The wheels of justice !

In recent months there have been a number of vicious rapes in south western Sydney. An investigation culminated when one of the victims thought she saw the rapist on a busy street.

The police culled through cctv coverage of rail stations in that area - and the victim spotted a person she believed was her attacker. The police released footage to the media with the comment that they were inviting help in identifying a rapist.

The young man pictured promptly attended a police station to clear up what was a matter of mistaken identity. He was arrested, strip searched and thrown into gaol. No attempt was made to verify his whereabouts at the time of the rapes.

Days later - when the police finally bothered to make these checks - it was revealed that he had been at work at those times. He was further vindicated when DNA left at the rape scenes did not match the samples he provided. The police simply released him without an apology.

Whatever happened to " innocent until proved guilty ". This seems a prime example of sloppy police work. A simple check with his employer at the time he attended a police station would have resolved the matter. Instead he was named and shamed as a rapist - and for those folk who believe in the adage that " there is no smoke without fire " he will have a permanent stain on his character.

There is also the matter of risk. Rapists are not treated kindly by fellow prisoners and after his arrest he was paraded before the media cameras and named. It seems pure luck that he survived for days in the prison system without being bashed and seriously injured.

To add insult to injury the Premier refuses to apologise and the only hope of redress is for this man to sue the government and the police department.

Even then, he will be at a disadvantage. The government will mount a defence employing high quality lawyers - paid for from public funds. Any verdict will no doubt be appealed to a higher court - again with the applicant footing the bill.

The government will hope that the victim will simply give up because the cost of justice is beyond his reach.

The average citizen will read of this awful travesty of justice with a shudder - and remember that old adage - " There but for the grace of God go I ! "