8 year old girl admits lying about rape allegations

[FlyMeToDunoon]

I felt really sad about this for more than one reason.
here

I've found all of this case very hard to read about as it touches very close on some experiences of mine as a child.

One thing I can say for certain, because of the way this has been reported, children will be deterred from coming forward when situations like this happen to them.

I am sorry for what happened to you weblette.

And I have to say that as a parent, reading this and the other recent high profile case where a child was subjected to cross examination, I would be thinking twice before reporting anything my daughters told me.

Thanks Lenin

This bit from the Criminal Bar Association spokesman is interesting:

"It's a matter for debate whether we should look again at the age of criminal responsibility and the extent to which juveniles are brought into criminal courts."

But his statement was presumably prompted by the idea about an 8yo taking the witness stand and being cross-examined. Changing the age of criminal responsibility does not prevent children being called as witnesses - this girl had done nothing wrong. In another case we put a 4yo in teh witness stand and she had to undergo cross-examination about being raped by an adult. Changing the age of criminal responsibility wouldn't change anything for that 4yo.

It seems like an odd thing for him to say under the circs.

Personally I think we need to do it completely differently. the way we do it now is just plain wrong.

I just don't understand how 10 year old boys can be convicted of attempted rape.

It's jsut bloody ridiculous.

Because they are of the age of criminal responsibility??

There is something very wrong here.

Sorry to be TMI - but can 10 year old boys actually rape ? i.e. Are they able to voluntarily get an erection and penetrate?

I have always thought boys need puberty to be able to have sex?

I really don't know what to think about this case.

I don't think they can, which is why they have been convicted of attempted rape.

Obviously I'm not privy to all the ins and outs of the case, but I really can't understand how this has gone to court.

it's all quite appalling. we need a much better system for dealing with children who commit crimes and also for children who are witnesses and victims of crime. it is just ridiculous that it is considered forward thinking and child friendly for everyone to wear less weird clothes but then continue with the rest of the trial pretty much as if it was an adult being charged and an adult being interviewed. and those newspaper editors should hang their heads in shame

I find it hard to believe this has happened as it has in 2010.

I don't think this is going to be the last case of it's kind.

30 years ago, I doubt the mother of the girl would have gone to the police. Would the boys have grown up into well adjusted adults if not put thought a trial? I don't know, but I donbut they will now.

What will happen to them?

I agree Lynette, although I also agree with dittany that simply raising the age of criminality is not a good solution either, because then they probably wouldn't be dealt with at all. I agree a specialist children's court would be a good option, to ensure that the children who committed the offence are given adequate punishment and counselling, without the publicity and adversary nature of the adult courts. I hadn't realised we had a different system in Scotland, I will need to read up about it.

I am surprised given the evidence we have seen in the media that they were found guilty of any of the charges, however I stand by what I said earlier in the thread that although 10 year olds may be capable of the physical act of rape (or at least oral rape), I don't think in the most part they have enough understanding to be capable of the crime of rape, if that makes sense at all? I definately think the Old Bailey was not the place for this case and the way our legal system deals with child offenders needs to be closely looked at.

I hope all three children can get the help they need.

Is the girl any more likely to grow into a well-adjusted adult having been put through the distress of the trial than she would have without it? The trial itself has done nothing for any of the children involved, surely there are ways to access help for both children showing signs of sexual violence and their victims without putting them through what was not very much different from an adult trial. Who was supposed to benefit from the trial, because it certainly wasn't any of the children.

No one is suggesting sending the boys home for cookies and milk....but I do think the who thing could have been handled very differently.

Putting the girl though a court case was unnecessary, IMO. How many more little girls are going to have to go through this before the powers that be realise it's just not on.

And I'd be very interested to know if any of the children involved have received and councilling/support, and indeed their parents.

it very obviously needed dealing with in some way. it is totally abnormal for 10 year old boys to behave in such a way and they need intervention. no-one wins with a court case though. I also believe this with the Bulger murder and the recent attempted murders of the two young boys by two other young boys. 10 year olds are capable of worse even that rape but we don't need to react as though they are adults.

my MIL told me she was raped by 2 older boys when she was 10 on the way home from school. She told her mum but it was all swept under the carpet, best dealt with if not talked about ect. She has been in and out of mental institutes all through her adult life and suffers from low self esteem, self harms, alcoholism, amoungst other things. Her husband and children know nothing but she was able to talk to me. I don't know if the guys went on to further horrible acts or led productive lives, don't know if the rape had that big an effect on her or she would have had psychiatric problems anyway. 10 is old enough to know you are hurting someone, not all 10yrs olds are that innocent, if the attack was worse than playground sex play. It should be tried and dealt with in childrens courts or panels and help given to all but 10 is not too young to face up to your actions.