‘Yes,’ answered Gerry. ‘I needed to relax Kevin so that I could get at the truth of some of his answers. This was difficult to do. He always seemed to be on his guard, never in the state of relaxation that was necessary. Permission was asked from his mother.’

‘And she granted it readily?’ asked the QC.

‘Erm,’ said Gerry, ‘I’d have to check my notes.’ He knew what was in them.

‘Yes?’ asked Limington again. ‘She willingly agreed?’

‘Her words were, and I quote, “Do what you like to the little fucking bastard–he’s wrecked my life, so you can hypnotize him into thinking he’s Myra fucking Hindley if you like.”’

‘Can we take that as parental consent?’

‘We did clarify it in stronger legal terms,’ confirmed Cornwell, stealing a glance at Kate Milne, who had found this was the best time to be looking in her handbag.

‘Turn to page eight,’ commanded Limington. The jury opened their copies of the production as he nodded at the witness to continue. ‘What happened next?’

‘Child X proved an excellent subject for hypnotism. Whilst in a deep state, he started to boast about what he called his manual. This took some time, but when I asked him to explain, he told me that for the last three years he had kept a manual of murder, a diary of a would-be killer. I asked him where he hid the manual, as it hadn’t been discovered in the police search. He told me it was in a graveyard in a tin box.’ Dr Cornwell held the manual up. ‘As you can see, Child X told the truth.’

‘Would you describe the drawing on page eight to the court?’

Gerry Cornwell picked up the hateful manual and flicked over the pages. He held the book aloft. ‘This drawing, and the explanation, details exactly how a toddler would be stolen from a busy bus or railway station and then tortured and killed. It’s dated three months before Matthew was abducted.’

There was a gasp from the public benches of the court.

‘But that is not what shocked you, is it, Doctor?’ Limington stared at his expert witness.