Current Awareness » child abuse

Norwich child sex abuser sentence ‘not unduly lenient’ – BBC News

sally — Wed, 22 May 2013 10:22:15 +0000

“A child sex abuser who was spared jail due to the impact on his family was not given an ‘unduly lenient’ sentence, the solicitor general has decided.”

Full story

BBC News, 22nd May 2013

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Lawyers’ treatment of gang grooming victims prompts call for reform – The Guardian

sally — Mon, 20 May 2013 08:34:26 +0000

“Campaigners demand urgent shake-up of court procedure after seven barristers cross-examined a girl every day for three weeks in child-grooming case.”

Full story

The Guardian, 19th May 2013

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Why We Need an Animal Abuser Registry – Criminal Law and Justice Weekly

sally — Tue, 14 May 2013 10:08:10 +0000

“Criminals generally grow out of offending with the onset of a delayed maturity or when they become too old to accept the prospect of another spell in prison. However, one group of criminals are constant in their failure to change whatever their age: sex offenders. Although it is a cliché relied upon by defence counsel on behalf of every priest who molests a choirboy or teacher who robs a schoolgirl of her innocence that he acted “out of character”, each advocate is wrong. The reason is for pederasts and rapists and their ilk, their offences are not out of character, but part of their character.”

Full story

Criminal Law and Justice Weekly, 10th May 2013

Source: www.criminallawandjustice.co.uk

Inquiry into CofE cleric abuse claim set up – BBC News

tracey — Mon, 13 May 2013 08:45:06 +0000

“Archbishop of York John Sentamu is setting up an independent inquiry into allegations of sexual abuse made against a Church of England cleric.”

Full story

BBC News, 12th may 2013

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

‘Serious and systemic abuse’ took place in Welsh care homes, investigation finds – Daily Telegraph

tracey — Mon, 29 Apr 2013 15:43:18 +0000

“A new inquiry has found ‘significant’ evidence of ‘systemic and serious’ sexual
and physical abuse of children as young as seven in care homes in North Wales.”

Full story

Daily Telegraph, 29th April 2013

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

Collette Elliot wins pay-out from Birmingham council – BBC News

tracey — Mon, 29 Apr 2013 08:55:04 +0000

“A woman is to receive compensation from a council after social services failed
to take her into care while she was being abused as a child.”

Full story

BBC News, 28th April 2013

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Judge: parents were too besotted to hurt children – Daily Telegraph

tracey — Mon, 29 Apr 2013 08:36:00 +0000

“A judge has refused to allow social workers to take three children with serious
and apparently unexplained injuries into care after seeing that their parents
were ‘simply dotty about them’.”

Full story

Daily Telegraph, 27th April 2013

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

Met Police’s Sapphire rape units facing shake-up – BBC News

tracey — Fri, 26 Apr 2013 08:37:21 +0000

“The Metropolitan Police teams that specialise in rape and sex assault cases are
to undergo a major reorganisation after a series of failed investigations, the
BBC has learned.”

Full story

BBC News, 26th April 2013

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Tailoring the law on vicarious liability – Lord Hope of Craighead

sally — Thu, 25 Apr 2013 09:42:03 +0000

Tailoring the law on vicarious liability (PDF)

Lecture by Lord Hope of Craighead

Lord Taylor Memorial Lecture, Inner Temple, 23rd April 2013

Source: www.supremecourt.gov.uk

Minister pledges overhaul of ‘shameful’ child protection rules after Rochdale ‘watershed’ – Daily Telegraph

sally — Wed, 24 Apr 2013 08:55:48 +0000

“Rules on whether children can be placed in care homes far away from family and friends are to be overhauled in the wake of the Rochdale grooming scandal.”

Full story

Daily Telegraph, 24hth April 2013

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

Court awards anonymity for victim of libellous “paedophile” allegations – UK Human Rights Blog

sally — Mon, 22 Apr 2013 10:19:20 +0000

“The permanent damage that internet publications can inflict is very much the focus of Tugendhat J’s assessment of damages in this case, encapsulated in the memorable description he quoted in an earlier judgment: ‘what is to be found on the internet may become like a tattoo’.”

Full story

UK Human Rights Blog, 21st April 2013

Source: www.ukhumanrightsblog.com

Children: Public Law Update (April 2013) – Family Law Week

tracey — Fri, 19 Apr 2013 08:38:54 +0000

“John Tughan, barrister of 4 Paper Buildings, examines two important recent judgments: the Supreme Court’s decision in J (Children) and the Court of Appeal’s in M (A Child).”

Full story

Family Law Week, 18th April 2013

Source: www.familylawweek.co.uk

Court terminates father’s parental responsibility – Family Law Week

sally — Mon, 15 Apr 2013 10:41:43 +0000

“In the first reported judgment on the issue since 1995, Mr Justice Baker has terminated the parental responsibility of a father who had been imprisoned for sexual abuse of his own child’s half-sisters.”

