Jeremy Forrest on trial

[PatPig]

www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2339495/Jeremy-Forrest-ran-away-France-schoolgirl-secret-relationship-exposed.html

Slightly absurdly, his 15-year-old girlfriend, all over the newspapers at the time, is no longer allowed to be named.

[zippey]

I don't think you need to bring people's looks into it. A persons attractiveness is more than just about outwardly appearance.

[TirAnna]

I have to echo thesmallestpotato's question, why is he only being charged with abduction? Surely he should also be charged with statutory rape as the girl is alleging that they had sex when she was underage? I would have thought that would be an even bigger deal than abduction under the circumstances (him being much older, her teacher etc).

[thesmallestpotato]

Just to clarify my comment on his appearance, I meant he's not looking too good health-wise (like he's lost an awful lot of weight and isn't getting much sleep) I wasn't commenting on his attractiveness as a man.

I'm a bit nervous posting on these threads in case I accidentally say something illegal

[PatPig]

It isn't statutory rape at that age, it's called unlawful sexual intercourse with a girl aged 13 to 16.

I guess child abduction was thought easier to prove and they can take all the other stuff into consideration during sentencing (which for child abduction could potentially be several years inside).

[DuelingFanjo]

it seems to me like the poor victim in all this is setting herself up as being the one to blame. Typical how this happens. Even she believes it is all her fault, even she believes she has to save him at all costs.

[flippinada]

Yes, making a snarky comment about his appearance was a bit childish. Apologies if anyone was offended by that.

DuelingFanjo agree absolutely, that's my take on it.

Also, I notice that although the girl involved has given evidence, he has declined to do so.

[Catlike]

it seems to me like the poor victim in all this is setting herself up as being the one to blame. Typical how this happens. Even she believes it is all her fault, even she believes she has to save him at all costs.

Or they decided between themselves while they were hiding in France that this would be the best strategy to take if and when they were caught and he was facing prosecution.

The reports of the girl wanting to come to court in person and then of the two of them smiling at each other makes it seem as though she may still be infatuated with him and is sticking to their pre-agreed story in order to protect him.

[DuelingFanjo]

Oooph - and now his family have arrived and are blaming his actions on his wife and their 'difficult relationship' it beggars belief what people will do to pass the blame.

His wife didn't make him have sex with someone below the age of consent, his wife didn't make him take a child to another country without her parent's permission.

He's still a sex-offender and hopefully will be put on the sex offender's register.

[DuelingFanjo]

"Or they decided between themselves while they were hiding in France that this would be the best strategy to take if and when they were caught and he was facing prosecution"

because he doesn't want to take the blame. nice.

[flippinada]

How grimly predictable - about his family I mean.

[5madthings]

Omg are his family really blaming his wife!!

Ffs

[Catlike]

I find it quite sickening that his family and friends are minimising and excusing his behaviour. Disgusting of them to blame his wife too.

But why are these glowing character references allowed to be part of the court procedure anyway? How does his sister thinking he's a lovely bloke and his best man worrying about his unhappy marriage have any bearing on whether he did or didn't abduct this young girl?

[flippinada]

It's not unusual in circumstances where there has been "misbehaviour" on the part of the man (trying to use a neutral-ish term here) and a relationship break up.

I dare say many MNers have been on the receiving end of this type of thinking - the horrible ex wife trope - albeit not in such a public way.

[DuelingFanjo]

"It's not unusual in circumstances where there has been "misbehaviour" on the part of the man (trying to use a neutral-ish term here) and a relationship break up."

yet tehre is evidence presented in court that he was loving to his wife before he left and sent loving text-messages. Clearly (From the wife's evidence) their marriage was in trouble but this doesn't mean he should be forgiven for having sex with one of his pupils before taking her out of the country on another person's passport.

I agree that the statements from his family are stupidly pointless given the evidence against him but I suppose they are trying to get him a shorter time in jail.

[Catlike]

It's as if between them, the two females - his wife and the young girl - are being made out to have all the responsibility for what he is supposed to have done.

The wife was such a cow that she made him depressed and she made him behave in a desperate, out of character way. And the young girl practically forced him to go abroad with her and he only did it reluctantly because of his great concern for her welfare.

Between the two of them, what chance did the poor helpless man have? (Sarcasm btw)

[flippinada]

Yes there is.

It's not really surprising they are trying to paint him in a good light.

However that said they can do all that without blaming his wife .

[flippinada]

Quite Catlike.

[AnAirOfHope]

I agree with Catlike and I find it sickening.

[Remotecontrolduck]

Obviously what he's done is vile, he deserves to go to prison etc, but I'm surprised at some of the supposed 'evidence' the prosecution is giving here

Particularly this-
It is interesting to note the woman he chose to marry is a very young-looking, petite woman with her own vulnerabilities

And also I have read the prosecution referring to a comment where Forrest complimented his wife on 'looking young'

He clearly is a very dodgy character, but is it just me that thinks this is incredibly wrong to even use these points in court? Firstly, the 'you look young' is a compliment that a lot of us use to our friends/DP etc, and secondly she er, doesn't look that young. Younger than 32 yes, but not like a child at all, in the slightest. They seem to be trying to convince the jury that based on these facts, this makes him a paedophile.

Not defending him, I hope he gets a good long sentence but that is shoddy from the prosecution in my opinion.

[PatPig]

The prosecution summing up was a bit bizarre tbh

[flippinada]

Well yes..but then look at the way rape victims are cross examined during court cases. If that's allowed then it's not so much of a leap.

Also I would assume (as in all court cases) that there's evidence we are not party to.

[Catlike]

The prosecution's comments about his wife looking young are odd, yes. But no weirder or more dubious IMO than the character references submitted by the defence from his family where they're pretty much saying that he's a gentle, weak willed, kind hearted, easily led character who was driven to allegedly have a sexual relationship with and abduct a vulnerable underage girl that he was in loco parentis for, because he was suffering in an unhappy marriage.

[Remotecontrolduck]

I think this is a very messy case, with some very unsound defence as well like you have mentioned Catlike. Even if he was in the crappiest marriage ever and she was abusive, or he was the best teacher in the universe, it's still not an excuse to take away his 15 year old student.

I don't think a lot of this stuff is at all relevant or helpful for the jury.

I will be very interested to see what his sentence will be!

[TigerSwallowTail]

thesmallestpotato they are kept in prison on remand unless they get bail and can then avoid a prison stay while waiting for the trial. If they commit a crime while on bail though they will appear in front of a judge and may need to go to prison on remand until the court case.

[georgedawes]

Guilty