It is now retrospectively acknowledged that great harm was done by the refusal to investigate serious crimes and dangerous mental illness for fear of being branded racist – the grooming gangs, the Southport and Nottingham killings. No similar acknowledgment has been made about the handling of cases involving homosexuals. This week, Jamie Varley was convicted of murder, sexual assault, child cruelty and making and distributing indecent images. His victim was his own adopted baby son, Preston Davey. Varley’s partner, John McGowan-Fazakerley, was convicted of lesser crimes against the boy. The details of Preston’s short life and bestial death are abominable. Preston’s biological grandmother suggested the authorities had been too frightened of being called ‘homophobic’ to challenge Varley when Preston repeatedly had to be treated for injuries. Most media are sidestepping this question. It should be answered and the process by which prospective adopters are approved in the first place should also be investigated. It would be wrong to say that homosexuals are inherently unsuited to adopt, but the risk to a child surely does arise if both adoptive parents are men. The sexual abuse of children by women, though not unknown, is much rarer than by men, because of biology and culture. For the same reasons, many more men than women are sexually predatory and violent. If this opinion is assailed as homophobic, that will only go to show how powerful the taboo against asking the right questions has become. By the way, Varley was, among other things, a ‘safeguarding lead’ at the academy where he taught.