Our thanks to J for this.
The 2010 Coalition Agreement committed to re-introducing anonymity for suspected sex offenders, until and unless convicted. This commitment was later predictably reneged upon, resulting in a series of ‘fishing expeditions’ where the police reveal the name of suspects for whom there is insufficient evidence for conviction, in the hope others alleged victims will present themselves, and another show trial can begin. Mark Pritchard is only the latest in a long line of men who’ve been hung out to dry, and not even charged with an offence.
From the article:
Asked about the issue, Prime Minister David Cameron told the Heart FM radio station in Wales: “It’s something we’ve looked at in the past and there are some real issues with it. So I think it needs very careful thought before going down that road.”
The coalition government floated plans to extend anonymity in rape cases to defendants in England and Wales shortly after taking power in 2010 but these were soon dropped amid criticism from Labour and campaigners against sexual violence.
For ‘Labour and campaigners against sexual violence’, read ‘feminists’. Did Mark Pritchard make any public calls for suspect anonymity before he personally suffered from an allegation? And would David Cameron’s views on the matter change, should he be subjected to a false rape allegation? Of course.
We cover the issue of anonymity of suspected sex offenders on pp 55,56 of our election manifesto.
