Boy spared custody over girl rape after watching p0rn

[msrisotto]

www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-18282560

Wow, I don't quite know what to make of it. I am not surprised that kids are influenced by the So easily available p0rn on the internet but I am surprised that this somehow eradicates the crime that was committed.

I imagine lots and lots of children have unfettered access to the internet TBH.

Well, tbf, SQ, Skye is a close community with a small population, but we're not talking Summer Isle here; Skye attracts thousands of tourists every year, and the (non-toll) bridge makes a huge difference. It's far from a small, isolated community as envisaged by those who live in huge cities.

This offence was committed months ago, and the boy (who would not have been at the same school as his victim when the rape happened) was moved hundreds of miles away very soon after. It is not the case that he has been able to hang around and hassle his victim.

No I hear that OLKN. I think the Scottish courts have handled this well from what I have read on that report and on here.

I like our system. :)

OTOH, I am very much aware of the Lindsay Armstrong case (previously mentioned in the feminism section as the girl who had to hold her knickers up in court, and who later committed suicide, even though her rapist was jailed; he's out now) so I'm very far from thinking we have this issue sorted.

The approach to children who offend needs to be addressed in England&Wales as a matter of urgency IMO.

Dreadful case last year with an attack on a young girl by two older boys and it was heard in the crown court as per adults with cross examination of young girl and everything. Wrong way to handle it IMO.

Well rape and similar crimes need urgent attention the world over that is obvious.

I think that England does go too far with jailing children. I disagree with jailing a child for a non violent offence.

I do wonder what kind of message it sends out not jailing for rape or other violent offences. I wander what the scots would do with James Bulger's killers. Afterall they were considerally younger than this boy and they had watched violent videos.

Virtually all criminals are victims in someway. No one was born evil. Its life circumstances which turn people bad.

James Bulger's killers would also have gone through the Children's Panel had they committed their offence in Scotland. We have various options, including "jail" (but we call them "secure units") and iirc they were both over the age of 8, which we consider the age of criminal responsibilty. (Or we did then, not sure if it's changed to 12 as I no longer work in child protection and have adult DC)

The primary aim of the Childrens' Panel is to ensure the best interests of all of the children involved, so would be more about rehab than PUNISHMENT!

There is no evidence that James Bulger's killers actually watched violent movies, simply that they were available in the home of one of them.

Gitta Sereny writes well on the topic of children killing children in her book about the Mary Bell case.

Sardine - I didn't mean the little girl abused him, I mean allowing him to access pornography is the abuse. By the adult that facilitated it.

The adults who give children unlimited Internet access are going to become criminally culpable.

having a supervision requirement could end up meaning:
at home, with an allocated social worker keeping an eye and meeting the family regularly
at home but with a whole team involved from different disciplines
with foster carers who have specialist training in handling teenagers
in a children's unit
in a residential school
in a secure children's unit

all of those options (and more) are open to the children's panel over the next four years, and changes in the arrangements can be made each time he comes back to the panel (a minimum of once a year but could be much more frequent).

Hey everyone, sorry I had to post and run. This case is awful and although the criminal is a child, it is still appropriate that he is punished, there has to be a consequence to violent crimes. Who knows how damaged this little girl is by this.

Can I just throw something else into the mix?

From what I have read, it was not a one time event, I think it happened more than once. The little girl was then unwell and told her mum she thought she had a baby in her tummy.

Whatever say you look at it, it's two failed children (as in children who have been failed ) who should never have been in that situation. But yes by twelve, you realise you don't do that, and not with a nine year old.