The decision to grant anonymity to people accused of rape seems like a sensible move. Given how damaging such an accusation is it is a form of punishment regardless of whether a conviction actually occurs. The argument that it prevents serial rapists like John Worboys being caught seems ill founded- if the media were reporting that an unnamed taxi driver in a certain part of London had been accused of rape then surely that would be sufficient information to prompt any other victims who had been raped by a taxi driver in London to come forward.
One thing that does occur to me though, should anonymity routinely apply to all suspects in serious crimes up until such a time as they are convicted? Someone who is wrongly accused of murder is going to have a pretty tough time reintegrating into society if any time someone googles his name reports of the murder will be there.
Bramber Green: From bombsite to stone circle
1 hour ago
4 comments:
If I googled my name I would find the bloke with the same name and nearly the same birthday who DID murder someone about thirty years ago!
Good point though, horrid though it is, rape is not THE worst crime and what about 'lesser' sexual offences? More protection for more serious offence seems perverse.
btw, of this weeks two pre-teen 'attempted rapists', the Telegraph printed an artists impression of the white victim giving evidence while Sky news broadcast one hellpfully indicting that the accused were black. Just wondering...
Were both black? It looked to me from that quiant pastel drawing that only one was...
Given how damaging such an accusation is it is a form of punishment regardless of whether a conviction actually occurs.
And not just for the man involved; some years ago, I lived next door to a popular and well-respected elderly couple whose son was wrongly accused of rape in a somewhat lurid case.
They became virtually housebound for months, afraid to appear in public in the town where they had lived for forty years and bolting their gates to fend off tabloid reporters.
The son was eventually released but the dmage was done - his parents never recovered and both died soon afterwards.
"If I googled my name I would find the bloke with the same name and nearly the same birthday who DID murder someone about thirty years ago!"
Banned- A killer with the same name, and similar birthday, hmmmmmmm, Multiple Personality Disorder doesn't excuse you from your crimes that's all I'm saying.
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