A little bit of further info on this. I had a telephone conversation with my mother yesterday and pumped her for more info about what she could remember when HB found the little girl. Unfortunately, she couldn’t remember much, although I did find out that it happened at night, and not in the afternoon as I supposed.
They were walking home from an evening at the local bingo hall, and upon parting company, my mum was urging HB to walk home via the main road and not through the little derelict back streets, but HB insisted as it was more of a direct route to her house, and in doing that heard the little girl whimpering in one of the derelict houses. Also found out that upon entering the house and shouting hello, the little girl (who was not entirely naked but wearing just a vest) ran out of one of the rooms and into HB’s arms. It was then that HB wrapped her up and took her back to her house.
What struck me was how incredibly brave HB must have been in doing that. Picture an unlit derelict side street, in the east end of London. Its 10.30 at night, you’re alone and with only the moon as a light source, then hearing a small child whimpering coming from one of the derelict houses – mothers instinct perhaps..?.
There is a chance that I’ll hear back from HB, as in my last message I asked her if her Son (my old class mate) wanted to hook up for a beer, so if he agrees and I do hear back , I will ask her directly about the little girl and what the back story was and what happened after the court case etc.