Full story

Family Law Week, 14th April 2013

Source: www.familylawweek.co.uk

Sally Bercow faces first high court hearing in Twitter libel battle – The Guardian

sally — Mon, 15 Apr 2013 08:51:41 +0000

“Sally Bercow, the wife of the Commons speaker, faces her first high court hearing next week as part of the libel battle with Lord McAlpine over an allegedly defamatory Twitter message.”

Full story

The Guardian, 12th April 2013

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Ex-Met PCSO Billy Wheatley jailed after admitting a catalogue of sex offences against children – the Independent

sally — Thu, 11 Apr 2013 09:48:13 +0000

“A former Metropolitan Police community support officer with a history of sexual crime dating back to the age of 12 has been jailed after he secretly filmed himself abusing children.”

Full story

The Independent, 11th April 2013

Source: www.indepedent.co.uk

Ex-Church of England priest Keith Wilkie Denford and organist Michael Mytton guilty of string of child abuse offences – The Independent

sally — Mon, 08 Apr 2013 09:28:10 +0000

“A retired Church of England priest and a former organist and choirmaster have been found guilty of a string of child sex abuse offences dating back more than 25 years.”

Full story

The Independent, 5th April 2013

Source: www.independent.co.uk

Police go back over cases of female genital mutilation – The Independent

sally — Mon, 08 Apr 2013 08:23:30 +0000

“Police and prosecutors are reviewing hundreds of historic cases of female genital mutilation (FGM) in a bid to bring the first prosecution in Britain since the practice was ruled illegal in 1985. Legal experts are already examining six cases referred by police, and scores more are also being considered. Tens of thousands of women and girls in the UK are believed to have been subjected to the horrifying ordeal, which is also known as “cutting”, in which the genitals of women and girls are severed by unqualified people in the belief that it will preserve the victim’s virginity. It can result in infections, infertility and, in extreme cases, death.”

Full story

The Independent, 7th April 2013

Source: www.independent.co.uk

Graham Ovenden convicted of child sex offences – The Guardian

sally — Tue, 02 Apr 2013 12:33:04 +0000

“Artist found guilty at Truro crown court of four charges of indecency with a child but cleared of three counts of indecent assault.”

Full story

The Guardian, 2nd April 2013

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Darren Purchase jailed for 20 years for series of sex crimes – BBC News

tracey — Wed, 27 Mar 2013 10:11:21 +0000

“A man has been sentenced to 20 years in prison for sexually assaulting and
raping eight people including a 13-year-old boy.”

Full story

BBC News, 25th March 2013

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

The Government’s response to Lord Carlile’s report on the Edlington case – Department for Education

sally — Tue, 26 Mar 2013 16:15:13 +0000

“In March 2012 the Rt Hon Michael Gove MP, Secretary of State for Education, asked Lord Carlile to conduct an independent review of the case of the ‘J’ children in Edlington. The ‘J’ children had committed a very serious assault on two young victims in April 2009, having assaulted another young victim the previous weekend.”

Full story

Department for Education, March 2013

Source: www.education.gov.uk

Half a Century of Change: The Evidence of Child Victims – Speech by The Right Honourable the Lord Judge

sally — Thu, 21 Mar 2013 09:58:17 +0000

Half a Century of Change: The Evidence of Child Victims (PDF)

Speech by The Right Honourable the Lord Judge, Lord Chief Justice of England and Wales

Toulmin Lecture in Law and Psychiatry, 20th March 2013

Source: www.judiciary.gov.uk

Call for research into effects on children of giving evidence in abuse cases – The Guardian

sally — Thu, 21 Mar 2013 09:31:42 +0000

“Research should be carried out into the long-term affects on those who give evidence about sexual abuse when they are a child, the lord chief justice, Lord Judge, has urged.”

Full story

The Guardian, 20th March 2013

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Police hid files on celebrity suspects – Daily Telegraph

tracey — Wed, 20 Mar 2013 09:40:02 +0000

“Hundreds of police files on celebrities and politicians accused of sex assault
were so heavily protected that even officers investigating claims could not
access them.”

Full story

Daily Telegraph, 20th March 2013

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

Couple falsely accused of child abuse win damages from Haringey council – The Guardian

tracey — Fri, 15 Mar 2013 10:09:23 +0000

“Two experienced senior social workers who were plunged into a ‘nightmare’ after officials unlawfully investigated them over false allegations they had ill-treated their young daughter have won damages in the high court.”

Full story

The Guardian, 14th March 2013

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Jimmy Savile: Police failed to join the dots, HMIC report concludes – Daily Telegraph

sally — Tue, 12 Mar 2013 09:50:51 +0000

“Police buried sex abuse allegations against Jimmy Savile in files marked ‘restricted’ and ‘sensitive’ because of his celebrity status, a damning report has revealed.”

