PAUL SMITH’S parents stood by him throughout a childhood during which he was bullied for his stilted language, lack of social skills and learning difficulties.

When the teenager was accused of murder, Nigel Smith, a businessman, and his wife, Susan, claimed that their vulnerable son had been blamed because he was an easy target. From an early age he was made a scapegoat because his condition, Asperger’s syndrome, marked him out from other children.

The condition was identified in 1944 by Hans Asperger, a German doctor, who noted similar, odd behaviour in more than one of his patients. The subtle characteristics of the condition often lead to it being missed by doctors. Smith’s condition was diagnosed at the age of 12 or 13 after disruptive behaviour at his school, Central Technology College, in Grantham. He hated school and saw a special needs teacher for five hours a week. As soon as he reached 16 he left school to start his apprenticeship as an electrician. A spokesman for the National Autistic Society said that Asperger’s sufferers often have difficulties relating to people, which lead to problems forming friendships.

They can be inflexible and do not have the capacity to think ahead. He said: “There would be no reason to suspect that someone with Asperger’s syndrome would be likely to be more aggressive or more physical towards other people than any person of a similar age.”

Explore UK News

• Crime News

• Education News

• Health News

• Science News

• Scotland News

Times Recommends

• Swine flu vaccine for all as drug rushed through
• Artificial sperm and the race to build a baby
• BBC jets out stars to tout for prizes