'Red Flag? OK, Here's Our White Flag...'

The trial of Deveca Rose has started, and throws new light on why four children died in a burning house:

...social services had been working with the family but closed the case after Rose failed to co-operate, jurors have heard.

Damn, that's it? Must try that at work: 'Sorry boss, it's getting a bit tricky to do this task, can I just skip it?' 

Darren Woodhams, a fire investigator for the London Fire Brigade, found the fire started from a either a discarded cigarette or an upturned tea light, which set fire to rubbish on the floor and then a sofa in the living room. The fire spread due to the amount of rubbish on the floor, the court heard. Jurors were shown photographs of the floor of the living room which was covered in rubbish 20cm deep and littered with human excrement.

And children were living in it. While social workers washed their hands of responsibility. In any normal world, the state of the house and the refusal to co-operate should have been grounds for more action, not less.

Giving evidence to the jury today, Mr Woodhams said: 'There was a smoke detector on the first floor landing however this was found to be inoperable and had no battery.'

Rose is not in court as she has an issue with her eyes and is observing the trial via a link from a room with lower lighting.

Once again, the inversion of the justice system, treating the alleged perpetrator as a victim.