Full story

Daily Telegraph, 12th March 2013

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

Prosecutor demands overhaul of sexual abuse investigations – The Guardian

sally — Wed, 06 Mar 2013 10:53:07 +0000

“Sweeping changes to the way alleged sex offenders in England and Wales are investigated must be introduced in the wake of the Jimmy Savile scandal and other child exploitation cases, Keir Starmer, the director of public prosecutions, has said.”

Full story

The Guardian, 6th March 2013

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

43,000 strip-searches carried out on children as young as 12 – The Guardian

sally — Mon, 04 Mar 2013 09:27:15 +0000

“A promise to end routine strip-searching of children in custody is being flouted, according to data revealing there were more than 43,000 recorded incidences involving children as young as 12 over a 21-month period – but in only 275 searches were illicit items found.”

Full story

The Guardian, 3rd March 2013

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Can child porn users be treated? – BBC News

sally — Mon, 25 Feb 2013 10:14:58 +0000

“A child protection charity says it is impossible to catch every person who looks at indecent images and more needs to be done to stop people from looking at them.”

Full story

BBC News, 23rd February 2013

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

When Can Judges Change Their Minds? The Supreme Court’s judgment in L and B (Children) – Family Law Week

sally — Fri, 22 Feb 2013 12:40:48 +0000

“Martha Gray, Pupil at 1 Garden Court, considers whether and in what circumstances a judge who has announced her decision is entitled to change her mind, particularly in the context of fact-finding hearings in care proceedings, in the light of the Supreme Court’s recent judgment.”

Full story

Family Law Week, 22nd February 2013

Source: www.familylawweek.co.uk

In re L and another (Children) (Preliminary Finding: Power to Reverse) – WLR Daily

sally — Thu, 21 Feb 2013 12:04:33 +0000

In re L and another (Children) (Preliminary Finding: Power to Reverse) [2013] UKSC 8; [2013] WLR (D) 69

“Contrary to the practice previously adopted, a judge’s power to reverse his or her decision at any time before the court order had been sealed was not reserved for exceptional circumstances. A carefully considered change of mind by the judge was permisssible in the interests of the overriding objective of dealing with a case justly.”

WLR Daily, 20th February 2013

Source: www.iclr.co.uk

In the matter of L and B (Children) – Supreme Court

sally — Thu, 21 Feb 2013 10:50:06 +0000

In the matter of L and B (Children) [2013] UKSC 8 | UKSC 2012/0263 (YouTube)

Supreme Court, 20th February 2013

Source: www.youtube.com/user/UKSupremeCourt

In the matter of J (Children) – Supreme Court

sally — Thu, 21 Feb 2013 10:48:06 +0000

In the matter of J (Children) [2013] UKSC 9 | UKSC 2012/0128 (YouTube)

Supreme Court, 20th February 2013

Source: www.youtube.com/user/UKSupremeCourt

Jimmy Savile scandal: judge’s review contacted by more than 425 people – The Guardian

sally — Tue, 19 Feb 2013 09:25:27 +0000

“The judge-led investigation into sexual abuse at the BBC in the Jimmy Savile era has been contacted by more than 425 people and carried out 60 in-person interviews with witnesses.”

Full story

The Guardian, 18th February 2013

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Retired priest Robert Coles jailed for sexually abusing boys – BBC News

sally — Fri, 15 Feb 2013 09:25:10 +0000

“A retired Church of England priest from East Sussex has been jailed for eight years for sexual offences against three boys aged between 10 and 16.”

Full story

BBC News, 14th Febraury 2013

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Jimmy Savile estate and BBC sued over alleged abuse – BBC News

sally — Wed, 13 Feb 2013 17:03:54 +0000

“The estate of Jimmy Savile and the BBC are being sued by alleged sex abuse victims of the late DJ and presenter.”

Full story

BBC News, 13th February 2013

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Bar Council responds to Home Secretary – Bar Council

tracey — Tue, 12 Feb 2013 11:18:38 +0000

“The Bar Council, which represents barristers in England and Wales, has responded to calls in the House of Commons this afternoon, from the Home Secretary, the Rt. Hon. Theresa May MP, to look carefully at any lessons which can be learned from the Brewer case. ”

Full press release

Bar Council, 11th February 2013

Source: www.barcouncil.org.uk

iPhone used to bring child sex attacker William Walker to justice – BBC News

tracey — Tue, 12 Feb 2013 10:19:54 +0000

“A tattooist who raped a child has been jailed after his victim recorded a
conversation with him 20 years later.”

Full story

BBC News, 11th February 2013

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Frances Andrade death: Charity calls for review in child abuse trials – BBC News

sally — Mon, 11 Feb 2013 09:44:34 +0000

“A charity for adults who were abused in childhood has said the way prosecutions are brought must change after a victim took her own life during a trial.”

