Monday 8 February 2016

Curiouser And Curiouser...

Remember that South Park Gardens incident a few days ago?
Two 16 year-old boys charged with multiple counts of rape, sexual assault and carrying a knife in a park have had the cases against them dropped.
A single charge, maybe. Multiple?
One boy faced seven charges, including four counts of rape against 15-year-old girls, carrying a knife, sexual assault and causing actual bodily harm.
At the time he was kept in a youth detention centre.
The other teenager was charged with two counts of rape against a 14-year-old girl and a 15-year-old girl.
Hmmm...
But a Crown Prosecution Service spokeswoman said after new evidence came to light, it decided there was not a realistic prospect of conviction on any of the charges.
The spokesperson said: “This case was charged under the Threshold Test of the Code for Crown Prosecutors.
"Following receipt of further evidence we reviewed the case under the Full Code Test and concluded that there was insufficient evidence for a realistic prospect of conviction on any of the charges.
"We have therefore discontinued the case against both defendants."
Is this also 'an isolated incident'? Should we be 'alarmed' now, Chief Inspector Mark Lawrence?

5 comments:

Lord T said...

Is this threshold test the same test they used to charge that artist at the train station?

Trevor said...

It is confusing. Surely a knife was being carried or not; 'actual bodily harm' actually happened or not.

Jim said...

What Lord T said.

Allegations of armed rape and assault, CPS says no real evidence, no charge.

Allegation a man managed to digitally penetrate a woman while walking past her, camera footage shows no evidence of a crime whatsoever, charged with sexual assault.

Allegation that a famous man raped you in 1975, with zero corroboration or indeed evidence he was even in the same town at the time, Charged with rape.

Why do my spidey senses get the feeling that the former case involves young non-white alleged assailants, and the latter middle and old aged white men? And the difference in CPS attitude is entirely down to those facts?

Weekend Yachtsman said...

I expect Jim is right.

These will be youths of no appearance, and therefore protected.

And of course, "no chance of securing a conviction" is probably because nobody would testify against them.

Well, would you? Knowing that they're untouchable, whatever vengeance they might wreak on you?

JuliaM said...

"Is this threshold test the same test they used to charge that artist at the train station?"

I feel we've stil not got to the bottom of that one. The reason for singling him out is not clear at all.

"Surely a knife was being carried or not; 'actual bodily harm' actually happened or not."

Quite!

"Why do my spidey senses get the feeling that the former case involves young non-white alleged assailants..."

By George, I think you may be right! And yes, unless there are real bystanders to witness this, no-one will talk.