A couple of questions

[Quentin Campbell]

> Subject: Re: A couple of questions
> 
> >"Stephen Lafferty" <stephen@slafferty.freeserve.co.uk> wrote:
> >Could any passing lawyer please provide an example of a >case where drug 
> >dealers, paedophiles or pornographers >were able to avoid a guilty verdict 
> >because the >prosecution could not decrypt files on the accused's >hard 
> >drive.  I can't seem to find any evidence for this >in any promotional 
> >literature issued by the government.
>

In response, on Mon, 26 Jun 2000, Barnaby Prendergast wrote:
 
> John Carr of NCH Action for Children has said, if I recall correctly, that 
> there have been cases where the CPS had been unable to prosecute owing to 
> encrypted evidence. Bit of an untestable theory, I assume, without standing 
> in the line of libel fire:-)

I do not know the truth of this either. But let us put the "problem" that
John Carr has identified into perspective and look at a related area of
serious concern where the CPS, NCH and others organisations should be made
to answer some hard questions.

If you talk to Social Workers, Police and others actively involved in
child protection you will discover that there are certainly hundreds,
probably thousands, of sexual abuse cases in the UK involving young people
with learning difficulties on which the CPS has been unable/unwilling to
prosecute.

The alleged abuser(s) are known to the Police and to Social Services but
the abuse often continues. Usually the victim is the only witness.

The problem for the CPS is the difficulty of putting such vulnerable
people into the witness box and having their evidence stand up under cross
examination. 

I believe that this is a national scandal but one that gets little
publicity in either the local or national press. NCH and similar
organisations must be aware of the scale of the problem.

I am thus bound to ask why these organisations are devoting their efforts,
and charitable funds, pursuing their "internet agenda" rather than
addressing the terrible situation that exists on their own door step.

In order to forstall off-line enquiries as to the sources of my
information on this I have to say that I cannot divulge them. However I
would encourage anybody interested in making further enquiries to contact
local Police Child Protection Units and Social Service departments
directly.

Perhaps a response to this issue from NCH would be interesting.

 
Quentin
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