Imagine an ......... public figure attacked by press and public, who is facing an inquiry into allegations of having obtained money by deception.

Any arguments he put up in his defence were regarded as a ......... by people who were determined to see him convicted.

People tended not to believe a word he said and maintained that his protestations of innocence were wearing a bit ......... .

There was very strong support for the police who were determined to ......... this kind of crime.

The press had been ......... by an unknown source to make as much publicity about him as they could.

His agent spent a lot of time ......... the press on his background in the hope that they would present a balanced view.

Views as to his guilt or innocence even before the trial started ......... from utter conviction that he was guilty to wild support for his innocence.

Gradually however as the days went by even his greatest supporters were beginning to ......... him.

Then two days before the trial was due to start, new evidence came to ......... proving he was totally innocent.

By then of course it was too late because the damage had already been done to his career, which ......... everything else he did for the rest of his life.