“A gang of abusers who subjected vulnerable girls in Oxford to years of rape, torture and extreme sexual violence has been convicted at the Old Bailey in one of the biggest child sexual exploitation trials in recent years.”
The Guardian, 14th May 2013
Source: www.guardian.co.uk
“Stuart Hazell was jailed for life at the Old Bailey with a minimum term of 38 years today after finally admitting the murder of schoolgirl Tia Sharp.”
The Independent, 14th May 2013
Source: www.independent.co.uk
“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.”
Criminal Law and Justice Weekly, 10th May 2013
Source: www.criminallawandjustice.co.uk
“The system of civil court orders designed to prevent sexual abuse of children in Britain is ‘not fit for purpose’, according to a report obtained by the BBC.”
BBC News, 14th May 2013
Source: www.bbc.co.uk
“Archbishop of York John Sentamu is setting up an independent inquiry into allegations of sexual abuse made against a Church of England cleric.”
BBC News, 12th may 2013
Source: www.bbc.co.uk
“Report examined the history of Savile’s relationship with the force and concluded there is no evidence he was protected by police officers.”
The Independent, 10th May 2013
Source: www.independent.co.uk
“More than 1,000 sex offenders have received police cautions in the east of England rather than face court proceedings, it has emerged.”
BBC News, 8th May 2013
Source: www.bbc.co.uk
“In our article ‘Rape Defendant Anonymity’ last year ((2012) 176 JPN pp.5-8 and 24-26) we suggested that there was a strong case for banning the publication of the identities of rape defendants prior to any conviction. We included this as part of our submission to Lord Justice Leveson’s inquiry into the press, suggesting that he should consider the issue as part of his remit. Tucked away in the depths of the report (The Report into the Culture, Practices and Ethics of the Press, November 29, 2012 at G Ch 3 para.2.39), whether or not in response to our submission the relevant text does not make clear, Leveson proposes that, other than in exceptional circumstances, the names of suspects and arrested people (referred to as ‘arrestees’) should not be published and that police guidance relating to publication should be tightened up to reflect this. The Law Commission disagreed (Contempt of Court: A Consultation Paper, Number 209, Law Commission) but in a judicial response to the Consultation Paper, Lord Justice Treacy and Mr Justice Tugendhat – supported by many other senior Judges, including the President of the Queen’s Bench Division and the Senior Presiding Judge – backed Leveson (A Judicial Response to Law Commission Consultation Paper no.209, March 4, 2013, released April 9, 2013).”
Criminal Law and Justice Weekly, 4th May 2013
Source: www.criminallawandjustice.co.uk
“Convicted sex offenders, including paedophiles and rapists, have been secretly from the Sex Offenders’ Register, it has been revealed.”
Daily Telegraph, 7th May 2013
Source: www.telegraph.co.uk
“A North Yorkshire police officer has been jailed for sexually assaulting two women while on duty.
BBC News, 3rd May 2013
Source: www.bbc.co.uk
“Should we, the public, know who the police have arrested? Do people deserve
anonymity until the point that the police charge them with an offence – or in
the case of some crimes – anonymity until convicted?”
BBC News, 3rd May 2013
Source: www.bbc.co.uk
“A sex offender spared jail after a judge considered the ‘impact’ on his family is having his sentence reviewed by the attorney general.”
BBC News, 3rd May 2013
Source: www.bbc.co.uk
“Nazir Afzal, Chief Crown Prosecutor for the CPS in the North West, thanks
victims of Stuart Hall for their bravery in coming forward as he describes the
veteran broadcaster as an ‘opportunistic predator’.”
Daily Telegraph, 2nd May 2013
Source: www.telegraph.co.uk
“The Independent poll finds strong public support for the controversial view that suspects in sex cases should enjoy the same right to anonymity as defendants.”
The Independent, 2nd May 2013
Source: www.independent.co.uk
“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.”
Daily Telegraph, 29th April 2013
Source: www.telegraph.co.uk
“Three men from east London who abducted a 13-year-old girl from the streets of
the city and forced her to become their sex slave have been jailed.”
BBC News, 26th April 2013
Source: www.bbc.co.uk
“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.”
BBC News, 26th April 2013
Source: www.bbc.co.uk
“The Sentencing Council’s consultation paper on sexual offences sets out its intentions and the principles surrounding the way in which such offences ought to be approached by the courts. Although a new guideline is welcomed, it is disappointing that the consultation paper and the draft guideline continue in the same or a similar vein to the guidelines issued by the Sentencing Council and the Sentencing Guidelines Council in the past; they adopt a mechanistic approach which is restrictive and fails to appreciate the often complex nature of sexual offences.”
Criminal Law and Justice Weekly, 13th April 2013
Source: www.criminallawandjustice.co.uk
“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.”
Daily Telegraph, 24hth April 2013
Source: www.telegraph.co.uk
