How allegations are often made by deluded or confused people assisted by sympathetic officers - sometimes, dare I say it, these accusers do not even exist. They are figments constructed to provoke media publicity and the numerous false accusations inspired by the coverage. And to give an excuse for a dawn raid, revealing other possible evidence of more recent crimes. God forbid anyone should suggest some of that fresh evidence might be planted.

Would a famous Christian star REALLY abuse somebody at a religious meeting? I suspect it is more likely to occur in a detectives imagination.

If such claims ever become charges and get tested in court, jurors and judges can decide their probity. If the initial claims somehow never get tested in court - well, what can you say?

But if the media publicity provokes other, more believable, claims - who suffers?

Trawl by media. A phrase I invented 15 years ago. Even more true today than then.