Former Lostprophets singer Ian Watkins to contest 35-year sentence – The Guardian
‘A panel of judges at Cardiff crown court will decide whether the convicted paedophile has grounds for appeal.’
The Guardian, 23rd July 2014
Source: www.guardian.co.uk
Category: sexual offences
Man and former wife abused their children, court hears – BBC News
‘A separated couple have been convicted of sexually and physically abusing their children. The man and his former wife were convicted of sexual and physical assaults on children in the Merthyr Tydfil and Caerphilly areas but cleared of rape. A second man was acquitted.’
BBC News, 17th July 2014
Source: www.bbc.co.uk
Lib Dems reject Lord Rennard bid to overturn suspension – BBC News
‘Liberal Democrat officials have rejected an attempt by Lord Rennard to overturn his suspension from the party.’
BBC News, 16th July 2014
Source: www.bbc.co.uk
Lady Butler-Sloss stands down from child-abuse inquiry – The Guardian
‘Lady Butler-Sloss, the retired high court judge, has resigned as chair of the panel that is due to examine the extent to which public institutions failed to investigate allegations of child abuse.
The Guardian, 14th July 2014
Source: www.guardian.co.uk
Child abuse victims to sue Government – The Independent
‘An alleged victim of historical child abuse has instructed lawyers over his intention to take legal action, claiming the Government is in breach of its obligations to victims of abuse. The victim, who has asked not to be named for legal reasons, believes the government has not lived up to Article 8 of the European Convention on Human Rights, which guarantees respect for home life. Had it done so, it is claimed, many more victims would have come forward to assist the police. The victim is an alleged survivor of child abuse at Grafton Close, a care home run by Richmond Borough Council in south-west London.’
The Independent, 13th July 2014
Source: www.independent.co.uk
Revenge porn – are we in need of stronger laws? – Halsbury’s Law Exchange
‘Calls have been prompted largely by the rise of revenge porn itself, which in turn is attributable to the omnipresence of smartphones that allow photographs to be taken and uploaded to the internet within seconds. No specialist knowledge is required and many “apps” allow pictures to be uploaded at the click of a button. Once an image is on the internet in digital form it can be reproduced time and time again. The call for a specific criminal sanction follows considerable lobbying by campaigners and the issue receiving national attention following the revelation that the prime minister’s nanny was the victim of revenge porn. At present there is no specific criminal offence that adequately addresses the problem. Legal action and publicity in the US have also put pressure on the government to act.’
Halsbury’s Law Exchange, 14th July 2014
Source: www.halsburyslawexchange.co.uk
Sex offender avoids deportation by claiming ‘right to family life’ with kids he’ll never see – Daily Telegraph
‘A foreign sex offender has been allowed to remain in Britain because of his “right to family life” with his two young children, even though they are about to be adopted.’
Daily Telegraph, 13th July 2014
Source: www.telegraph.co.uk
Home Office’s lost child abuse files: a victim’s story – The Guardian
‘When it emerged last week that 114 files containing allegations of child sex abuse had disappeared from the Home Office, survivors began to ask questions about whether their abuse had been deliberately covered up or ignored by the authorities.’
The Guardian, 11th July 2014
Source: www.guardian.co.uk
The time when child abuse wasn’t dealt with properly – BBC News
‘A major inquiry has been launched into how historical allegations of child abuse were handled. The UK’s National Archives contain some appalling examples of abuse at children’s homes and approved schools from decades past.’
BBC News, 11th July 2014
Source: www.bbc.co.uk
Rolf Harris’ sentence was both lenient and excessive – Halsbury’s Law Exchange
‘Last week, Rolf Harris was sentenced to five years nine months’ imprisonment for 12 indecent assaults committed against four female victims – including one aged just seven or eight. The sentencing remarks can be viewed here, and a summary of the case here. There are a number of other complainants who made allegations which were not, or have not (yet), been proceeded with.’
Halsbury’s Law Exchange, 10th July 2014
Source: www.halsburyslawexchange.co.uk
GP Andrew Johnson jailed for decades of sex abuse – BBC News
‘A GP who sexually abused patients over more than 25 years is serving a lengthy jail sentence, it can now be reported.’
BBC News, 9th July 2014
Source: www.bbc.co.uk
700 new convictions for ‘historical sex abuse’ pushing up prison population – Daily Telegraph
‘Chris Grayling, the Justice Secretary, says sex offenders found guilty of historical crimes are partly to blame for a 1,600 year-on-year rise in prison numbers.’
Daily Telegraph, 9th July 2014
Source: www.telegraph.co.uk
Humberside Police officer pleads guilty to sex assaults – BBC News
‘A former police constable has pleaded guilty to four sexual assaults while serving as an officer in East Yorkshire.’
BBC News, 8th July 2014
Source: www.bbc.co.uk
Rolf Harris, indecent images and the dangers of the dark net – Halsbury’s Law Exchange
‘News of concern over child abuse on the dark net came within a month of the children’s entertainer and artist Rolf Harris being convicted and sentenced for historic indecent assaults on more than one complainant. The full sentencing remarks are here. Other counts for making indecent images of children were separated and then not pursued. News reports are that paedophilic search terms were entered into his computer which suggests that the searches were done on open sources. It was also reported that Rolf Harris had notes on how to delete the internet history. Paedophilic activity is often cited as a reason to regulate the internet but caution needs to be exercised so as not to lose the essential freedoms that the web was designed to achieve.’
Halsbury’s Law Exchange, 8th July 2014
Source: www.halsburyslawexchange.co.uk
Questions over choice of Butler-Sloss as head of child abuse allegations inquiry – The Guardian
‘The government faced questions on Tuesday over the appointment of a member of the House of Lords as the chair of a public inquiry into “serious failings by public bodies and important institutions” in their handling of allegations of child abuse.’
The Guardian, 8th July 2014
Source: www.guardian.co.uk
NSPCC wants covering up abuse to be criminal offence – BBC News
‘The man leading a review into how the Home Office handled historical allegations of child abuse has said people who cover up such crimes should be prosecuted.’
BBC News, 9th July 2014
Source: www.bbc.co.uk
Ex-senior judge Butler-Sloss to head child sex abuse inquiry – BBC News
‘Retired senior judge Elizabeth Butler-Sloss, 80, has been named as the chairman of a wide-ranging review into historical child sex abuse.’
BBC News, 8th July 2014
Source: www.bbc.co.uk
Rolf Harris jailed for five years nine months for indecently assaulting girls – The Guardian
‘The judge, Mr Justice Sweeney, sentenced the 84-year-old entertainer to a total of five years and nine months in prison on 12 counts of indecent assault. Harris will serve half the total jail sentence with some of the individual sentences to be served consecutively and others concurrently.’
The Guardian, 4th July 2014
Source: www.guardian.co.uk
Sex cases: should the defendant have anonymity? – Halsbury’s Law Exchange
‘Two high profile sex cases in recent days have thrown open the debate about parity in law of anonymity for both victims and defendants.’
Halsbury’s Law Exchange, 3rd July 2014
Source: www.halsburylawexchange.co.uk
Family-abuse children ‘unprotected’, commissioner warns – BBC News
‘”Alarming gaps” in knowledge about abuse within families mean “substantial numbers” of children are not adequately protected, England’s deputy children’s commissioner Sue Berelowitz has said.’
BBC News, 3rd July 2014
Source: www.bbc.co.uk
