Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. A phone that grows with your child.

Meet the Other Phone.
A phone that grows with your child.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

How can you find out why someone had an ankle monitor

133 replies

IcyPenguin101 · 03/05/2025 19:02

Someone staying with a neighbour has an electronic monitor on their ankle. I assume someone would only have an ankle monitor if they have gotten out of prison and that is their place of record of probation purposes. I’m not friendly enough with the neighbour to ask straight out who is the person but I assume a family member. I’m basically wondering if I have to be concerned. I’m assuming they’d only permit ankle monitoring for something low level?

OP posts:
Velmy · 03/05/2025 19:50

Unless Sarah or Claire's Law is applicable, there's only one way - You can ask.

As PP have said, outside of those two scenarios, you have no 'right' to know.

Original poster
IcyPenguin101 · 03/05/2025 19:51

No, not from another country. Though they aren’t ordinarily resident in that house.

Thanks to those who have come back with actual responses. As a law abiding citizen and having never known anyone to have had ankle monitoring, it was a genuine question not that I wanted to know EXACTLY the reason but more to understand why you’d get ankle monitoring and to understand whether it was something I needed to be concerned about. The consensus seems to be it would be alcohol related or bail or the like but nothing serious (so that’s good news).

To all those saying keep your nose out/none of my business, I’m fairly certain you would be curious with a view to understanding whether you needed to be concerned for your own family/safety.

OP posts:
hoarahloux · 03/05/2025 19:52

user101101 · 03/05/2025 19:28

What if the prison was full and they just let them out

Show quote history

"Oh shit, we haven't got room for Tom RapenMurder today."

"Damn. Well, guess we have no choice. Put a tag on him and release him!"

beetr00 · 03/05/2025 19:53

Just fyi @IcyPenguin101 there are 3 types of tag.

Which is the likeliest to satisfy your curiosity 😄

CaptainMyCaptain · 03/05/2025 19:54

IcyPenguin101 · 03/05/2025 19:51

No, not from another country. Though they aren’t ordinarily resident in that house.

Thanks to those who have come back with actual responses. As a law abiding citizen and having never known anyone to have had ankle monitoring, it was a genuine question not that I wanted to know EXACTLY the reason but more to understand why you’d get ankle monitoring and to understand whether it was something I needed to be concerned about. The consensus seems to be it would be alcohol related or bail or the like but nothing serious (so that’s good news).

To all those saying keep your nose out/none of my business, I’m fairly certain you would be curious with a view to understanding whether you needed to be concerned for your own family/safety.

I'm not saying I wouldn't want to know I just don't think I'd have the right to know. It's different.

Callie247 · 03/05/2025 19:54

The only thing you need to be concerned about is that you think it is any of your business. Maybe you have a bit too much time on your hands.

Velmy · 03/05/2025 19:59

Trovindia · 03/05/2025 19:43

It's interesting how many people are saying it's none of the OPs business when the principle of justice in this country is that it should not only be done, but be seen to be done, which is why they're are public galleries in courts and journalists are able to go and report on cases as standard.

I would also want to know, but it's not so easy to find out.

The person may be on bail and not yet convicted.

I agree with your sentiment about justice being seen to be done. I think some of the "none of your business" responses are directed at the poster saying they have a 'right' to know why someone is wearing a tag, which is incorrect. No such right exists.

If OP is that worried about this person, she can avoid them. She wouldn't be able to do any more than that if she had access to their criminal record.

AquaPeer · 03/05/2025 20:01

This isn’t really what a transparent justice system is about, so I don’t think that principle applies.

AngeloMysterioso · 03/05/2025 20:02

My brother had a tag and he’s never been to prison. It was for drunk driving I think (we’re NC)

Original poster
IcyPenguin101 · 03/05/2025 20:04

Ok, I’m stepping away from the curtain and going back to catching up on MAFS.

OP posts:
MeanMrMustardSeed · 03/05/2025 20:05

I don’t believe for one second that all the people who’ve said it’s none of OPs business wouldn’t be interested if it were their neighbour!

EilishMcCandlish · 03/05/2025 20:05

Trovindia · 03/05/2025 19:43

It's interesting how many people are saying it's none of the OPs business when the principle of justice in this country is that it should not only be done, but be seen to be done, which is why they're are public galleries in courts and journalists are able to go and report on cases as standard.

I would also want to know, but it's not so easy to find out.

How exactly does any of that have any bearing on knowing why someone next door is wearing a tag?

WearyAuldWumman · 03/05/2025 20:09

Runnersandtoms · 03/05/2025 19:21

Anything very high level they wouldn't get bail or a tag.

Not so.

A 19 yr old who attempted to rape a 10 yr old girl in my area was tagged and discharged because it was his 'first offence' and he was under the age of 21. The fact that he was care experienced was also mentioned in mitigation. He was on remand until the court case, however. (Mind you, this was Scotland - maybe it's different in the rest of the UK.)

HuffleMyPuffle · 03/05/2025 20:14

I'd use Google

Both to see if I could see what they'd done and to ask the question about tags

WinterMorn · 03/05/2025 20:20

suburberphobe · 03/05/2025 19:16

@lnks

I don't agree actually. You always have a right to know what someone did who lives next to you.

That’s utter nonsense.

Blueskies25 · 03/05/2025 20:20

Abend · 03/05/2025 19:26

Other than asking them you cannot.
Are you that nosey?

Show quote history

I think most people would be curious as to why someone was wearing one…..it’s called natural curiosity

Abend · 03/05/2025 20:25

Blueskies25 · 03/05/2025 20:20

I think most people would be curious as to why someone was wearing one…..it’s called natural curiosity

Show quote history

Regardless of that, speculation is pointless. It's also not OPs business.

Blueskies25 · 03/05/2025 20:30

Abend · 03/05/2025 20:25

Regardless of that, speculation is pointless. It's also not OPs business.

Show quote history

Agree, speculation is pointless, as posters have pointed out it could be for a number of reasons

CaptainMyCaptain · 03/05/2025 20:39

MeanMrMustardSeed · 03/05/2025 20:05

I don’t believe for one second that all the people who’ve said it’s none of OPs business wouldn’t be interested if it were their neighbour!

I said I'd be curious but it wouldn't be my right to know.

viking11 · 03/05/2025 20:41

If in a relationship you could do a Claires law or Sarah's law? If you have children.

hoarahloux · 03/05/2025 20:42

MeanMrMustardSeed · 03/05/2025 20:05

I don’t believe for one second that all the people who’ve said it’s none of OPs business wouldn’t be interested if it were their neighbour!

Of course I'd be curious. But I have no right to know. I could ask, if I wanted to! And the answer could be "none of your business".

thesoundofwildgeese · 03/05/2025 20:43

I know someone who had a case brought against them for alleged electronic harassment. They were found guilty and had to do some form of community service. They were not permitted to travel within a certain distance of the person to whom they had sent emails and were also fitted with an ankle monitor.

This person could be wearing an ankle monitor for many reasons.

EilishMcCandlish · 03/05/2025 20:47

MeanMrMustardSeed · 03/05/2025 20:05

I don’t believe for one second that all the people who’ve said it’s none of OPs business wouldn’t be interested if it were their neighbour!

Of course I would be interested. Doesn't give me the right to know.

HaveSomeHam · 03/05/2025 20:51

He’s clearly a criminal, why are you all jumping to his defence?!

AquaPeer · 03/05/2025 20:53

HaveSomeHam · 03/05/2025 20:51

He’s clearly a criminal, why are you all jumping to his defence?!

What? What do you think we should do to criminals? Point and stare? Throw oranges at them so they know how disapproving we are?