Sarah's Law won't work

Posted by Simon Glover

Talk of chemically castrating paedophiles might upset the civil rights lobby but will no doubt make Home Secretary John Reid more friends than enemies.

The proposal makes attention-grabbing headlines but it would be voluntary – not compulsory – and is actually an expansion of an existing programme.

What is new is what Mr Reid has to say about the rights of the public to know about paedophiles living in their community.

He says going along with the US’s Megan’s Law, which gives widespread access to a sex offenders’ register, would simply drive paedophiles underground.

Instead, he proposes a “middle way” in which parents would only have the right to find out whether those with access to their children are convicted sex offenders.

But the partial release of information would surely be more likely to lead to rumour-mongering and misplaced vigilante action.

And it would do nothing to protect children like Sarah Payne, whose murder by paedophile Roy Whiting, a stranger, led to calls for a British version of Megan’s Law.

Comments

[margaret]

thats horrible what happened to sarah payne

[SUSAN CARRAGHER]

We moved into a new property 2 years ago,we thought we had checked out area we spoke to neighbours etc 6 months later our neighbour started exposing himself to our eldest daughter.when we first reported him to the police we were asked to have a chat with him and more or less asked to give him the benifit of the doubt. This led us to believe it would be a one off and thought if he had been known to them they would have taken our concerns more seriously.He then began exposing himself again and also stopped my daughter in the street. We again reported this to the police who again gave us the same advise this time however we insisted they spoke to him.He was warned about his behavior and any questions we had about any previous convictions he may of had hit a brick wall We were constantly told he had human rights. Here we were, we did not know what kind of a man we were living next to. We worried constantly for the safety of all our children We live next to a park area and also worried about not only our children but others. We stopped our childrens friends from visiting because we felt they may also be vunerable My daughters mental state was in tatters. Three months later he was up to his old tricks again, after reporting him this time to the police they arrested him 2 weeks later. We were given a police alarm and told that he was potetially dangerous and his mental state was questioned. He was given bail and was able to return home but yet again all our questions about any previous convictions fell on deaf ears and his human rights were again explained to us. We evetually managed to sit in court were guess what we were told he had previous confictions of a similar nature. If we had known this 2 years before we could have made an informed choice. We are now living next door to a man who we live in fear of. We have a property that is going to be worth nothing when we have to declare to any potential purchaser the problems we have had. As a mother how would you pass this on to another family.What about our human rights AND THE SAFTEY AND WELL BEING OF MY CHILDEN?

[Andy]

I'm amazed at the brainless, narrow minded, ignorant twits that have latched on to one person who has expressed his views in a coherent manner. You're the kind of ignorant twits who will pick on anyone who's views you cannot understand or comprehend because of your lack of intelligence. Go back to school!

[j blaze]

Raskolnikov eat sh!t pedo lover who you calling a marshmallow you the idiot go play on a main road an wait for a truck im sick of listening to that verbal sh!t you keep typing go hug some pedo scum

[Raskolnikov]

If only to ensure the immature beckie aka becky does not get the last word...
Do you like being ignorant?
Again. there is a lack of modration here. It cannot be acceptable to allow marsmallow brains to post comments that are libellous. It would be interseting to hear from Orange's lawyers as to how the Defamation Act is bypassed by merely signing up to a blog.

[beckie]

hi evey 1 what u mean that pervs russian guys still on here what sad act let me ask u a quetsion do u lot play with each other ad well as little innocent kids lmao

[Ice]

thank you everyone, now we can show these political softies that the majority and common sense prevail.

