

The men looked at each other as Jack began weeping. Neither were racked with feelings of sympathy or guilt, but there was a feeling between them that the boy did have a point, that what was going on was indeed unfair. Two boys who were the same age as Jack and Philip had killed in very similar circumstances. A six-year-old, a girl, this time, had been raped and strangled to death in a forest, in a crime that had shocked West Lancashire. The boys responsible were caught, tried, and found guilty, but instead of being sentenced to death, they were to spend 8 years in Liverpool Reformatory School in Newton – le – Willows, be locked up in Strangeways Prison until they were 25, and then they would be released.

The news had intrigued Tyrell and Lancaster, and they both, having a strong sense of justice and equality, wrote to the Judge, asking him if it was possible to have the Wiltshire Devils' sentences overturned because of the new revelation. Judge Nexton declined, but it wasn't over, and with the support of Jennet, Tyrell, Philip's lawyer, and Alice Edgar, Lancaster launched a court battle.