Until yesterday, I would have said that the most horrific and disturbing image of the year would have been the slaughter of Colonel Gaddafi by thugs armed by Nato.

What a difference a day makes…no one even those of us used to the stories of the brutality engaged by Middle Eastern governments on their own people were prepared for the casual, shameless attack on this young woman.

At first, you could have mistaken the body, lying on the floor with her top half there for the world to see, for a manikin as she was set upon by two, three may be more security guards.

Later credible reports say she was veiled before her humiliation.

The Egyptian army are going to find this impossible to explain away.

Muslims never attack women.

The protesters on Tahrir Square say Mubarak has never left – on the evidence of this image perhaps they are right.