[russ]

thankyou for your support this Raskolniko bloke keeps using fancy words and phrases like bush quote with us or against us. And it aint its if all else fails do it yourself nowt wrong with a bit a mob justice worked on some chavs causing trouble the other day. there is strength in numbers togher we are one and show the pedo network that either stop or face our rath

[barry]

yea i am jeff bro and i think every one needs to no what you are so i reposted in stead of wasting my time typing see that a clever idea

[sarah]

pedos should not walk free in this life let me ask u 1 question Raskolnikov if u had kids and it happened to u i am sure your points of view would change it not fair sticking up for these animals i would not even insult a animal they r monsters like monsters who children r scared of this world is mad it says we need to look out for our kids but it dosnot like for instance the obseity inquire their worry more about that then they do this story it aint fair and any 1 who agrees with theres sickos needs shhoting i no that evey 1 is allowed an option but some ppls do not count like look at that girl who got raped by a man would not eat and ripped her teeth out with pliyers and that lil girl who got took frm her own home frm her bath wen her parents where in the living room they are not even safe in there own home so people need to open up their eyes and see what going on

[Raskolnikov]

Barry's comments bear an amazing similarity to Jeff's of 13th June @ 21:20. Bizarre!

[ged]

As long as there are plonkers like Raskolnikov who are to soft on punishment there will be no end to this. I think he is a member of the human rights brigade. We have tried it their way for years and it just dosen't seem to work does it. Russ I think shares the same opinion as the majority. Something positive has to be done to send a clear message to these sickos it will not be tollerated

[barry]

Do you know what, Raskolnikov you are exactly the sort of person that I cant stand. Drawing on the fact that someone used the word "sicko" and then using that to belittle what they meant. Anyone who rapes a child is a so far removed from our normal range of thought that it makes us feel sick to think of it. Then this reaction is our most comfortable way of describing that person "SICKO". I find it worrying that in the future a defence team could pin point a lack of a certain chemical in the brain as to the reason why someone murdered or why a child got raped.. These people are secretive, manipulative, devious and depraved They are not mentally ill they are those who pander to an unnatural instinct and show little remorse for their crimes. Maybe the thought of the Death sentence would halt their sickening actions. Infact I am sure it would.

[Raskolnikov]

It is clear that the measures already in place have failed in some cases. there ws a recent case of a priest from N Ireland and his friend grooming another child upon release. He was not checked properly regarding any contact with children. The system failed that child, but the legislation is already in place.
The use of lie detector testing is fatally flawed. What about pathological liars? Messrs Archer and Hamilton (ex MPs) spring to mind. Anyway back to work! Not for the Government lol!

[Ice]

if u had read MY post u would have read that yes, there is a need for discretion when it comes to cases in progress or people that courts have deemed not guilty. But what about after that? should a parent be able to leave their child with a neighbour, trusting in them, blissfully unaware of his past? Maybe there would be a vigilante offensive but is it any less than they deserve, or are you implying that 'the people' as you so delicately put, should adopt the forgive and forget attitude, till next time it happens? in response to your questions:
1- i would happilly undergo a lie detector test and any other tests to prove my innocence.
2-could you please rephase the question?
3-Yes maybe people close to the family and in positions of trust are more likely to offend, but with stricter CRB checks people in trust wont get these jobs, and people in the family would be dealt with either in-house or by the legal system.

[russ]

dont know what that book is to busy working to read and to a degree i can agree with you on some points but stop creating a firewall for these people and the remark about having the court both ways im not the courts would probably let me off for two reasons one i have a good solictor and two they let drug dealers and yobs off with asbos so what is me dishing a bit of rightful punishment the police are not allowed to do either lock them up in a mental unit or death for current repeat ofenders and do you work for the gouverment by ne chance?

[sarah]

i think it aint fair taking it out on russ like u say every 1 has their views at the end of the day think how sarahs parents felt and that was a man who was released because ppl thought he was safe in society and jessicas and hoolies parents it is not fair and ppl should open up their eyes and get this law in to use

[Raskolnikov]

For the record, I believe that the criminal should forego some human rights upon conviction. The anonymity would in my scheme only extend UNTIL conviction but this is a different matter to naming and shaming upon release.
As regards sentencing I think there is a valid arguent as to lack of proper sentences. It could also be argued that persistent offenders need to be detained indefinitely (this does happen in rare cases). We seem to jail so many minor offenders in this country (contrary to media opinion).

