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Soham chief: New vetting process will not work
15 Sep 2009The man who led the investigation into the Soham murders today criticised a new vetting process aimed at protecting children from paedophiles.
Retired detective chief superintendent Chris Stevenson accused the Government of creating paranoia with plans for background checks on all adults who spend time with children or vulnerable adults.
He said “no amount of record keeping or checking” would protect children such as 10-year-olds Holly Wells and Jessica Chapman who were murdered by school caretaker Ian Huntley in 2002.
Mr Stevenson said he felt compelled to speak out after being ordered to stop taking pictures of his grandson at a football match. He was told he needed the permission of every parent of every child playing if he wanted to use his camera.
“I am now a suspected paedophile,” he said, “along with millions of other parents and grandparents”. Children's Secretary Ed Balls has promised to look again at the legislation after the outcry it caused.
Reader views (5)
"Guilty until proven innocent" is the mantra behind this Orwellian scheme. Those behind it would just love to force all of us to carry ID cards and set up an army of inspectors to check them.
- C. Nichol, London, 15/09/2009 14:43
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This has more to do with this Government's desire to controla and record all activities that we do, and to increase the percentage of the workforce employed by the state.
Also, given the record of large state computer projects, what are the odds on this one being on time, one budget and giving accurate information - Not a snowball's hope in hell!
- Very Very Angry At Paying Tax For Mp'S Expeses, Home Counties, 15/09/2009 14:41
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I'm all for vetting, it makes sense - but kids needing a lift need vetting too...!!! After all, adults deserve protection from potentially violent young thugs let loose in their cars, don't they?
- Joanna Jay, Walton on Thames, 15/09/2009 13:35
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This law has nothing to do with protecting children, and everything to do with getting as much data that ought to remain private into a central database, to ease the later passage of compulsory ID cards and all the restrictions of our everyday freedoms that will come with them. Note - this data will include unsubstantiated allegations, even ones from years ago which the suspect (yourself?) was never made aware of at the time. Years later, when you are branded unsuitable to look after children, how can you possibly clear yourself of the libel?
These rules will soon result in the closure of many voluntary groups, either because volunteers will withdraw rather than allow the state access to their private lives, or because the cost of complying with this insane legislation will be prohibitive. Then children will be left loitering on street corners for lack of anything else to do, falling into the hands of gangs and perverts as a consequence of a law that was "spun" as child protection!
Fact. When children are abused, it is usually at home, by a parent, relative, partner, or other person trusted by the parent(s) to be alone with the child.
- Nigel, London, 15/09/2009 13:29
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This very expensive daft quango 'vet all and sundry' thing is a red herring and it will not protect children from that small minority of predatory child abusers who will always find a way to gain access to children.
Better this vast amount of money, which now seems to be available, under the banner of child protection, on REAL, DIRECT child protection ability in practice so that child abuse allegation investigation can be improved so that it can and will reach the truth of the situation for the children who have had child abuse concerns raised for them.
That and on DIRECT child protection in practice.
After all it is quite obvious that many IDENTIFIED being abused children are being failed to be protected from further violation and more to point it is quite clear that many IDENTIFIED child abusers, within the existing child protection system, are just not being STOPPED. FULL STOP!
- Darnthesafetynet, London W11 1NR, 15/09/2009 10:52
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