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See all MNHQ comments on this thread

Rapists jailed for just 40 months after judge says 11-year-old victim was 'willing'

217 replies

KRITIQ · 22/02/2012 14:46

story here.

"Judge David Farrell QC jailed them both for just 40 months each as he accepted the claim that she was willing and looked "at least" 14."

Funny, but I thought 14 was still under the age of consent for sex with a 21 year old man, quite apart from the fact that how a girl or woman "looks" should NEVER be a justification for rape, full stop.

I despair.

OP posts:
NigellasGuest · 28/02/2012 10:01

In my message to them I did point out that this is not a "niche" issue - which does seem to be what they are implying Confused.

Is this on chat? I couldn't find it there...

swallowedAfly · 28/02/2012 10:08

unfortunately i was thinking about this case again whilst walking the dog this morning and it struck me that actually this constitutes the production and distribution of child pornography in addition to raping an 11yr old. what are the sentencing guidelines for making and distributing child porn?

so we have rape of an under 13, making child porn, distributing child porn. it is unfathomable that a judge could come up with 40months from any of these crimes let alone all three together.

seeker · 28/02/2012 10:12

True. Which actually makes it even weirder that mumsnet won't move it out of Feminism.....

Beachcomber · 28/02/2012 10:21

Good point SaF.

NigellasGuest · 28/02/2012 10:48

Can someone more articulate and knowledgeable than me start a new thread in "News"?

SweetTheSting · 28/02/2012 10:48

Signed Luton petition that KRITIQ linked upthread. Will look at writing some letters tomorrow night when at home.

sAf (and others!), excellent posts.

HelenMumsnet · 28/02/2012 12:21

Afternoon all. We're going to move this thread to In the News now. It does indeed sound as though it belongs there.

seeker · 28/02/2012 12:42

Thank you. A little puzzled as to why it looks that way now when it didn't on Sunday- but better late than never.

NigellasGuest · 28/02/2012 12:43

Ah, thank you!

HelenMumsnet · 28/02/2012 13:14

@seeker

Thank you. A little puzzled as to why it looks that way now when it didn't on Sunday- but better late than never.

Ah seeker, as practically perfect as we're sure you know we are at MNHQ, there is always the minute possibility that, once or twice, we might not get things completely right first time.

SardineQueen · 28/02/2012 13:21

I think that comment upthread should stand TBH so that people can see the views that some people out there have.

Feminism may have a bad name in some people's eyes but as long as there are people out there who feel the way the judge and the person on this thread does, it is so important to keep gong.

SardineQueen · 28/02/2012 13:21

going

keeping gong wouldn't be very effective at all!

mousymouseafraidofdogs · 28/02/2012 13:27

I think this (the whole thread) fits in very well with the mumsnet i believe you we believe you campain.
I really hope that the judgement is revised to an appropriate level.
poor little girl!

HelenMumsnet · 28/02/2012 13:31

@SardineQueen

I think that comment upthread should stand TBH so that people can see the views that some people out there have.

Feminism may have a bad name in some people's eyes but as long as there are people out there who feel the way the judge and the person on this thread does, it is so important to keep gong.

Yes, as you've probably all noticed, we have let "that" post to stand. Thanks for all who've mailed in about it: if you haven't had a personal reply already, it's on its way.

For those who didn't report but would still like to know our reasons for leaving the post up, we're going to repost one of our responses on this thread to make things a little clearer.

On the moderation of discussion on the site, we absolutely do not tolerate out-and-out victim-blaming posts, eg "well, she was obviously asking for it" or "you were drunk, what do you expect?" - and we will delete them, as soon as we are made aware of them, with no debate, discussion or mitigating pleas.

We won't though, delete posts that form part of a reasonable and valid discussion, even if those posts are made in mahoosive ignorance. So, if someone we believed to be a genuine poster came onto a thread and said, "But I thought most rapists were strangers", we would rather let it stand and allow others to correct that particular rape myth on the thread, thereby educating others in the process.

We hope that clarifies thing. We've always thought it's wrong to adopt a policy of blanket censorship (though it might be easier to implement!) Instead, we feel it's wiser to judge each post that's reported on its individual words and context, and make decisions on a post-by-post basis.

InmaculadaConcepcion · 28/02/2012 13:36

Luton petition signed. Will get on to my MP.

I feel so sickened by this.

14 months for child abuse and pedophilia.

god.

HandDivedScallopsrgreat · 28/02/2012 14:14

Signed the petition and I am writing to my MP.

I keep thinking about this poor girl and how she must be feeling now.

TwllBach · 28/02/2012 15:10

I am also writing to my MP. SwallowedAFly has written some brilliant posts on this topic - when I think about the 11 year old girls I've taught... they're still children in every sense of the word.

And the fact that there are so many different laws that they have broken and still only have 40 months is outrageous.

In 40 months that girl will still be two years off the age of consent. I knoq that isn't really relevant, but she's just so young and for a judge to say things like "she was willing" is utterly disgusting.

It also disgusts me that this hasn't been reported on in major news, but Angelina Jolie's right leg is all over the place.

PacificDogwood · 28/02/2012 16:21

Surely somebody connected with the case will have thought to ask why this girl appeared 'willing'??
As others on this thread have said, 'willingness' to participate in an sexual act in a young child like this is a big, big warning sign of previous grooming.

It just beggars beflief! And yy, how absolutely trivial AJ's leg seems by comparism and how many column inches as that generated... The world's gone mad SadAngry.

GetOrfMoiiLand · 28/02/2012 16:29

I cannot believe this story. What the hell is wrong with the judiciary that this kind if judgement can be made.

The fucking bastards, the animals who did that to the girl, the defence lawyer who pleaded their case and the judge who made that pernicious judgement.

Brilliant post (as per usual) SAF.

tralalala · 28/02/2012 19:01

Signed the post. I would urge people to let their MPs know about your concerns.

tralalala · 28/02/2012 19:03

meant signed the petition

tralalala · 28/02/2012 19:42

Has anyone noticed if the rest of the media has picked up on this yet?

soverylucky · 28/02/2012 21:09

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

alexpolismum · 29/02/2012 06:58

words fail me Shock

shame on the media for not making a major furore over this.

seeker · 29/02/2012 07:12

Do we know any journalists? Can anyone explain the press silence?

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