[Raskolnikov]

Russ,if you can show me where in my meanderings it says they should be hugged and kissed (or indeed that I do it) I will send you a dictionary and a copy of 'The Brothers Karamazov'.On the one hand you say that nobody has faith in the judictional (sic) system but then say that it would let you off. You cannot have it both ways. I'm sure you care for your children 100% but do not imply that nobody else cares for their children, just because they do not share your views. If you read my last post you will see that I found it difficult to deal with these people. It is sickening but it was a job that was necessary. Fortunately, I do not do it anymore.
3 questions for russ and supporters:
1. How would you feel if you were wrongly accused?
2. Would that be OK because 'the people' have decided he is guilty?
3. Do you agree that the greatest (by far) threat comes from close relatives and friends plus people in positions of responsibility e.g youth leaders, church?

There have been failings with the CRB checks and this clearly needs tightening up on.However, it was a positive step. I can understand people calling for a Megan/Sarah's law but the evidence shows that it does not work.
I promise no more literary allusions as long as posters refrain from defamatory and inappropriate comments. Detente? I still reserve the right to claim sovereignty over parts of Maidenhead!

[Ice]

Intelligence and vocabulary do not equate to superiority. Maybe a suspect should remain annonymous till proven guilty but after that? there is no excuses for hidding the identity of known, or convicted sex offenders exept to protect them from the very groups of ppl they seek to harm. you state that this is all down to a knee jerk reaction but would you class 6, maybe 7 years as knee jerk? and would you be the one to tell the family of the next child murdered at the hands of a repeat child molester it could have been prevented, but we had to respect his 'human rights'? and would you tell them their childs human rights were worth less than the beast that snatched their life away

[russ]

stop using literature and quotes you do your hugging and kissing with the pedos and I will defend my children by any means neccesary if it means doing time then so be it i will get off with jus like the pedos do

[sarah]

i no where every 1 is coming frm and this is a sad way of life having to take some ones innocents for a buzz i do agree with putting the pedos to death like i feel sorry for becky u must have gone through alot i neva never been through out like that and i would not want to every

[Raskolnikov]

The original article refers to middle ground. It seems that some here cannotunderstand the subtleties of differing opinions. It reminds me of Bush's 'for us or against us' stance.
for my part, I have dealt with victims and perpetrators. representing people accused of abominable acts was very difficult, but everyone deserves a defence. The system may be imperfect but it is the least worst sysyem and improvements in evidence giving One thing that I found unpalatable was an attitude by some that they saw nothing wrong with what they were doing. Perhaps the literal definition of paedophilia is relevant here. this was the case after a finding of guilt. This contrasted with, for instance, a burglar wrily accepting his/her fate after a verdict.
It must be said, however, that I did come across people falsely and maliciously accused. Their careers were ruined notwithstanding being cleared. In such cases there should be anonymity until conviction.Of course russ and the other dictionary bereft contributors would have handed out their own sysytem of justice. I'm reminded of a Python vox pop sketch about 'putting little birdies down their throats'
On another aspect, I have dealt with victims (or survivors as one early poster described herself-a great point) of abuse too. One element that surprised me was the correlation between people abused as children and those that went on to commit these crimes.
I had to look up Parsifal as I could only recollect some connection with Lohengrin and a trip to Weimar.

[Ice]

too right Russ, as a father myself i totaly agree. too long this government has stuck up for the so-called 'human rights' of murderers, rapists, paedos and anyone else that prey on the needy and vunerable. ppl like that will 9/10 times will never rehabillitate and intergrate back into the community, so why release them after 2 years? and if they do ACTUALLY get life (real life sentence nt just 15yrs) why should i have to pay to keep them alive, rotting in a prison cell for the next 25-30years?

[russ]

ap what are you rattaling on about austrailian incedent and who are you to call people idiots just because you try to type posh using big words. puit it this way it wont be long before the people will have had enough the courts are failing and i know a group of farthers that will quite happily defend there children me included the police carnt be everywhere and we have no faith in our judictional system so eventualy law will fall in to the parents hands no matter what you type