AIBU to think that if you commit an adult crime you shouldn't receive anonymity

[Ohbehave1]

After hearing that both of the children involved in the murder of a mother and daughter have been found guilty I think that they if they were adult enough murder someone, and then go and watch films and have sex after that they should be old enough to be named after.

Their crimes were particularly nasty, and as such they should live with the consequences for the rest of their lives. They certainly shouldn't be able to do a few years and then get out with anonymity and start their lives as if nothing ever happened.

AndNow - what has led you to that judgement?

I can't say without their identity being obvious.

I know their identity. There are still family members that need protection from the cascade of media intrusion that will occur so I still think that family were taken into consideration and rightly so.

Why do you say that andnow?

Why do you want to know the names of these children? What would you do with that information? They will be imprisoned for a very long time and if, or indeed, when they are released it will be on life-long licence, subject to rigorous reporting requirements and supervision and they will be liable to immediate recall to prison if they put a foot wrong. Again, why do you want to know who they are?

It is to protect them AND their families.
There are other people affected by this who do not deserve the attention and risk.

It may be to protect them and their family but it isn't given to adult murderers who also
May have family and friends that need otlrotectung also.

Protecting.*

Adult murderers have less of a link to their parents and siblings.
These kids lived in their family homes. Their parents are likely to be held responsible by many, in a way that adult murderers rarely are.

This is part of what I do for a living.
There is no automatic right of anonymity for a child being tried in an adult court, as these were. The court makes a ruling under the children and young persons act.
The press can then apply to have that order lifted and the judge must decide whether it is in the public interest to do so.
In very serious cases, such as murder, it is likely they will lift restrictions, due to the need for the community to know who has committed such a heinous crime and to see justice being done.
However it is also in the public interest to rehabilitate offenders so they can ultimately return and integrate into society safely.
The age of the defendant plays a part too. A judge is much more likely to allow ID of a 17 year old than a 14 year old.
I was surprised they didn't lift restrictions on this case, but I haven't been involved so don't know everything there is to know about it.
There must be a public interest in keeping them anonymous. It won't be because of their family. That's not a consideration.

Are you sure that won't be a consideration thecakes I strongly suspect it will be.

TheCakes I think this is quite a complex case and I wouldn't make any judgements as to why their anonymity was preserved.

Surely the fact the identities of the children involved were revealed by familiy members at the outset means that any attempt at anonymity now is nothing more than locking the stable door once the horse has bolted?

Not that it took much to work it out from the trial either.

Just why are the authorities treating people as if it's all one big mystery? Are they hoping that only a handful of people have worked it out, or know in general? Are they hoping there are more people who don't know than there are those who do and they'll all conveniently forget because the judge has said the identities should be anonymous?

I'm very confused by this.

The fact that some people know, doesn't mean that there is no anonymity to preserve. The vast majority of people don't know. It's not easily searchable on Google without putting bits of information together. Their names and photos are not public knowledge in the way that Venables and Thompson were.

As soon as I Googled "spalding murders" their names came up.

They were sentenced today to life - minimum 20 years each.

There is no such thing as 'adult crime'. They are children and deserve the legal protections we give to children, as disgusting as their actions were.

Thanks for the update OohhThatsMe.

Now they have been sentenced, and their names have not been released, it seems like they will have lifelong anonymity.

Although there are some people who know, their identities will never be widely known.

Of course anonymity is the right thing, despite the heinous nature of the crime.

I think their identities will be very widely known MyWineTime but they will be given new ones on their release from prison. But there is just no way it can be kept a secret.

You doing very well, not to have been deleted !

Why should people have lifelong anonymity for committing acts that have nothing to do with being children , but because their are 'evil'.

Secondly Child anonymity should be for protecting children who make 'mistakes' so they able to become responsible and functioning adults.

It should not be used to protect people who have committed the most vile acts, or crimes so gruesome they should bar the perpetrators from ever setting foot in society again !

I've just found the whole backstory, motive etc on google. Desperately sad if true.

I've read the whole story, too and yes, it's desperately sad. I wish it was possible to say more here but the thread would be pulled.

The thing that always gets me when a couple murder together, is they don't seem to have factored in that they will never see each other again, except in court. It's the one thing that makes me think they'd have to be insane at the time - in their mind, they had this great love, but didn't consider the fact that they'd be apart forever if they went through with the murder.

The news reports said yesterday that the couple are no longer together - well, of course they're not! They wouldn't be allowed to write to each other, never mind see each other. It's natural, too, that they will blame each other for what happened.