‘Today marks five years since the conclusion of Operation Andromeda, and the successful conviction and incarceration of eleven offenders. These offenders were all mid-to-high-ranking military officers, found guilty of the most appalling of crimes, committed under the cover of Britain’s most revered establishment.’

She pauses again, into a collectively held breath.

‘At the time, we believed it was the culmination of years of painstaking investigative work. Hundreds of officers, thousands of hours, millions of pounds of taxpayers’ money was spent on bringing the perpetrators of Britain’s most prolific known paedophile ring to justice. These offenders systematically abused vulnerable teenage girls for their own sexual gratification. Secondarily, they brought the status of one of Britain’s greatest institutions into vile disrepute. Their evil knew no bounds.’

‘Spare us the history lesson, why don’t you,’ Jemima mutters under her breath.

My eyelid starts to twitch as the numbers clang around in my head. Eleven? Wasn’t it thirteen? I snatch at the memory on the edge of my consciousness, so fleeting, it’s gone.

‘We now know that mistakes were made during Operation Andromeda. We now know that victims were failed, in the face of unimaginable depravity.’

She peers at us over the rim of her glasses, quieting even the snappers in their pit.

‘After displaying such endless bravery in coming forward, and such incredible resilience over months of gruelling testimony, that is particularly unforgivable, a betrayal of the highest order. And I would like, on behalf of the entire Metropolitan Police Force, to apologise directly to them.’101

She puts her paper down, holding her face aloft for the flashes and clicks erupting from every camera in the room.

‘I want to pay tribute to the tremendous courage of some of these victims, whose harrowing testimony has brought new information to light.’

Her words slow, deliberate and precise, firing shot after perfect shot.

‘I can confirm that as of today, we are reopening the case against General Minchin, and as such are launching a second phase to Operation Andromeda. All units in the South East Command have been mobilised and will report directly to me.’

Grenades this time, one after the other, bursting all around me.

‘We believe there are several issues that need to be investigated and resolved if the law is to prevail. Only then will Britain be able to begin rebuilding trust in its military, and only then will the victims feel justice has truly been served. I would like to thank all of the officers involved in bringing this new evidence to light. And I reiterate my apologies to the victims of these horrendous crimes. We will not fail you again. I will not fail you, again.’