A sad reminder

When Yvonne Entwistle was led out of court in tears this morning after hearing testimony about her son's devotion to his baby daughter, it was a stark reminder to everyone gathered in court of the extent of the tragedy at the centre of this double-murder trial. 

Each day in court, Clifford and Yvonne Entwistle, and their younger son Russell, have sat behind Neil Entwistle and the lawyers fighting his case. 

They have appeared stoic - declaring their faith in their son's innocence and always offering him a smile and a nod as he is led into court each day, their expressions barely readable to the spectators scrutinising them.

Across the aisle of the public gallery sit up to a dozen members of Rachel Entwistle's family - her mother and step-father, Priscilla and Joseph Matterazzo, her brother Jerome, and many more.  

One TV reporter overheard recording the voiceover to his latest package likened the layout to the way the families would have gathered at Rachel and Neil's wedding in 2003. The comparison raised a few wry smiles in the press room, but contrived as it sounded it was true. 

Whether their son committed the crimes or not, it should not be forgotten that the Entwistles - just like the Matterazzos - lost their granddaughter on January 20, 2006.  

It is difficult to think of a more horrific murder than the point-blank shooting of a tiny nine-month-old baby girl.

The more we learn about Rachel and Neil's apparently happy and contented life before this tragedy began to unfold, the clearer it becomes how horrific and unimaginable the situation must have been - and must still be - for everyone caught up in it.