Full story

BBC News, 9th February 2013

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Sexual abuse victim killed herself after giving evidence at trial – The Guardian

sally — Fri, 08 Feb 2013 15:41:47 +0000

“A professional violinist killed herself after giving evidence at the trial of her former music teacher, who was found guilty of five counts of indecent assault on Friday.”

Full story

The Guardian, 8th February 2013

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Michael Brewer: Music director guilty of sex abuse charges – BBC News

sally — Fri, 08 Feb 2013 14:48:03 +0000

“A leading choir director and his ex-wife have been convicted of indecently assaulting a former music school pupil when she was 14.”

Full story

BBC News, 8th February 2013

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Sudanese paedophile cannot be deported over fears he would be ‘persecuted’ in home country – Daily Telegraph

sally — Mon, 28 Jan 2013 09:40:43 +0000

“A Sudanese paedophile who was part of a group of immigrants who lured schoolgirls to a house for sex cannot be deported because he is a member of a ‘persecuted tribe’, it was disclosed at the High Court yesterday.”

Full story

Daily Telegraph, 26th January 2013

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

Children: Public Law Update – Family Law Week

sally — Tue, 22 Jan 2013 11:44:26 +0000

“John Tughan, barrister, 4 Paper Buildings, considers some recent important public law decisions of the Supreme Court, Court of Appeal and High Court relating to children.”

Full story

Family Law Week, 21st January 2013

Source: www.familylawweek.com

Met police launch inquiry into historic child sex abuse claims – The Guardian

tracey — Fri, 18 Jan 2013 09:53:37 +0000

“The Metropolitan police have launched an official investigation into historic claims of child abuse after an MP alleged that a ‘senior aide of a former prime minister’ had links to a member of a paedophile ring.”

Full story

The Guardian, 17th January 2013

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Identity of social workers may be published following fostering bungle – UK Human Rights Blog

tracey — Mon, 14 Jan 2013 10:30:08 +0000

“Bristol City Council v C and others [2012] EWHC 3748 (Fam). This was an application for a reporting restriction order arising out of care proceedings conducted before the Bristol Family Proceedings Court. The proceedings themselves were relatively straightforward but, in the course of the hearing, information came to light which gave rise to concerns of an ‘unusual nature’, which alerted the interest of the press.”

Full story

UK Human Rights Blog, 13th January 2013

Source: www.ukhumanrightsblog.com

Jimmy Savile scandal: How will it affect future abuse cases?- BBC News

tracey — Mon, 14 Jan 2013 10:10:51 +0000

“Jimmy Savile’s ability to commit hundreds of serious sexual offences inside public institutions, ‘hiding in plain sight’ as Friday’s police and NSPCC report on his crimes puts it, seems almost incredible. And for his victims, it is indeed credibility which is the issue at the heart of this scandal.”

Full story

BBC News, 12th January 2013

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Barnardo’s concern over child sex trafficking rise – BBC News

tracey — Mon, 14 Jan 2013 09:36:40 +0000

“The UK has seen an ‘alarming’ 22% year-on-year rise in children being sexually exploited, the charity Barnardo’s says.”

Full story

BBC News, 13th January 2012

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Savile: the full shocking truth revealed in official report – The Independent

tracey — Fri, 11 Jan 2013 10:23:44 +0000

“Police have recorded 34 rapes against Jimmy Savile and 126 indecent assaults with the vast majority of them against children, the youngest of whom was aged eight, a report into the activities of the former DJ revealed today.”

Full story

Levitt Report

The Independent, 11th January 2013

Source: www.independent.co.uk

DPP statement on Savile cases – Crown Prosecution service

tracey — Fri, 11 Jan 2013 10:17:08 +0000

“In October 2012, in light of the more recent allegations of sexual offending by Jimmy Savile, I asked my Principal Legal Advisor, Alison Levitt QC, to examine the decisions taken by the CPS in relation to the four allegations made in 2007 and 2008 and advise me whether they were correct or not.”

Full press release

Crown Prosecution Service, 11th January 2013

Source: www.cps.gov.uk

Runaway child rapist David James jailed for 16 years – BBC News

tracey — Fri, 11 Jan 2013 09:23:45 +0000

“A child rapist brought back from the US after more than 20 years on the run has been jailed for 16 years.”

Full story

BBC News, 10th January 2013

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Gagging order preventing Sun report on child protection scandal overturned – The Guardian

sally — Wed, 09 Jan 2013 14:43:54 +0000

“The Sun has won a two-month battle to overturn an injunction brought by Bristol City Council that prevented it from reporting details of a child protection scandal.”

Full story

The Guardian, 9th January 2013

Source: www.guardian.co.uk