Tuesday 18 October 2011

Did You Need Further Evidence That They Are ‘Not Fit For Purpose’..?

A report into failings which allowed a rapist to re-offend just months after being freed from prison is to be kept secret - to protect his privacy.
Yes, you read that right. His privacy…
Fabian Thomas, 23, had served just half of an eight-year sentence for raping a teenager in Taunton, Somerset, when he was released to live in a bail hostel in Plymouth in October last year.

Four months later, Thomas attempted to rape a 19-year-old woman in a supermarket car park while brandishing a hunting knife and wearing a balaclava.

The case raised serious questions about measures to protect the public from violent sex offenders who are being monitored in the community.
Yes, I’ll just bet it did!
However, the Devon and Cornwall Probation Trust refused to disclose any details of a 'serious further offence review' looking at what went wrong.

It said any review would 'necessarily consist of sensitive personal data' and blocked its release, saying it would breach the Data Protection Act.
Nice…

10 comments:

Wolfers said...

Well, that's Fabians for you. . .

Antisthenes said...

Going off on a tangent this blog of yours got me to thinking about our incompetent public sector servants no scrub that not servants, masters and other tricks of their trade. Like when things have gone badly and they cannot come up with the appropriate smoke screen device such as the data protection act. They say lessons have been learnt which means that now they know how to do it badly all the time.

Jiks said...

Call me crazy but I think you lose your right to privacy when you take away some girls right not to be raped at knifepoint.

Anonymous said...

DPA 1998 Exceptions - Section 29 - Data processed for the prevention or detection of crime, the apprehension or prosecution of offenders...

Liars all of them.

Captain Haddock said...

One only needs to look at the proliferation of organisations in this country, dedicated to the support/welfare of offenders or ex-offenders ..

And then compare that to the paucity of organisations representing victims of crime, to see how the offender is always regarded as and portrayed as being the "victim" .. whilst the real victims are simply discarded & ignored ..

Caring for, or worrying about the feelings or "rights" of criminal scum supports a vast industry .. many of its workers making a very cushy living .. thank you very much ..

Until a semblance of balance is achieved & restored, nothing will change ..

Stiff sentence said...

I expect revealing details of his 'privacy' would blow the lid off something else the fuzz want to keep quiet, and perhaps use.

Lynne said...

Then let's hope he gets all the privacy he needs - back in a prison cell where the bastard belongs.

SBC said...

"
Caring for, or worrying about the feelings or "rights" of criminal scum supports a vast industry "

There's probably some truth in that.

Woman on a Raft said...

I fail to see what our probation service is supposed to do with some of these people.

They have just been released with the certain knowledge that catching them is hard, convicting them is difficult and imprisoning them is automatically halved.

We are teaching them that it's not really serious. My sympathy for the probation service is limited, but as they've got an impossible job and their hands are tied, I can see they don't fancy being publicly blamed.

JuliaM said...

" They say lessons have been learnt which means that now they know how to do it badly all the time."

And it's a skill they seem to be constantly honing...

"Liars all of them."

Incompetent liars, which is even worse!

"I expect revealing details of his 'privacy' would blow the lid off something else the fuzz want to keep quiet, and perhaps use."

Hmmm, there's a thought.

"My sympathy for the probation service is limited, but as they've got an impossible job and their hands are tied, I can see they don't fancy being publicly blamed."

Oh, indeed. But while I'm paying them...