[Angus]

Article from The Independent today:

"Girlfriend 'took lead role in sexual abuse of baby'


Wednesday, 6 October 2010


A paedophile said in court today he was told what to do by his then girlfriend as the pair sexually assaulted and took photographs of a five-month-old baby.


Colin Blanchard said it was Tracy Dawber, 44, who took the lead in the abuse.


Dawber, formerly of Bedford Road, Southport, Merseyside, denies the assault and permitting Blanchard to take the five indecent pictures.


Blanchard, 40, formerly from Rochdale, Lancs, is in custody awaiting sentence after admitting his involvement in the alleged assault by Dawber.


He told the jury at Winchester Crown Court today that Dawber had lifted the child's clothes to show it had no nappy on and he said Dawber told him to look at the child and to take the photographs.


"I was quite passive in the whole thing. I was taking the photographs as instructed," he said.


"I took a photograph and she asked me to show it to her and then I took another and I showed it again and she repositioned the child accordingly."


He said there had been sexual talk during the taking of the images but not much was said afterwards.


The pair had first had normal sex when they met in 2007 before moving on to what Blanchard described to the jury as an "A to Z of sexual desires and fantasies" and the pair discussed child sex.


During cross-examination by Deborah Gould, Blanchard admitted he was selfish and arrogant, that he lied to police and had tried to blame others.


He admitted he had been involved with many other woman including two named in court as Vanessa George and Tracy Lyons.


He had also sent images of child sex to two unnamed women, he admitted to the jury.


He said before his arrest he had been living a "double life".


Miss Gould asked: Did you know what the truth was at that time?"


Blanchard: "No".


Miss Gould: "But you know now?"


Blanchard: "Yes, as strange as it may seem."


Earlier the jury heard Dawber admitted it was her holding the baby in the photographs but denied the alleged wrongdoing.


In interview Dawber told police she could not remember the pictures being taken, but Simon Morgan, prosecuting, told the jury the Nokia phone always flashed when it took the pictures.


He said some had been taken from only about 9in away on August 20 2008.


"The Crown say the defendant was able to see the phone being used," he said.


Mr Morgan said the pair met in 2007 and had a sexual relationship and that she had "linked herself to his grossly unacceptable activities".


She described him as a sociable person but said she had been "disgusted when she heard on the news what he had been involved with".


Blanchard was caught in June 2009 when a work colleague discovered child pornography on his computer, the court heard.


He was arrested at Manchester airport and a connection via a Facebook account was made with Dawber.


Officers also uncovered the mobile phone from Blanchard's Volvo that contained the images of the baby, which were shown to the jury. It also showed Dawber in explicit poses.


When arrested in November 2009 Dawber would not confirm it was her holding the baby but she later admitted it.


Officers found child pornography on her computer that was the same as that discovered on Blanchard's and search words on her machine linked to child porn such as "Lolita". A PDF file containing stories about incest was also found. "




I just can't get my head around this story - but the thought of it just makes me sick to my stomach. The perpetrators can't possibly be part of the human race - I know what I would like to do to them, and it involves a chainsaw and a noose. Sadly under our useless justice system they will get just a few years in jail before being released to do it all over again.

[Lee.]

I'm actually speechless! I read something even worse yesterday involving a head teacher and a 3 year old... I just can't ****ing believe these people! Seriously CANNOT get me head around it at all!

[Jords]

://////////

[Iceman]

That's horrific, people like these should be locked up and just let die a slow and painful death.

[Angus]

Vanessa George (the nursery assistant accused of sexual abuse of the children in her care) got only 7 years and her accomplice got only 5 years. They are also entitled under Human Rights legislation to have a new identity when they leave prison, funded of course by the taxpayer. This vile and disgusting pair will no doubt get similarly light sentences.

Our judicial system is an absolute joke.

[Lee.]

Originally Posted by angus58

Vanessa George (the nursery assistant accused of sexual abuse of the children in her care) got only 7 years and her accomplice got only 5 years. They are also entitled under Human Rights legislation to have a new identity when they leave prison, funded of course by the taxpayer. This vile and disgusting pair will no doubt get similarly light sentences.

Our judicial system is an absolute joke.

Yeah plus she'll be entitled to a brand new appearance?!! She can have her own personal trainer even if needed! What the actual **** is it all about?! It really makes my blood boil!
Let her out of prison with her own rotten identity amongst the general public!. Hopefully she would get what she deserves!

[MTVN]

Reminds me of A Serbian Film.

[Jordan.]

Disgusting. Someone kill them please.

[Jack_]

[Billy]

I really dont understand the article, maybe I'm just beign thick but what happened?

[Tom4784]

Disgusting, I hope they both get the maximum sentance.

[Angus]

Originally posted by Billy
"I really dont understand the article, maybe I'm just beign thick but what happened?"
__________________



The woman, sexually abused the baby whilst the guy took photos. If that is not clear enough here is the legal definition, bearing in mind this is what they were charged with:

The official definition is "sexual abuse involves forcing or enticing a child or young person to take part in sexual activities including prostitution, whether or not the child is aware of what is happening. The activities may involve physical contact, including penetrative (e.g. rape, buggery or oral sex) or non-penetrative acts. They may include non-contact activities, such as involving children in looking at, or in the production of, pornographic material or watching sexual activities, or encouraging children to behave in sexually inappropriate ways" (DfES, 2006)

[Tom]

Thats only them on 'C' of their A-Z of sex. I hate to think what they'd if they complete it

[Tom4784]

Justice and violence are two different things, you can't use one to justify the other. 'Chopping people's hands off' or 'delivering your own justice' isn't justice it's thuggish behavior that you're attempting to justify.

Eye for an eye leaves us all blind in the end.

[Angus]

Originally Posted by Dezzy

Justice and violence are two different things, you can't use one to justify the other. 'Chopping people's hands off' or 'delivering your own justice' isn't justice it's thuggish behavior that you're attempting to justify.

Eye for an eye leaves us all blind in the end.

If and when you become a parent one day, you might begin to understand. Till then keep your sanctimonious, mealymouthed judgments to yourself. And for the record I was not "attempting to justify" anything, I was stating what I would actually DO if that were my baby, and the judicial system let me down. Why would I feel the need to justify myself to you or any other liberal, laissez faire idiots who, unfortunately, seem to dominate the judiciary, handing out lenient sentences for such serious crimes as these.

"All it takes for the triumph of evil is for good men to stand by and do NOTHING". Ever heard of fighting fire with fire? Paedophiles cannot be cured, they are not able to be rehabilitated, so what is your answer, oh wise one?

[Tom4784]

Originally Posted by angus58

If and when you become a parent one day, you might begin to understand. Till then keep your sanctimonious, mealymouthed judgments to yourself. And for the record I was not "attempting to justify" anything, I was stating what I would actually DO if that were my baby, and the judicial system let me down. Why would I feel the need to justify myself to you or any other liberal, laissez faire idiots who, unfortunately, seem to dominate the judiciary, handing out lenient sentences for such serious crimes as these.

"All it takes for the triumph of evil is for good men to stand by and do NOTHING". Ever heard of fighting fire with fire? Paedophiles cannot be cured, they are not able to be rehabilitated, so what is your answer, oh wise one?

My answer is that we punish people for their crimes, I'm not defending them but 'fighting fire with fire' is quite frankly stupid and short sighted.

If you're a parent surely you should be setting an example to your children by showing them that fair and honest justice is the only way to go? If we go down your path we might as well execute anyone even accused of a crime as chances are in your world they are guilty. What kind of message are you sending by saying you want people murdered or tortured for commiting crimes? At the end of the day Captial punishment IS murder at the end of the day.

I'm sorry but I must have missed that essay I wrote saying that these people deserve leniant sentences, care to send it to me? I hope they get the maximum sentence but killing them or anyone else simply makes us as bad as them. Whether you liked it or not you attempted to justify your proposed actions by saying that it was justice. It's not it's thuggish behavior what you in the past have so vehemently opposed, just because the target would be a guilty party doesn't make violence right or justified.

Lastly, I'm as entitled to my opinion as you regardless if I have children or not so you can stop playing that card right now.

[Angus]

Originally Posted by Dezzy

My answer is that we punish people for their crimes, I'm not defending them but 'fighting fire with fire' is quite frankly stupid and short sighted.

If you're a parent surely you should be setting an example to your children by showing them that fair and honest justice is the only way to go? If we go down your path we might as well execute anyone even accused of a crime as chances are in your world they are guilty. What kind of message are you sending by saying you want people murdered or tortured for commiting crimes? At the end of the day Captial punishment IS murder at the end of the day.

I'm sorry but I must have missed that essay I wrote saying that these people deserve leniant sentences, care to send it to me? I hope they get the maximum sentence but killing them or anyone else simply makes us as bad as them. Whether you liked it or not you attempted to justify your proposed actions by saying that it was justice. It's not it's thuggish behavior what you in the past have so vehemently opposed, just because the target would be a guilty party doesn't make violence right or justified.

