Gloves off over internet marine

Having pulled their punches at the request of the police during the search for Shevaun Pennington, many dispense with the gloves on Thursday when it comes to the man arrested on suspicion of abducting her.

There are page after page of allegations about the former US marine, Toby Studabaker, which cannot be repeated for legal reasons.

As for the police operation to track the pair down, most agree it was one of the most complex undertaken.

The Daily Telegraph says detectives on both sides of the Atlantic used mobile phone records, credit card trails and special computer techniques to follow the trail across Europe.

The Times tells of the "mind games" used by police, including a series of appeals designed by psychologists to ensure the schoolgirl's safe return.

The Guardian reckons every word uttered by detectives and Shevaun's parents was informed by the advice of psychological profilers.

Crime confusion

The tabloids take the government to task for releasing two sets of apparently conflicting official crime statistics.

The Daily Mirror highlights the confusion by offering readers a rare multiple choice headline: Crime Rises Seven Percent - or, if you prefer - Crime Falls Three Percent.

According to the Daily Mail, it is just another example of lies, damned lies and statistics.

But whether the figures are adjusted or unadjusted the Daily Express feels that ministers can no longer bamboozle us.

Rape and violent crimes continue to increase - and these are the very offences which terrify us most.

The Daily Star reckons that if the government put as much effort into catching villains as they did into massaging the figures, then we would have nothing to fear.

The Sun thinks it has the answer. Too much time is spent trying to appease the civil liberties mob. There must be tougher sentencing and more prisons.

Blair and Bush

The Independent divides its front page - one side labelled, simply, "Bush", the other "Blair" - to assess the standing of the two leaders as they prepare to meet in Washington.

Only three months ago they were the smiling masters of the universe, it says. How different it will be on Thursday.

The Financial Times believes Mr Blair will try to reclaim his position as honest broker between Europe and the US.

But the Guardian wants something a little more radical.

It is time to end Britain's self-destructive kow-towing to a right wing US administration. Mr Blair's forelock-tugging must cease - and Thursday is a good day to start.

The Times reflects on the difficulties the Prime Minister faces in appealing to both a domestic and an international audience.

Outsold by Osama

In a cartoon Mr Blair is shown wearing a paper bag over his head, as he shakes hands with Mr Bush.

"No offence George," he is saying. "But it's for the folks back home."

In an editorial the paper says Tony Blair needs praise on Capitol Hill for his stance on Iraq about as much as a moose needs a hat-rack.

With that in mind, there is mixed news for Mr Blair in the Express.

It says sales are booming in America for action figures of the prime minister dressed in military camouflage and army boots.

But the manufacturers say he is being outsold - not by President Bush dolls, but by miniature versions of Saddam Hussein and Osama Bin Laden.