Regular drivers of cars live in terror of flying on commercial airlines. People deadlock their front doors at night to keep out violent burglars and then die of smoke inhalation trying to open them in a house fire. Pensioners stay indoors for fear of assault by teenagers, keep their cash in boxes for fear of fraud by banks; then they invite plausible middle-aged men in “to check the electricity meter” and lose their life savings. Most victims of “date-rape drugs” are simply too drunk to think.

When there are hordes of hoodie-wearing skunk-crazed paedophile asylum-seeker happy-slappers lurking around every corner, do we need to invent more threats to our personal safety?