Why wasn’t more made of this?

[Iamnotagoddess]

Apologies for DM link

I read Mandy Smiths book when it came out in 1994 and remember at the time she was made out to be a “silly girl” or a bit of a “slag” in the media when she was nothing of the sort.

There were comedy sketches of Bill Wyman wheeling her down the aisle in a pram

Looking back though it’s not actually that funny.

Mandy Smith was a victim of child abuse - why is it all brushed under the carpet esp with the #MeToo movement?

www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/article-6995477/How-Rolling-Stone-Bill-Wyman-glosses-relationship-13-year-old-Mandy-Smith-new-biopic.html

You’re right. It’s was all very grim

Sorry am on my phone I don’t think the link worked

You are correct. I wondered about this too.

Maybe its because Mandy Smith never considered herself to be a victim (lots of different interpretations possible there, i know).

I think it’s sad she doesn’t (consider herself to be).

Her Mother’s attitude was really odd too.

He put her into private school

I’ve never understood this, he seemed to think that by marrying her he exonerated himself. She was 13! She should have been protected

why wasn't he arrested, she was under age

Cos he's a Rolling Stone! He isn't creepy weird Jimmy Saville or Gary Glitter. He's a rock icon. If you are a man who other men admire, then hey, the rules don't apply.

Mandy's mum married Wyman's son too I think ??

Yeah her mum married his son.

It’s beyond odd.

I think this attitude was very typical of the times.
It's not uncommon.
Just look at Rotherham
Rochdale .......
Years ago a work colleague told me of the problems her sister was having with her 14 year old neice. The neice had met a much older man and was having g sex with him.
Social services were contacted and the mum was told off for trying to keep her dd in the house!
The mum rang the police to report this man. Their response......
You show us a 14 year old who isn't having sex.
The man got her dd pregnant, then pregnant a further twice. At the ripe old age of 18 he dumped her to begin a relationship with.......
Another 14 year old child whom he got pregnant and repeated the pattern.
As far as I'm aware no charges were ever brought against this pervert for having sex with children.

Bill Wymans sons was not a child though when he was in a sexual relationship with mandys mum.

This is vile

This is just plain nasty, and snobby.

www.independent.co.uk/life-style/why-are-they-famous-the-smiths-1164784.html

Look at Elvis and how he abused 14 year old Lisa Presley. She went to live with him and spent days and days in a dark room with him because that was what he wanted. They did everything except penetration itself. He gave her drugs to help her sleep. Child sexual abuse but she was never regarded as a victim.

I remember my parents and their friends saying how disgusting he was, I don't think the general attitude was as you describe. As to why he wasn't prosecuted, I think there was a different view of child consent at the time (disliking the man but not seeing it as an offence) and I don't think the prosecution service would have believed they would get a conviction. Times change thankfully.

Surely if other historical cases can be looked at (operation Yew Tree) this should investigated too. It was pure grooming.

@maudebegone I do recall this I was a teen myself at the time and found it vile that a man of my fathers generation was interested in a girl younger than me.
Importantly I don't think Mandy or her mom made any allegation to police. Nor did anyone else. I think that from the 50s and jerry lee Lewis through to today there is plenty of pop stars taking advantage of woman/girls.

I'm the same age as Mandy Smith and remember reading about this in the newspapers at the time.

I couldn't get my head around it; how she was able to meet him, why she was out socialising with such older men when I was either tucked up in bed, doing my homework or at Guides.

It is pretty clear to me that she was massively let down by her mother and consequently preyed on by a predator.

Of course back then it was "normal" for page 3 to publish photos of girls to celebrate their 16th birthday. Horrific.

I still don't understand why he has been able to get away with it.

JoyStir59 You mean Priscilla Presley.

Look at Elvis and how he abused 14 year old Lisa Presley

He died when she was 9. I assume you mean Priscilla?

I remember it too. Although a lot of people thought it was beyond depraved and disgusting, a sizeable amount just shrugged and said 'rock 'n' roll innit'.

I think Bill Wyman presented himself at the police station some years back when all the Op Yewtree stuff was taking off. No charges brought against him.

He's 82 or so now I believe and probably thinks he's home and dry which it looks like he is. But honestly - let's call it what it is - a creepy much older man who had an inappropriate relationship with a child.

Her mum was ill. She suffered from mental health problems.
Now it's acceptable to say this, back then it wasn't, you would be classed as odd or a fucked up failure.
Females were regarded as at fault if a grown adult came on to you, you were the goady little slut enticing them.
It's not rocket science to see why men like this for away with it.

I think it was definitely because of who he was. Around the same time, when I was at school the police investigated and prosecuted a 20 year old who had been having sex with more than one underage girl.
So wrong.