Public support for the McCanns

We, the undersigned, feel strongly that sometimes it would be wise, and sympathetic, to remember what a tough job parenting is; to remind ourselves that no human being is infallible, and thence entitled to throw the first stone. Parents have been occasionally known to make judgments or decisions that may put their children at risk. Whilst sporadic insensitivity to one's children's needs is unwise, it does nevertheless happen out of lack of concentration, naivety, tiredness perhaps, but never - bar some extreme cases - out of lack of love.

The list is endless: smoking around them, over-feeding, driving that bit too fast for a late appointment, answering our mobile whilst driving, leaving a boiling pan whilst answering the phone, or sharp knives, matches or lighters within their eager reach; put your hand up if you have never left a sleeping child in the car in your driveway, or in the car whilst paying for petrol, popping in to pick up a sibling from school, or even a quick visit to the supermarket. Has nobody ever left babies sleeping in the garden, or let young children play alone in the garden/in the street for twenty minutes?

It only takes a few minutes to snatch a child who is already being stalked, so the length of time is irrelevant: whether five or twenty minutes, it makes no difference. The decision has been made. Thousands of people every year leave children alone in hotel rooms whilst dining, with the arguably comforting company of a monitor, but would that make a difference? Probably not. Hotels all over the world offer baby listening as a legitimate service, on the assumption that nobody is going to creep into the room with a tissue of chloroform. A drugged child will not make any sound that would otherwise alert the monitor!

Most parents are fortunate not to have to deal with dire circumstances borne out of these decisions. The McCanns are not so fortunate; they have to live daily with the burden of a decision made on that fateful night of May 3. A decision made on the assumption that, broadly speaking, we are surrounded by people who do not steal children from their own rooms.

And if that burden were not enough, the McCanns also have to deal with some odd resentment from rare strands of the general public, resentment which is now virtually leading to their persecution about the way in which they are conducting themselves: their dignity is vilified as lack of emotions; their religiousness is belittled (or, worse, envied if it results in some comfort from the Pope); their effort to stay strong and organise a major, international hunt for their daughter, is denigrated as sheer manipulation.

We strongly believe that Social Services should concentrate their resources into investigating real cases of child abuse and neglect; sadly, there are plenty of those out there, ignored by the silence of indifference.

It is heart-breaking that Madeleine's mother and father not only have to face life without their child, but also have to suffer a cruel and hypocritical hate campaign. The hatred should be directed towards the evil person who broke into a locked (yes, it WAS locked) room to steal an innocent, sleeping child from her bed.

We feel passionately that the McCanns should not have to face either investigation or - God forbid! - prosecution for being ordinary, loving parents who made one wrong decision. And besides, what judge in the world could find a punishment greater than the one they are already facing?