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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Convicted pedophile working in supermarket aibu?

142 replies

youmeatseven · 08/10/2018 15:21

I worked in a supermarket (big chain, green logo) a few years ago and one of my colleagues at the time was arrested and charged with various sexual offences against children (under 10) and animals. He admitted what he done (the worst of the worst) and was placed on the sex offenders register, given a community payback order and a fine. Imagine my shock today to go into the store for the first time in over 2 years to find him stacking shelves, still employed by the supermarket.

I left my trolley, got the name of the store manager and left the shop feeling sick to my stomach.

AIBU to complain about this and ask the store managers if they are aware of his history (he's probably still doing it) or should I just leave it? I can't believe he still has a job let alone in a very busy supermarket

OP posts:
Gemini69 · 08/10/2018 16:58

@Gemini69 his child victims are most likely in a different country. Going by what OP said this guy got, it was for a a possession of indecent images.

aahh okay... I've misunderstood... thank you Flowers

Eliza9917 · 08/10/2018 16:59

You can in my book, there is no sliding scale of acceptability for me, i'm afraid.

eggstoast · 08/10/2018 16:59

If he’s an ex colleague, then surely the supermarket already know his history. If you know then I’m pretty sure they do. I can’t see how it would stay secret for long.
What he’s done is revolting, but I’d rather he worked for his money than took it from me indirectly through taxes.

IDoLoveToBeBesideTheSeaside · 08/10/2018 17:01

This doesn't add up. You get a custodial sentence for possessing the worst images, even 'a few years ago'. I know someone who was imprisoned for possession of images, got out, reoffended and went straight back in again.

It's not being an apologist to say offenders are entitled to work Eliza9917. It's simply stating the legal facts. I only know one of the paedophiles in my community but I'd far rather they were busy and distracted by work, in known places, than have them prowling the streets all day to get away from their dingy bedsit.

WorraLiberty · 08/10/2018 17:02

I never said this one is the rapist of the baby, I said what if you came across the rapist of the two week old baby working somewhere, would it be all oh its ok, he's done his time, lets all have dinner with him.

Leaving aside the 'dinner' comment which was just as silly as the 'making friends' comment...

I'd be pleased he was working and not claiming off the state, because that's the only other option isn't it?

NotExactlyHappyToHelp · 08/10/2018 17:05

@IDoLoveToBeBesideTheSeaside Unfortunately I do know of someone who possessed Catagory 1 images who didn’t get a custodial sentence. It was about 4 years ago now.

Sparklesocks · 08/10/2018 17:06

Eliza Nobody here has claimed to find his crimes acceptable. Such charges are disgusting and upsetting and nobody is minimising that.

But the reality is not all sex offenders are imprisoned forever. We don't have the resources of space. Eventually they must rejoin society. So when they leave, they need money to live. We could fund them on the state, or they can find work. And there must be places for them to do that.

And even if you believe in the death penalty, or imprisoning them for life regardless, the fact is we don't live in a country that does those things. So it's about accepting the reality that these things must be thought about, and that they must go somewhere. I don't like it any more than you do, but it's the reality of the situation.

ClaryFray · 08/10/2018 17:08

They have to work, imo.

Not working with kids, but they're entitled to a life, your being a bit over dramatic.

Scrumptiousbears · 08/10/2018 17:11

There are people like this all over the place. On the bus sitting next to you, your neighbour, etc. You don't know them all. If you safeguard your own child the way you should then no harm will come to them.

I personally wouldn't like my neighbour to be a convicted sex offender, however if he were he would never get his hands on my DC as they would never be alone with him. Let alone some bloke stacking a shelf.

OutPinked · 08/10/2018 17:13

I appreciate how uncomfortable this makes you feel but he isn’t working in a remit where any child would be left vulnerable to him. If he didn’t work, he would instead need to claim benefits and I’m sure you’d be pissed off that your tax money was funding a convicted paedophile so it’s one of those really. He will see children every day but he can’t touch them, they are safe. Also how many paedophiles live among us that never get caught? Your NDN could be one and you’d have no idea.

Lovemusic33 · 08/10/2018 17:13

YABU

I would be more worried about the ones who have not been caught and convicted, I’m sure there are many people like him working in public places it’s just the fact you know about this one?

At least he has a job and isn’t scrounging of us tax payers because people would moan about that too.

