Recognising evil in our midst: Cult killer dies

In a world that is childishly enraptured by Christmas even before November has played out it may be hard to imagine, much less accept, the existence of evil.

Far better to wallow in a world of fairy lights, party punch bowls, and low-calorie, high-salt nibbles.

But then reality, like evil, has a way of catching our attention. The death on Sunday of mass murderer and Californian cult leader Charles Manson must be such a moment.