The family of little Blake Fowler are upset that their final appeal to those in authority to allow the dead seven-year-old his day in court has been denied.

They must also be confused.

As this paper reports today, the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) has rejected pleas from Blake’s family to reconsider its decision not to bring charges against his guardians following his death from head injuries.

Their appeal came after an official inquiry found that Blake had suffered appalling neglect at the hands of his guardians, including his mother. But, decided the CPS, there was no evidence that the actions were, in its word, wilful.

The family, including Blake’s grandmother, herself the mother of one of the guardians she wishes to see charged, must wonder how neglect over a period of time by those charged with looking after a small child can ever be considered unwilful?

And since when has it been an excuse by the guardians of small children that they didn’t realise what they were doing in allowing a child to be given vodka and to watch pornography?

Little Blake is dead. He cannot be helped by his story being put before a jury to decide on where any blame might lie. Some members of his family, however, feel that his memory is owed that day in court.