Graphista · 08/10/2018 17:14

"If it was the worst of the worst surely he would have been imprisoned?" Assuming too that op means he was viewing the worst images as thankfully there is SOME mandatory sentencing guidelines.

Unfortunately, though, the sentencing of such criminals is absolutely abysmal! If you can bear it Google local cases to you and the sentences but be warned you will probably end up angry, disappointed and feeling unsafe. The viewing of these images is not taken nearly as seriously as it should be.

TrulyBadlyDeeply - experts in the field now mostly saying "stranger danger" did more harm than good. Most children that are abused the abuser is well known to them and usually their family too.

Personally I'd prefer people like this locked up for good. Re lack of prison space/resources well I'd not have non-violent criminals in prison. That'd make a lot of space.

There's overwhelming evidence that they don't change, however "determined" they might be. And that goes for image seekers too as that creates the demand for abuse not only to happen but to be publicised and once it's online it can never be removed. Those children then have to live with not only the abuse, but the abuse being almost public knowledge!

However, I see pps points about this being a relatively 'safe' job. Although terrifying thought for those (most) of us who've lost children in a supermarket.

Would be even better if he were in a non-customer facing office or warehouse job - surely the supermarket concerned could put him in a warehouse role?

myrtleWilson · 08/10/2018 17:16

I never said this one is the rapist of the baby, I said what if you came across the rapist of the two week old baby working somewhere, would it be all oh its ok, he's done his time, lets all have dinner with him

But Eliza you were assuming the rapist of the baby also got a two year sentence so you were trying to make a comparison between the OPs scenario and your one, a false comparison at that.

Biancadelriosback · 08/10/2018 17:20

if you safe guard your children the way you should then no harm will come to them

Sorry but bullshit. Unless you propose that all parents refuse anyone alone time every with their kids until they are 16 then you can't ever safe guard them 100%. You can teach them til you're blue in the face, but you never know what may happen. Don't lay the blame at the door of the parents.

Graphista · 08/10/2018 17:23

Have to agree with Bianca, that's crap! Down that road is wrapping kids in cotton wool which is not healthy, and won't necessarily keep them safe! Unless you are proposing they are never left alone with any adult? Because there's even been cases of mothers abusing children.

Lweji · 08/10/2018 17:23

Just leave it.

It's not as if he's working as TA in the local school. As far as opportunities for grooming, I don't think stacking shelves ranks very high up.

As far as punishment goes, it's up to the courts, so you complaining wouldn't attract any reaction, unless you saw him interacting with children, for example.

And this
If all he got a was fine then it certainly wasn't the worst of the worst.

Nightwatch999 · 08/10/2018 17:25

It would be a concern to me as children visit supermarkets often. It looks like they have failed to the correct checks, or he was not sentenced to begin with.

Lweji · 08/10/2018 17:29

Children basically go everywhere.
But we don't see many under 10s alone in supermarkets.

WorraLiberty · 08/10/2018 17:29

Nightwatch what are the correct checks?

The man isn't working alone with children, so wouldn't need to be prevented from working in a place that serves the public.

LuvSmallDogs · 08/10/2018 17:30

He shouldn’t be working at all, he should be dead. All of them should be.

TitsalinaBumSquash · 08/10/2018 17:39

Unless these people stay in prison forever, which as a country we can't afford and don't have space.. what do you want them to do? Live on benefits, socialise with no one from the outside world? Love as a recluse until they die?

Not sticking up for the guy who has committed horrible crimes but what do you want?

ilovesooty · 08/10/2018 17:40

The correct checks are a standard DBS as I described above.

Defrack · 08/10/2018 17:41

YABU.

He isn't in a position of care of anyone.
He works in an open area covered by cctv, with hundreds of people walking past him and doesn't scrounge off benefits.

Yes his crimes were horrible but he's paying tax and making a life for himself

Defrack · 08/10/2018 17:42

And actually we shouldn't kill them all. What a fucking stupid thing to say.

It has been proven that more people would get away with these offences as people would be releucntant to sentence someone to death.

viques · 08/10/2018 17:45

I would rather someone on the sex offenders register for whatever reason is working in a supermarket than apparently lined up to rejoin their overpaid football career as a convicted rapist. What sort of an example of rehabilitation is that making?

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