Bill Roache arrested

[Acandlelitshadow]

www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-22366981

Can't say this overly surprises me given the recent comments he's made.

Oops. Proper link

www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-22366981

what comments? I can't stand him fwiw but don't want to suggest that means he did it iyswim

He made comments about how people who have suffered abuse must have done something in this life or a previoys life to deserve it! Or something like that.

oh well he's a twat in that case.

The comments about forgiving paedophiles and giving slebs arrested for sex offences anonymity.

Oh, and that abuse victims have brought it on themselves by what they've done in previous lives

Yeah, his comments recently were disturbing. And, his concern seemed to be for the perps not the victims. now we knwo why. and he's not only got away with it since 1967 but he's been 'loved' by britain and corrie fans all this time. Fgs, Is everybody an entitled sex offender? it is so depressing. I want to believe that this type of man is RARE.

Is max clifford being forced to cough up details of things he's covered up over the years??

I wonder how they can prove things like this beyond reasonable doubt when it's so long ago? If he says he didn't but she says he did, what happens next? Do they go down the 'on the night of Thursday 26th July 1967, did you go straight home after work?' Etc

Not being contentious, I just wondered how the police dealt with things from such a long time ago?

I was thinking the same thing letseatgrandma. He's been charged now so presumably somebody somewhere thinks there is a reasonable case to answer but, at 40+ years distance, how much actual evidence is available? Rape cases are notoriously difficult to prosecute, even when they are relatively recent, because 'consent' is not that easy to establish beyond reasonable doubt.

There are some successful prosecutions. It depends on the evidence in each case. There was one in Bristol about 10 years ago where the victim had contacted victim support at the time and her gp so there was enough evidence to convict. Each case is different.

This link will expire in 3 months, but readers here might like to look at the longest of the various Roache threads in Chat. It has a discussion on the value of prosecuting cases where the incident took place many years before.

He's now been charged and the police believe they have enough evidence. Quite surprising given how long ago this was but good news.

Apparently he's due to give a statement later:

news.sky.com/story/1085894/bill-roache-actor-to-respond-to-rape-charges

I write generally and not of any individual case. But a 15 year old cannot give consent under law.

As for the "all this time thing" the pros will expect to get guilty pleas if the evidence is strong.