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Original poster

Derby toddler suspicious incident

142 replies

Wishfulmakeupping · 09/05/2014 09:31

www.derbytelegraph.co.uk/CCTV/story-21075947-detail/story.html
Just saw this on the news

OP posts:
MurkyMinotaur · 09/05/2014 12:02

I think it's a really encouraging thing that people here are wanting to see the whole picture before they make a conclusion.

We can be 100% sure the footage looks seriously dodgy.

But it's natural for the human mind to want to make conclusions, so I think people here are being really smart to consider the bigger picture before making a judgement. No one's defending a child abductor - they just want to be sure of whether he is, first.

EffectiveCommunication's mug analogy is spot on with that.

OnlyLovers · 09/05/2014 12:03

No, I know we're not actually a court of law, although thanks for clarifying Hmm. As I said, I simply like using that as a 'rule' to guide my own thinking in cases like this.

Re 'when it is a man', I don't consider myself to have double standards for men and women.

DebbieOfMaddox · 09/05/2014 12:03

"I have seen many mothers judged very harshly on much more shaky evidence than this.""

And you'll generally have seen a number of posters popping up to say "you can't draw firm conclusions from a brief snippet taken out of context." So what's the difference?

BertieBotts · 09/05/2014 12:04

From reading another article it sounds like he's come forward himself so hopefully it was just a misunderstanding and he didn't handle it in the best way. The man who has come forward is 80 so perhaps a generational difference?

turgiday · 09/05/2014 12:06

The article says the man is 60. So not that old.

BertieBotts · 09/05/2014 12:10

No, it says he looks around 60. The man who has come forward is 80.

AnyaKnowIt · 09/05/2014 12:17

No way can that be innocent, he just swoops in and grabbs the child's arm

Arion · 09/05/2014 12:43

aleC4 the customer care desk was moved quite a while ago (at least 6 months I think), it's now down the other end of the shopping centre outside Debenhams.

For those who don't know the centre, Boots is just off an open area, with escalators up to the next level. The way he points could be to another person, but if also towards the slope up to the exit. If he was going to the security desk it would be the way the toddler was going and then off to the right, down the next aisle. There are security guards patrolling the centre though, so he could have been directing the child to one of them.

EffectiveCommunication · 09/05/2014 12:45

ITV news tweeted it was not malicious.

EffectiveCommunication · 09/05/2014 12:47

Poor old boy probably trying to help and ended up with half the nation assuming he was dodgy, and a few hours talking to police.

MrsBungle · 09/05/2014 12:48

Derbyshire Police have confirmed that an incident which appeared to show a man leading a toddler away from his mother is no longer considered as suspicious.

From itv news. The man has been interviewed and police are satisfied.

Original poster
Wishfulmakeupping · 09/05/2014 12:52

Thanks Mrs good to know there was no sinister intentions think we'll all still keep a closer eye on the little ones from watching the video which is probably no bad thing

OP posts:
MrsBungle · 09/05/2014 12:53

Yes, the video certainly shows how quickly small children can go out of sight.

OnlyLovers · 09/05/2014 12:54

Glad it all turned out OK.

unlucky83 · 09/05/2014 12:57

That poor man ...Glad it is all ok.
I suggest some posters watch this...

And practise some critical thinking...
Hulababy · 09/05/2014 13:02

Interesting that some people have the man hung drawn and quarter based on a few seconds video clip with no knowledge of what's been going on before they passed the CCTV. Apparently, according to some, he is definitely guilty of some form of child abduction or pedophilia crime based on very little.

And now the man has come forward voluntarily and the police have said there is no issue, no malice - in short the man was innocent of anything untoward.

Hmmm - and we wonder why some people are so reluctant to offer help and support to those in trouble.

QueMierda · 09/05/2014 13:03

I remember being with my father in a shopping centre when a 4/5yr old girl was clearly distressed and wandering around lost.

My father approached,asked her name and took her hand and told her to wait right there with us. He said to her that her parents would be looking and will find her quicker if she stays put.
Her dad quickly found her and thanked my father.
The video footage clearly shows that child quickly being coaxed out of sight from the mother.

Martorana · 09/05/2014 13:04

OK, everyone. Please remember this incident the next time you decide to be judge, jury and executioner on the strength of a fraction of the evidence.

AnyaKnowIt · 09/05/2014 13:11

No I'll just judge a strange man grabbing a child's arm and leading him away.

Hope the police had strong words with it.

EffectiveCommunication · 09/05/2014 13:21

Why on earth would they have strong words with him he did no wrong, he say a child from his point of view lost and tried to help.

Martorana · 09/05/2014 13:29

"No I'll just judge a strange man grabbing a child's arm and leading him away.

Hope the police had strong words with it."

So, from a viewing of a brief blurry video from one angle, you know better than people who have seen the whole video, know the area and have talked to the people concerned. Bloody hell, some people just beggar belief.

hoppingmad · 09/05/2014 13:31

The video looked dodgy, still does. He hasn't been hung, drawn and quartered at all.
Some of us found his actions (from what we could see) suspicious and said so, it was an opinion.

We didn't release the footage - the police did. They clearly felt that it warranted further investigation and I could see why. The matter is now resolved which is great.

Martorana · 09/05/2014 13:34

"He hasn't been hung, drawn and quartered at all."
Just labelled a predatory paedophile. So the's all right then.

EffectiveCommunication · 09/05/2014 13:38

You think they would be saying they were sorry for misjudging him, oh no they are digging their heels in, shocking Martorana.

AnyaKnowIt · 09/05/2014 13:57

The child didn't seem upset and clearly with that woman.

So no, you don't got round grabbing children

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