Help wanted

[Innocent1970]

Hello folks,

I am embroiled in what is a living nightmare at present and I am facing statutory rape (USI) and grooming.

In essence, I replied to an advert asking for a favour on the local web classifieds and when I asked what was in it for me, I was led up the garden path by being told from her that she was 17, had left school, was on the pill, 34D, in to domination, asked about threesomes, etc and it turns out she is nearly 14.

She had makeup on when we met, we did the deed al-fresco and kept the lies up from start to finish, and I was none the wiser until the Police came banging on my door a few weeks later. Why would anyone question what they were told on face value?

The only saving grace for me is that I kept all texts and e-mails to back it up and there is no other evidence - no DNA, no forensic, no witnesses - and it is her word against mine + I have implicated others from what she said.

To say that I am scared witless is an understatement and I have another 6 weeks to wait (bail extended from 7 weeks initially).

The Police believed me on the day but the only fly in the ointment is my laptop, and they are going to find a few 'no.1' under 18 images on it. Probably up to 20 at the most and nothing to really warrant anything other than a caution on its own, but if you put the two together it doesn't look good.

The impression I got at the end of the interview was that the Police believed me, they looked bored and disinterested and my solicitor was jubilant but said that it depends on what they find on my laptop.

The Police have not been in touch since 2 months ago and presumably they have no real concerns or anything to go on, otherwise they would have pressed charges by now.

I would welcome any thoughts or advice on this too.

Thank you.

[scaredwife]

Hi

Sorry you had to find us, but you will find a wealth of knowledge and support here

I'm not overly well clued up on the legal side of things, someone else will be better placed to answer any questions on that.

By the sounds of it, due to the texts and emails you have kept (I hope you have a copy of them stored somewhere safe) the question isn't necessarily consent as she 'offered' it , however anyone under 16 is deemed unable to give their consent, hence the statutory rape.

I think it will come down to whether they believe that you genuinely didn't know her age, or whether they believe that you SHOULD have known her age.

Unfortunately the police not being in touch for 2 months doesn't mean anything, my hubby was bailed for 3 months before being charged, and that was with no witnesses, no DNA and her word against his.

Keep us informed

[Innocent1970]

Hi

Sorry you had to find us, but you will find a wealth of knowledge and support here

I'm not overly well clued up on the legal side of things, someone else will be better placed to answer any questions on that.

By the sounds of it, due to the texts and emails you have kept (I hope you have a copy of them stored somewhere safe) the question isn't necessarily consent as she 'offered' it , however anyone under 16 is deemed unable to give their consent, hence the statutory rape.

I think it will come down to whether they believe that you genuinely didn't know her age, or whether they believe that you SHOULD have known her age.

Unfortunately the police not being in touch for 2 months doesn't mean anything, my hubby was bailed for 3 months before being charged, and that was with no witnesses, no DNA and her word against his.

Keep us informed

Hello,

Thank you for your reply and kind words, and you are right about the legal aspects.

It will come down to whether they believe that I genuinely did not know her age, or whether they believe that I should have known her age.

I live somewhere where everyone tends to take folk at face value and you would never expect / think that such a thing could ever happen here, which makes it all the more shocking.

Everyone I speak to echoes the same sentiments as me, and that it will go nowhere because it follows too many parallels to the Michael le Vell case whereby nobody would believe a word she says -v- my robust defence.

However, as you say, it could very well be said that I should have known her age and the Officer in Charge ("OIC") is a woman, hard nosed, ambitious and will be gunning for a conviction.

It's such a sensitive case and such a small community that I'm not sure that the higher echelons would take a chance on it in case it backfired with all the ramifications and bad publicity that would come with it.

It doesn't help that it is in the news constantly just now either, and even my Doctor is on my side and can see that I am genuine, remorseful and ashamed of it all.

I have taken prints off the e-mail and the Police have seen the texts, but they are in possession of my phone and laptop at present.

It's just not knowing and any conviction of this sort would simply ruin my life through no intentional wrongdoing on my part.

[Casehardened]

Hi Innocent1970,

Regarding the laptop, it may be that this hasn't even been looked at yet, at one time there was a 6/7 month queue (but don't know what the present position is) and I doubt any decision re. charging or not will be made until the forensics are back; after all the police don't know what they will find on there even if you do!

[Ghost biscuit]

Hi

Hi IG,

Just read your post, but sorry, I am a little bit confused when you said about pictures level 1 or something, if you are able to, can you please clarify this. I was arrested at my house historic rape. My thread is on here "2 days in hell" is the thread name. My computer was not sized nor was my phone. They took my phone off me for obvious reasons but gave it me back a few hours later. Never wanted to keep it for searching.

Regards,

Ghost....B

[RFLH]

if there are level 1's on then they will charge you - Rolf Harris had, I believe 4 photos - he was charged.

[Innocent1970]

if there are level 1's on then they will charge you - Rolf Harris had, I believe 4 photos - he was charged.

I forgot to add that I have implicated others as well from what she said (a 23 year old and a 16 year old, and there could very well be more), she used encrypted e-mail and the lies that she spun would have deceived most reasonable blokes to be honest. She was sexually experienced and not entirely celibate, even by her own admission, and used language that I had to look up because I had never heard of it.

I may have been naive and unworldly in a sense, but that is not a crime in itself.

I live on one of the offshore Islands and the adverse PR that would come of this if it went the whole hog and I was acquitted would cause uproar in both camps. Can any jury be convinced beyond reasonable doubt that I knew otherwise? These Islands don't do bad PR and I am genuinely telling the truth when I said that I did not know, believe or suspect that she was under the legal age of consent.

The Police believed me on the day, my solicitor was jubilant but sounded a word of caution re: laptop and it could easily be tipped on that. The Police had seen the images before they questioned me, still believed me and I have heard nothing more since that fateful day.

I am hopeful that it won't come to anything other than a caution and 2 years on the Register so they can keep an eye on me, as any conviction would make it very difficult to move on and make a success of my life.