Speaking in 2018, disgraced former Minister, Jonathan Aitken, said that the former Duke of York should “wait for the public mood to change.” Seven years on, that seems highly unlikely, doesn’t it? The now Reverend Aitken this week says Andrew is “in the depths of brokenness and despair and needs to hear some compassion.” I don’t know about you, but I’m sick of hearing about Prince Andrew. Did no-one ever tell him that when you’re in a hole, you need to stop digging? What normal person gives millions to someone they’d never met? Even if my lawyers advised it, I’d point-blank refuse; the whole concept is preposterous.

That said, I do have a tiny bit of sympathy for Andrew’s predicament. We may live in an international world, but how does a person resident in Australia sue a British person in an American civil court for money? If the former Duke of York has committed a crime, the criminal justice system should apply. If, as he’s repeatedly said, he did not, then a jury would surely clear him, and he would have been free to continue his life.

In his younger days, the Queen’s favourite son was portrayed as a playboy, a young man who liked to enjoy himself. In the ’70s, the tabloids even dubbed him ‘Randy Andy’. Perhaps it amused him then, but I doubt he’s laughing now. The prince served our country bravely in the Royal Navy during the Falklands War, but that can’t excuse his behaviour since.

I met his wife, Sarah, a few times; we were involved in some relief cargo flights during the breakup of Czechoslovakia. She was friendly and dedicated and made time for everyone, including the aircraft refuellers and cleaners, not just senior airport managers and officials. Regardless of her ex-husband’s failings, I can’t imagine her homeless – perhaps one of her daughters has a granny flat she could use?

Most of us have imagined what it’s like to be accused of something we didn’t do. I would rather go to jail than admit to a crime I didn’t commit. I would certainly yell, from the dock, “I didn’t do it; it wasn’t me,” because in that situation, what else can you do? Miscarriage of justice cases are terrifying, and they do happen all over the world. Since its discovery, DNA has saved many an innocent man – unfortunately, sometimes only after decades of painful incarceration.

I’ve always admired those prisoners who languish in jail without parole because they refuse to admit their guilt. Surely at the midpoint of a jail term, even an innocent person would be tempted to own up and walk free. The temptation must be overwhelming; still, I’d like to think I wouldn’t do it.

At best, over the years, Prince Andrew made some terrible choices and is finished in public life. His car-crash TV interview with Emily Maitlis was another error of judgment. Those evasive, unconvincing answers will be there for all time. His only hope now is to admit to his mistakes and appalling choice of associates. He might say he did these things years ago, and that, when confronted with his behaviour in 2018, he compounded his errors by maintaining the relationship and denying any wrongdoing.

I doubt we’ll ever know for certain what happened between him and Virginia Giuffre, but she’s not the reason for his downfall. The person responsible for that is him, and him alone. If he wants any public sympathy, he needs to admit what he did wrong and beg forgiveness from his family, God and the nation. He’ll also need to acknowledge the late Ms Giuffre’s pain and dedicate the remainder of his life to fighting for victims of sexual abuse. If he did that, maybe we could all find some compassion for him.