John Smith was given a death sentence and a life of sheer hell while social workers didn't prevent his death.

How many times have the likes of Allan Bowman said it must not happen again?

Maria Colwell died and three others besides in recent years and still Social Services talk about it being difficult to pin down such clear brutality on a small, defenceless child.

How can the social workers on the John Smith case still have the utter gall to take their monthly pay packets?

On top of that, the unions stick up for the utter lack of care and supervision of such a child and say it's not their fault.

If it's not their fault, why go to the child's home at all? Why ask questions and see the horrific bruises and bites on the child's body?

What are they paid for?

I hope the Social Service personnel can sleep at night. If it was me, I would feel I had murdered little John Smith myself.

-Mrs E Ridgway, Woodingdean, Brighton