The decision of Lancashire Police not to attend the first ever Justice For Jane conference appears to be a bit of an own goal.

John and Penny Clough have several grievances with the judicial system following the murder of their daughter Jane at the hands of her bailed ex-boyfriend Jonathan Vass 12 months ago.

But they have steadfastly praised the police throughout for providing Jane with the support to take Vass to court for rape and then for prosecuting her killer.

They refused to criticise officers who mistakenly believed Jane couldn’t donate tissue after death because of the manner in which she died.

Penny, a nurse herself, welcomed the force’s admission of error and subsequent promise to educate detectives on donation issues.

At Thursday’s conference there was a range of powerful speakers including MPs, other families of murder victims, transplant co-ordinators and campaigners.

The Clough’s ‘Justice For Jane’ remit is to change legislation around bail and is critical of the justice system which they feel let their daughter down.

According to them, senior Lancashire figures felt attending the conference was an ‘ethical dilemma’ where they didn’t want to be seen siding against the judiciary under the campaign banner.

A corporate letter was sent instead.

But the real anger from the Cloughs was aimed at whoever advised against ‘close family friend’ and family liaison officer attending to receive an award for helping Jane ‘in her darkest hours’.

It was a ‘missed opportunity’ said the Cloughs to tell people about the important work of FLOs that often goes unseen.

It was telling that at the third time of asking, Prime Minister David Cameron had responded to the Cloughs the day before the conference and sent a more personal letter addressing his ‘deepest sympathy’ at the ‘horrific chain of events’.

Police officer are not politicians, but the Cloughs were not asking them to be. They were not asking them to take sides.

They pointed out that if Merseyside’s Chief Constable Jon Murphy can attend a similar conference and even answer audience questions, why can’t Lancashire?

The conference was a big success for the Cloughs so it is to be hoped this fallout doesn’t detract from their campaign.