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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

to think its disgusting that a murder suspect for a very nasty murder has been named before he's even been charged

112 replies

allsquareknickersnofurcoat · 11/02/2011 09:46

Title says it all really...

First of all it was only on FB that I saw him named, and I pointed out how very wrong it is. But now I see that BBC news have named him too.

AIBU? Or does the public have a right to know?

OP posts:
bumpsoon · 11/02/2011 10:47

Has the arrested man admitted to the crime ? i wondered if they had named him because he had turned himself in ? Not sure if that makes it ok though?

TotemPole · 11/02/2011 10:48

The news articles from a few weeks ago say his bail hasn't been cancelled. So he's still a suspect.

scurryfunge · 11/02/2011 10:49

Won't know that until he goes to court bumpsoon.

TotemPole · 11/02/2011 10:49

Sorry that ^^ was re the Briston murder.

TotemPole · 11/02/2011 10:49

Bristol. Blush

Original poster
allsquareknickersnofurcoat · 11/02/2011 10:50

I know that Hmm Was just the first case I thought of.

But he is now officially innocent. How many people believe that?

OP posts:
MrSpoc · 11/02/2011 10:51

Lots of people get charged for things that are later dropped.

This has an adverse affect on them. it will still show up on CRB checks etc.

I honestly would like to see penelties for anyone disclosing names until the person has been found guilty.

Feenie · 11/02/2011 10:51

The Bristol arrest didn't just cause a press furore, there was one on MN too - several posters insisted he must be guilty because he 'looked funny'.

MrSpoc · 11/02/2011 10:52

Exactly allsquareknickersnofurcoat - no matter what people will belive that he has done something to warrent all the fuss in the press.

And it will show up on his CRB check so will scupper certain jobs.

Original poster
allsquareknickersnofurcoat · 11/02/2011 10:55

Doh, my point could be clearer! Grin

What I meant was, some posters are saying if he is released, having been named at any point, no harm done as he must be innocent. OJ has been found innocent, but there are still a very large amount of people who think he was guilty.

As MrSpoc said, a lot of people believe no smoke without fire...

OP posts:
TotemPole · 11/02/2011 10:57

There were massive threads all over the place. The one on digitalspy is over 100 pages long.

The thing about that case because he lived in the same building, they also made his address known.

It potentially puts the accused's life at risk too.

MrSpoc · 11/02/2011 10:59

TotemPole has a point - if the accused was said the be a peodo, because the press have published his address, i grarantee that there would of been a mob there to sort him out.

It is very irrasponsible and puts innocent peoples lifes at risk.

TotemPole · 11/02/2011 11:02

An MP is calling for banning of names until charged

link here

Niecie · 11/02/2011 11:11

I agree with EldritchCleavage. You can't keep a name secret until conviction.

How would you feel if you had a murderer living amongst you and you didn't know it because the police weren't able to release a name and couldn't find them? I think you would be wanting to know who that person was with a view to make sure the police got to question them.

The police get it wrong sometimes but that is the nature of police enquiries. I am sure it is horrible if you are the person who has been wrongly arrested but I don't think you should tie the hands of the police and make it harder to get a conviction because they aren't allowed to say who they need to find and who they are questioning. They need witnesses who might not realise, as people often don't, that they have seen something of significant until they see a name and a face on telly. That is why Crimewatch is so successful in catching criminals.

What needs to change is the way the press cover it - allow them to publish only what comes directly from the police, not speculation and what is picked up from the street.

Controlling what appears across the social media is much more difficult and I don't have any answers for that.

RantyMcRantpants · 11/02/2011 11:13

The thing that gets me with that article is they put a picture of the accused and the girl up but there is no pictures of the people police want to speak to, surely that is more important so that police can find them quickly and interview them just incase they have relevant information.

MrSpoc · 11/02/2011 11:16

Niecie - if i did not know then i would not be arsed.

The way Crimestoppers is done is good. i.e this man is wanted fro questioning.

Have you seen this man he may have some info or this man has been proven to have done ex but is on the run. where is he know?

This is acceptible but not a full media frenzy on inocent until proven people. How *would you like it if you were accused of murder but you nver did?

Would you say it is ok as it helps with the police enquiries. It is just lazy policing.*

Original poster
allsquareknickersnofurcoat · 11/02/2011 11:16

Niecie in both of these cases the suspect has already been arrested and is in custody. They are not naming them to try to find them as they've done a runner.

OP posts:
Original poster
allsquareknickersnofurcoat · 11/02/2011 11:18

RantyMcRantpants - I had to actually search to find the CCTV pictures of the people they are looking for. Shows where the medias priorities lie...

OP posts:
TotemPole · 11/02/2011 11:20

I agree with allsquare. It's different if they want to find someone who's disappeared. Even if they are innocent, more fool them for running.

If they have the person then the name should not be released until charged.

Niecie · 11/02/2011 11:21

If it were a choice betweem me being wrongly accused and the person who did it getting away with it because policing was done in secret, then me being wrongly accused is preferable, no question. I don't want murders running around, ready to repeat their crimes, thanks very much.

MrSpoc · 11/02/2011 11:25

Niecie do you really belive that?

Honestly if i was accused, plastered all over the paper for a murder then it just got dropped, no appology or anything i would be fumming. Not to mention that this will have an affect for the rest of my life. CRB, Jobs, people judging me, harrasing me. Also if there is another murder locally you will be the first they suspect again.

Would you honestly be happy with that?

Or to put your argument across would you be happy with locking up innocent people in order to catch more guilty?

What i mean by that is presume gulity instead of innocent until proven guilty?

Original poster
allsquareknickersnofurcoat · 11/02/2011 11:27

But if someone has been wrongly accused and the public have hanged, drawn and quartered the suspect in their heads, then they may stop looking for the actual perpetrator, so it can be detrimental to the case.

OP posts:
Niecie · 11/02/2011 11:34

No of course I wouldn't be happy about it. But I don't like the consequences of the police being forced to do their job in secret. You have to weigh up the damage to my rights against those of the person who was murdered and their family and the fact that the person who did commit the crime not getting the punishment they deserve. Or the rehabilitation come to that if they are suffering from a severe mental illness.

TBH I wouldn't know the guy from Bristol who was wrong accused if I bumped into him in the street. I bet most people outside of Bristol wouldn't either. I would move. I wouldn't be happy about it but there you are.

JBellingham · 11/02/2011 11:35

Niecie - if you read in the paper that your next door neighbour was accused of being a murderer or paedophile, then after a few months it turned out he was innocent and someone else was guilty, would you let your kids play with his kids in their garden?

Original poster
allsquareknickersnofurcoat · 11/02/2011 11:37

What *JBellingham said, but also, what about if they didnt find anyone else for the crime?

OP posts: