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Almost a third of paedophiles in London are escaping with only a police warning, it was revealed today.
In the last year the Metropolitan force cautioned 571 people accused of abusing children out of the 1,386 cases reported. This means 29.2 per cent were allowed to go free.
The figures were revealed after a Freedom of Information request was sent to 33 forces. Nationwide 8,043 people were charged and 2,764 let off with a verbal warning.
The statistics included 20 who raped girls under 16 and eight who attacked young boys. Today the NSPCC demanded to know why so many abusers were "getting off lightly". Lib-Dem spokesman Chris Huhne said: "It is unacceptable for anyone who rapes a child to be given a slap on the wrist."
Police have launched a legal bid to stop paedophile Gary Glitter going abroad. The former pop star, 65, who was deported back to Britain a year ago after a jail term for sex offences in Vietnam, wants to take a holiday in the south of France. Officers fear he could sneak into Spain where the age of consent is 13.
Reader views (6)
Liberal And Proud, London, UK
Wouldn't it be better to prosecute them so they have a criminal record and hopefully get a long sentence, and then fail a future CRB check, rather than just setting up the ISA?
It seems to me you so called liberals like to let a problem accumulate, then offer a "new solution" to it, rather than sort out the current wrongs of a present system.
Why not enforce laws we already have?
- P Staker, Londonistan., 23/09/2009 23:43
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And yet you all complain when 'draconian' systems 'assuming guilt' are brought in - i.e. the Independent Safeguarding Authority, which will at least completely prevent those with cautions from working with children.
- Liberal And Proud, London, UK, 23/09/2009 15:42
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The Law in this country under Labour is there to protect the criminal, did you not know?
- Frank, Home Counties, England., 23/09/2009 13:46
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...then we complain about the high numbers of ferral children on the streets.
- Jools, London, 23/09/2009 10:55
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Only in labours Britain could this be allowed to happen.
- P Staker, Londonistan., 23/09/2009 09:58
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For those of us who have had no choice but to report the 'seen' abuse of children to the relevant authorites are painfully aware of the reality that many IDENTIFIED child abusers are not being brought to justice or stopped from doing what they do.
We are very familiar with further injuries 'seen' on the children being 'deemed' by the authorites as 'injuries of the self-inflicted kind'
Giving cautions to IDENTIFIED child abusers does not and will not stop them further violating children !
- Darnthesafetynet, London W11 1NR, 23/09/2009 09:56
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