Page 2 | Just found out about the Radfords, Britain's biggest family, she was 13 and he was 17!!!

KnitFastDieWarm1 · 2023-03-14T18:50:04+00:00

Im sure this must have been common knowledge for ages but I've just found out she was 13 when she was first pregnant, he was 17. The media narrative always seems to be purely that theyre admirable cos they work and don't claim benefits, they've stayed together, etc. Its always been positive coverage from what I've seen. Im unsettled and repulsed that statutory rape, basically, has been glossed over and minimised. 13!

AnorLondo · 14/03/2023 19:26

Just because it was relatively common doesn't mean its okay. A 17yo having sex with a 13yo is a rapist.

Conkersinautumn · 14/03/2023 19:28

Sick wrong and glamorising grooming, abuse and teen pregnancy. Grim.

x2boys · 14/03/2023 19:33

AnorLondo · 14/03/2023 19:26

Just because it was relatively common doesn't mean its okay. A 17yo having sex with a 13yo is a rapist.

As i said,i dont think, its right ,but it happened and probably more than peope think
Certainly in the 80,s there was a different attitude
Look at Mandy Smith,Amanda de cadenet,Emma Ridley etc ,very young teens going out to clubs and neeting much older men ,but the papers described,them as good time girls,it was shocking really

jetadore · 14/03/2023 19:40

FallopianTubeTrain · 14/03/2023 18:56

This is the only thing I know about these people, thanks to the threads that only last 5 mins before getting zapped on MN. Also they are bakers maybe?

Is “bakers” some code word that I don’t know about or are you just pointing out they like to make bread?

Ponoka7 · 14/03/2023 19:43

Richhandcream · 14/03/2023 19:10

It was. The age of consent was 16.

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It wasn't thought of that way. The police wouldn't have been interested. It was in 1989 when 45 year old Bill Wyman married 18 year old Mandy Smith after dating her since she was 14. A french politician was dating a 13 year old, it was the wild child era. The age of consent meant nothing in some areas.

isadoradancing123 · 14/03/2023 19:44

No they did not grow up in care, they were both adopted, he at 10 days old and have both said they had happy childhoods

Abraxan · 14/03/2023 20:18

Ponoka7 · 14/03/2023 18:57

They were both very damaged and grew up in care. I wouldn't say that their situation is that unusual given their background. Around that time at least one girl in the same school year would get pregnant. It wasn't statutory rape and things were different in the past. On threads about the past, there's lots of stories about being picked up from school by older bfs in their cars. Read the thread on 'rita, sue and Bob too'. He was 17 when she got pregnant. 14 and 18 when their first was born. At 16 you could live independently.

It has never been been deemed acceptable for a 13y to girl be pregnant by a 17y boy/man. Certainly not when they were that age.

Yes, back in the 70s/80s things were glossed over a lot, things that shouldn't have been. But it was not the norm for 13 year girls to be having sex with older boys.

Abraxan · 14/03/2023 20:20

Ponoka7 · 14/03/2023 18:57

They were both very damaged and grew up in care. I wouldn't say that their situation is that unusual given their background. Around that time at least one girl in the same school year would get pregnant. It wasn't statutory rape and things were different in the past. On threads about the past, there's lots of stories about being picked up from school by older bfs in their cars. Read the thread on 'rita, sue and Bob too'. He was 17 when she got pregnant. 14 and 18 when their first was born. At 16 you could live independently.

I thought they were both adopted fairly young?
So didn't grow up in care?

EmptyPlaces · 14/03/2023 20:21

They met when she was much younger than 13 too…

Hankunamatata · 14/03/2023 20:22

They both grew up in care so young pregnancy isn't overly suprising but a bit grim. I do think their upbringing in care led to the insane need to keep having kids.

HistoryFanatic · 14/03/2023 20:24

I think it was mentioned by certain broadcasters etc. The family then threw a hissy fit and won't film with then now.

Hankunamatata · 14/03/2023 20:25

Hankunamatata · 14/03/2023 20:22

They both grew up in care so young pregnancy isn't overly suprising but a bit grim. I do think their upbringing in care led to the insane need to keep having kids.

Oops got that wrong adopted. Attachment issues perhaps

Ponoka7 · 15/03/2023 14:14

Abraxan · 14/03/2023 20:18

It has never been been deemed acceptable for a 13y to girl be pregnant by a 17y boy/man. Certainly not when they were that age.

Yes, back in the 70s/80s things were glossed over a lot, things that shouldn't have been. But it was not the norm for 13 year girls to be having sex with older boys.

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Perhaps not in your circle, but it was in many areas. Go on any thread about the 80' and many, like me, had older bf which the teachers and everyone else knew about. An age difference was expected. Look at the difference between King Charles and Diana. As I said Corrie ran the Sarah Platt story and it dived opinion, as did Gillick competence. We don't all share the same background.

GrammarTeacher · 15/03/2023 14:26

Just because it happened didn't mean people thought it was acceptable!

ImJustNotMeAnymore · 15/03/2023 19:28

Hankunamatata · 14/03/2023 20:22

They both grew up in care so young pregnancy isn't overly suprising but a bit grim. I do think their upbringing in care led to the insane need to keep having kids.

Not in care. Both adopted as babies. And she was 8 when they first met. She also said herself that the eldest child wasn't the result of their first sex. Just to set the record straight. It's no great love story but if course anyone who disagrees or challenges them is a jealous hater.