GD is going to love this one - Rape case collapse

VincentHanna · 15 Dec 2017 at 12:52

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-london-42365521

The Met Police is to hold an "urgent" review of a rape case after being accused of failing to disclose vital evidence.

Liam Allan, 22, was charged with 12 counts of rape and sexual assault but his trial collapsed after police were ordered to hand over phone records.

A computer disk containing 40,000 messages revealed the alleged victim pestered Mr Allen for "casual sex".

Prosecution barrister Jerry Hayes accused police of "pure incompetence".

The charges against the criminology student were dropped three days into the trial at Croydon Crown Court when Mr Hayes took over the case.

It is understood police had looked at thousands of phone messages when reviewing evidence in the case, but had failed to disclose to the prosecution and defence teams messages between the complainant and her friends which cast doubt on the allegations against Mr Allan.

The CPS said it offered no evidence in the case on Thursday as there was "no longer a realistic prospect of conviction".

Sounds like a massive balls up by the Police. They've not explicitly said the alleged victim made up the allegation of course, but that's the impression I got.

So I wonder what went on here. I strongly support victims of Rape and assault coming forward, but if this girl lied for some reason to get back at the guy in some way then all it does it harm other victims who have genuinely suffered.

VincentHanna · 15 Dec 2017 at 13:35

Ayahuasca said:
Why would GD love it?

Generally there is a large amount of victim blaming anyway here, so this just stokes the fire.

dowie said:
frankly the dodgy cops behind this ought to be charged with attempting to pervert the course of justice

I just think the Police are understaffed and overworked, as are most services due to 7 years of austerity.

I know someone who works for the MET police in the control office and the hours he does are exhausting and ridiculous. The Police (and maybe the military) are the only services exempt from maximum working hours laws.

VincentHanna · 15 Dec 2017 at 14:07

Roar87 said:
essentially our justice system has been politicised by feminists and liberals

This is what I meant by my thread title by the way.

VincentHanna · 15 Dec 2017 at 14:24

It was a stupid question Von, to be fair

VincentHanna · 22 Dec 2017 at 08:42

Angilion said:
And another one makes the news:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-42441745

Totally unintentionally, obviously, and nothing at all to do with the slight media attention that has recently been given to crucial evidence totally completely accidentally not being disclosed due to a couple of cases in which the disclosure was somehow forced.

The dates don't work.

He said the evidence was disclosed 8 working days before the trial. His trial started on 11th December, 'working days' doesn't include weekends, and so it would have been before the trial of Liam Allen, whose case collapsed on December 14th.

Anyway, this guy's case came to it's conclusion and he was found not guilty. His case didn't collapse because of new evidence

VincentHanna · 19 Jan 2018 at 13:01

Another one

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-42745181

VincentHanna · 3 Apr 2018 at 10:46

Angilion said:
We still have a society in which, for example, there is positive media coverage of a Facebook campaign to end rape trials entirely and simply convict any man accused of rape by any woman without even bothering with an investigation, let alone a trial. I saw that positive coverage on the BBC news website just a couple of days ago.

Source?

VincentHanna · 3 Apr 2018 at 12:04

Googled it for you:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/blogs-trending-43581569

After rugby rape acquittal, #IBelieveHer trends

On Wednesday Ireland and Ulster rugby players Paddy Jackson and Stuart Olding were found not guilty of raping a woman in 2016.

The reaction on social media was swift and determined, echoing the #MeToo movement about sexual harassment which erupted in late 2017.

Many claim the criminal justice system's handling of sex offence allegations reflects the poor state of women's rights in Northern Ireland. More than 41,000 people so far have used the hashtag #IBelieveHer.

Others argue defendants are tried in a court of law, not by social media, and criticise people for trying to subvert a legal ruling.

The article is reporting the news, it doesn't put a positive or negative spin on anything.

VincentHanna · 4 Apr 2018 at 07:43

But he himself said "as an expression of freedom"

Which makes no sense if you are making the argument that they are oppressed.