Attorney General's reference

This section was setup in August 2018 in order to move the existing related discussions from other sections into this new section to group them together, and separate from the other CH-related topics.

Moderator: Moderators

richardb
Forum Moderator
Posts: 886
Joined: Fri Mar 25, 2005 2:23 pm
Real Name: Richard Bloomfield
Location: Tyne and Wear

Re: Attorney General's reference

Post by richardb »

Sadly it's just the judgments of the appeal courts.

I am afraid it is unlikely that we will be able to get transcripts of the evidence in any of the trials.
bakunin
GE (Great Erasmus)
Posts: 143
Joined: Fri Apr 13, 2018 10:22 am
Real Name: Manch
Location: The westernmost lands

Re: Attorney General's reference

Post by bakunin »

That's unfortunate. Why not? Privacy concerns? I think that the responses of the SMT to questions about why they mismanaged the situation are very much something that should be made public, especially to former students and parents. I can understand why the details of how the abusers abused should be kept private, but not anything relating to the administration.

Is there any chance that anyone attending the trial (journalists, witnesses or members of the public) has kept a more detailed record, that they are willing to share, than the few quotes we have from the media?

Are freedom of information requests a possibly relevant tool?
Last edited by bakunin on Wed Aug 08, 2018 6:00 pm, edited 1 time in total.
richardb
Forum Moderator
Posts: 886
Joined: Fri Mar 25, 2005 2:23 pm
Real Name: Richard Bloomfield
Location: Tyne and Wear

Re: Attorney General's reference

Post by richardb »

Most journalists only make notes in shorthand and even then they don't note everything.

I am not sure that court will even give you a list of witnesses as it may include some who are entitled to anonymity.
richardb
Forum Moderator
Posts: 886
Joined: Fri Mar 25, 2005 2:23 pm
Real Name: Richard Bloomfield
Location: Tyne and Wear

Re: Attorney General's reference

Post by richardb »

It is part 5 of the Criminal Procedure Rules you need to look at, especially 5.5. 5.7, and 5.8.
LHA
Deputy Grecian
Posts: 239
Joined: Wed Oct 25, 2017 11:35 pm
Real Name: Charles Henry

Re: Attorney General's reference

Post by LHA »

Hi Richard

I assumed I had missed the deadline to refer Husband but realise I hadn't. I will send in a quick referral tonight.

Please could you remind us of the exact date of sentence, court / judge etc and reference number please so as to speed things up now time is of the essence.
richardb
Forum Moderator
Posts: 886
Joined: Fri Mar 25, 2005 2:23 pm
Real Name: Richard Bloomfield
Location: Tyne and Wear

Re: Attorney General's reference

Post by richardb »

Sentenced on 13 July by HHJ Henson QC at Lewes Crown Court. Case number was T20177346.
LHA
Deputy Grecian
Posts: 239
Joined: Wed Oct 25, 2017 11:35 pm
Real Name: Charles Henry

Re: Attorney General's reference

Post by LHA »

thanks - all done - details of how to do the same here
https://www.gov.uk/ask-crown-court-sentence-review
richardb
Forum Moderator
Posts: 886
Joined: Fri Mar 25, 2005 2:23 pm
Real Name: Richard Bloomfield
Location: Tyne and Wear

Re: Attorney General's reference

Post by richardb »

Sadly it looks as though the, Attorney General has decided 17 years is enough for Husband as he appears to have decided not to refer his sentence to the Court of Appeal as being unduly lenient.

Still 17 years is a long time. He won't be released before January 2027 and will be nigh on 77. He is on the nonce register for life.

Believe me, sex offenders have a hard time in prison. He won't enjoy it one bit.
User avatar
J.R.
Forum Moderator
Posts: 15835
Joined: Wed Mar 09, 2005 4:53 pm
Real Name: John Rutley
Location: Dorking, Surrey

Re: Attorney General's reference

Post by J.R. »

What can I say Richard ??

We are getting so near the time when child molesters will be found guilty by the court, patted on the head, given a few quid to help them on their way.

Personally, I'd opt for the Pierrepoint solution. Quick, Simple and cheap.

Night Night.
John Rutley. Prep B & Coleridge B. 1958-1963.
richardb
Forum Moderator
Posts: 886
Joined: Fri Mar 25, 2005 2:23 pm
Real Name: Richard Bloomfield
Location: Tyne and Wear

Re: Attorney General's reference

Post by richardb »

There is a curious symmetry about the 17 years Husband got.

The pupil who cost him his job was aged 17.
ZeroDeConduite
LE (Little Erasmus)
Posts: 55
Joined: Thu Jul 26, 2018 11:29 am
Real Name: PrA8PeA5

Re: Attorney General's reference

Post by ZeroDeConduite »

J.R. wrote: Wed Aug 08, 2018 11:01 pm Personally, I'd opt for the Pierrepoint solution. Quick, Simple and cheap.
One of the great benefits that you have received in this place is that I had the sort of career where got to spend an hour in a TV studio where Albert Pierrepoint was interviewed in depth about his life as Britain's judicial hangman.
'Quick and no fuss' was his motto - he said he averaged 12-15 seconds from their entry into the gallows chamber to being dropped. ie before they realised is was happening.
So if anybody had to do the job, Pierrepoint was definitely 'the man'.

But, personally, I have far (far) too little faith in institutional justice to want to impose such a final solution on anyone. I vividly remember whilst at CH everyone listening to the radio to the report of the hanging of Derek Bentley in 1953. Nothing could be more ambiguous than the trial evidence:
Bentley was convicted on the basis of police evidence. Three officers told the court they had heard him encourage Craig to shoot by shouting "Let him have it". Bentley's defence claimed he was already under arrest at the time the shots were fired and was simply urging Craig to give up his gun.

Whilst the victims of abuse should be foremost in the recovery and rehabilitation process, the perpetrators are also often in their own way victims: Deprive them of the liberty to ever behave so abusively again, but it demeans society to behave inhumanely to them.

What deserves the most outright condemnation are the institutional failings that promote repeated offending.
And so far its the institutions that have got away with it...
PrepA 1951-2 Peele A 1953-60
Post Reply