By 2000 it had become clear that, since Michael Howard as Home Secretary in the mid 90s changed the law - with the best intentions, so abused children in care homes could - years later - get justice - by stopping the need for evidence in cases of claims of abuse from years earlier, it became possible to prosecute and jail individuals for crimes that never took place.

This enabled a few unscrupulous police officers to manipulate the media by "trawling" - locally or nationally - for "victims" who might be genuine but could be liars or exaggerators looking for revenge or cash or sympathy or who were simply deluded.

A dangerous situation in law which has never been corrected.

The media, of course, love a good story, especially regarding a celebrity. Police like boosted convictions. It justifies their budgets and disguises failed investigations which may have cost a great deal. Politicians like such cases - it was rumoured at the time that it was no co-incidence that, two days after my arrest, the UK were forced to change the law by Europe and make the age of consent equalised at 16 for both genders. I doubt that last theory but it is interesting. CPS, lawyers and judges love successful, high profile scandals in which they appear to be fair, honourable, balanced and strict.

It is now eleven years since this began for me; I was utterly amazed that such a situation could reach the conclusion it did. How could something that never happened - and that therefore there could be no proof - lead to a conviction? I forgot, of course, that "evidence" could be manufactured or planted but, most of all, I did not know that a prosecution with no evidence at all could lead to a conviction.

I quickly learned that - when so many elements want a wrongful conviction - it is easy to construct. That, I firmly believe, is what happened to me.