2 years for raping prepubescents

[meredith101]

Doubling it is hardly much better, is it?

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/devon/70411 41.stm

what the hell?

4 years for that? They'll serve 2, get out, be poorly monitored, then re-offend, and there'll be some kind of 'inquiry'.
How is this 'justice'?

[Pippa68]

I agree, CD. A very grey area indeed!

Look at Mandy Smith. She didn't look 13 years old did she? obviously nightclub owners had the same view as Bill Wyman...

[paulos66]

Rev, I think we need the word 'knowingly' in there

[China Doll]

Rev - But that's my point! What if they don't appear to be?

Pip - Exunkly. So I go back to my original point about a society that corrupts 10 and 12 year olds in to wanting sex that they have enough savvy to lie about their age; (not that the blokes aren't at fault as well obviously). When I was 10 I knew what sex was. I had no desire or want to have it. I still thought kissing boys was kind of 'icky.' So what happened to that sense of innocence?

[Pippa68]

I have no idea, CD.

One thing is for sure ~ my 10 year old certainly doesn't look like a 15 year old. She looks 10! strangely enough my eldest (nearly 18) looks about 13/14 and finds it hard to be taken seriously and boyfriends are non-existent in her circle as she looks so young. None of the 18/19 year old guys want to be seen as a cradle snatcher..

They must have got their young girlish looks from me :o)

[lovejoy]

I've never seen a ten year old that could pass for 18, I think the answer for why paedofiles are treated so leniently is because most high court judges are of the same ilk and treat their own with lenience that is stomach turning to decent people.

The correct sentence for this crime should have been 25 years

[China Doll]

As far as I'm aware judges are bound within certain sentencing laws. If that's not th case I'm sure someone will put me right on this. So it's possible that 25 years is not a sentence that goes with the crime.

I don't think being a judge goes hand in hand with not being a decent person. There's wrong in all walks of life.

I agree that I've never seen a 10 year old who could pass for 18.

[meredith101]

If an older person wants to have sex with a 16 year old, and the law allows for that, then it is up to the older person to accept that some people that look 16 may be as young as 10 and to check. The law is not arbitrary: a 10 year old is not capable of making a responsible decision about this kind of thing, will be damaged by it, and needs to be protected from those who would seek to exploit.
I agree about the 26-16 comment, there's just something very questionable about it.

[BIG DAD]

I agree they should of got longer but rev i think your wrong, i am 10 years older than my wife, i met her when she was 17 and we no have 2 kids and are very happy, i met her at work and didnt hang around at school so there are obviously different cirmcumstances.

[sp1814]

I think that any blokes who is unsure of a young woman's age should weave some questions into he conversation which will prove how old she is.

For instance, he could ask her what her favourite Ultravox track is.

If she looks blank, then she's probably too young to remember them.

Simple.

[China Doll]

Ultravox?

[daffy654]

Ultravox were an 80's band so she'd need to be in her 30's to remember them really.lol

[China Doll]

I'm still young and virginal... Yay!

[Supernick]

To be honest we're never going to know what the girls looked like unless we see them as they were when the 2 men met them. Obviously this is quite right as they should have anonymity in this case.
Ihave my suspicions that they must have known the girls were younger. I mean really, 10 years old has never been able to pass for 16 as far as my eyes can tell. Surely their attitudes and personalities must have also been a dead giveaway as well as their appearence.
However, they were given a 'get out clause' by two poor, stupid young girls who apparently didn't or couldn't know any better.
The wider issue here is the sexualisation of children from a younger and younger age. Playboy pencil cases, and 2 piece bikinis for 8 year olds is morally bankrupt.

[Shadow Man]

I am glad at the end of the article there may be a new clarification re the age of consent. I recall this called outrage on AB when I said 13 was the age of consent!!!!!

It is the interpretation of what consent means.

In England, a person can give consent at the age of 13. This is still an offence. However, if the other person can show he (or sometimes she) they believed the person to be over 16, they have a defence. Such evidence would be presence in a nightclub, false ID from the 13 year old, they really do look 16 etc. The evidence is not stated, and evry aspect will be taken on its own merits.

If a person is 12 years and 364 days old, they can not consent FULL STOP. Therefore the above defence CAN NOT APPLY, even if the same criteria is present.

I think this is where the law needs looking in to. For a 25 year old to have sex with a 13 year old (providing they consented) is not exactly dealt with greatly in the courts. One reason being, if they did consent to the sex, they would probably not be willing to give evidence.

I would advocate that the LEGAL age of consent which is 16, and not the actual age of consent, which is 13, should be the same-both set at 16.

That way, ALL sex with under 16 year old will be dealt with the same.

Unlike the USA we only have one level of muder. IN America that have numerous. Yet in America, they have sex with a minor and that's it!!!

We need one law which is simple with no STANDARD defences. You have sex with a minor, you are a pedo, simple as that.

The law is a funny old business and needs clarity in this area.

As an expert on this matter, I am happy to answer any questions regarding the matter.

[weeal]

meredith, it makes my blood boil it really does

ive posted about these things before and got pelters for it, i never understand it

[ruby27]

I don't think the issue is whether the girls looked 10 or 16 or whether children have access to sexualised clothing. That is shifting the blame onto the child, like they didn't protect themselves or they some how asked for this. That attitude smacks of the Lolita syndrome, which sex offenders often try to hide behind.

A child of 10 or 12 may want to have sexual relationships and similarly aged other child may also be immature and they will have sex. But, those were adult men who have to be responsible for their behaviour, which includes assessing their partners ability to give informed consent, which would include their age and their development. I mean anyone over the age of 20 can tell the difference .

[Pippa68]

Oh crikey..my six year old wears two piece bikinis (actually they are 'Tankinis')

I never realised they were considered inappropriate for youngsters. However I would draw the line at thongs.

[Pippa68]

Yes but legend..a bikini? sorry I can't see what is wrong with that. Even I wore one as a nipper..