Lastly, I'm as entitled to my opinion as you regardless if I have children or not so you can stop playing that card right now.

pointless arguing, so I won't waste my time. Try getting your nose out of a book and face reality - no wonder this country is in the mess it is with people like you trying to take the moral high ground over emotive issues about which you have no understanding, experience or empathy. I can assure you I have NO need to justify myself to the right on brigade. Of course you're entitled to your opinion, that doesn't mean I have to accept its validity or relevance.
As to your last sentence, I beg to differ since you can have NO idea of what you would do if you were a parent of an abused child whose abuser got a laughably light sentence.

[Tom4784]

Originally Posted by angus58

pointless arguing, so I won't waste my time. Try getting your nose out of a book and face reality - no wonder this country is in the mess it is with people like you trying to take the moral high ground over emotive issues about which you have no understanding, experience or empathy. I can assure you I have NO need to justify myself to the right on brigade. Of course you're entitled to your opinion, that doesn't mean I have to accept its validity or relevance.
As to your last sentence, I beg to differ since you can have NO idea of what you would do if you were a parent of an abused child whose abuser got a laughably light sentence.

Back to getting personal with me again... this is dull Angus. keep it to the subject please.

Like Shaun said, Personal bias shouldn't sensationalise the debate and he has more reason then most to be spewing vitriol but he's not.

I agree that I probably wouldn't know what I'd do in that situation but I'd hope i'd keep some sense of rationality and realise that obsessing over it and attacking people would help no one, least of all my hypothetical child. I think I'd be more focused on trying to help my child get over such an horrific event rather then acting out the Saw series on the person that commited the crime.

It's not perfect but I prefer the law system we have now to your Tarrantino version of what should happen.

[Fetch The Bolt Cutters]

i wish people would stop posting threads like this they are just depressing

[Kazanne]

Originally Posted by simonsays

i wish people would stop posting threads like this they are just depressing

This is a 'serious debates' thread,perhaps you should go in the chat and games one as real life can be depressing unfortunately,people who don't want to hear these things,are just shutting reality out.

[Fetch The Bolt Cutters]

Originally Posted by kazanne

This is a 'serious debates' thread,perhaps you should go in the chat and games one as real life can be depressing unfortunately,people who don't want to hear these things,are just shutting reality out.

not really shutting reality out its just like why would you even want to talk about things like that?

lets talk about nice things like fluffy bunnies and rainbows

[Fetch The Bolt Cutters]

[Jack_]

Christ @ the mindsets of some people in this thread. Two wrongs certainly don't make a right, and the more we encourage violence and torture, the more it is going to happen. It's common sense, really. Whilst I don't agree with the ridiculously short sentences these disgusting people receive, some of the suggestions for 'punishments' made in this thread are absolutely disgusting. I don't know about most people, but I would much rather see a criminal suffer for decades on end in prison than killing them quickly. And I know that doesn't happen, but that is what needs to happen.

As far as 'inhumane' things go, the furthest I would go is leaving the criminal in a cell with no clothes, no water, no food, absolutely until they eventually die.

But as I've already said, it would then teach kids that we accept and promote violence and torture - and we'd end up with even more criminals than we have now.

[Kazanne]

Originally Posted by Jack_

Christ @ the mindsets of some people in this thread. Two wrongs certainly don't make a right, and the more we encourage violence and torture, the more it is going to happen. It's common sense, really. Whilst I don't agree with the ridiculously short sentences these disgusting people receive, some of the suggestions for 'punishments' made in this thread are absolutely disgusting. I don't know about most people, but I would much rather see a criminal suffer for decades on end in prison than killing them quickly. And I know that doesn't happen, but that is what needs to happen.

As far as 'inhumane' things go, the furthest I would go is leaving the criminal in a cell with no clothes, no water, no food, absolutely until they eventually die.

But as I've already said, it would then teach kids that we accept and promote violence and torture - and we'd end up with even more criminals than we have now.

This coming from one who thought the 'jokes' made about the toddler taped to a wall were ok to laugh at,lol,oh dear and as it happenes I would prefer to see a criminal be behind bars for decades,but they don't do they?they get a cushy ride,so you can't wonder why people get angry,so stop pontificating and TRY and understand where some of us are coming from,so do you think leaving one to die of cold,thirst or starvation is more humane than ,chopping their hands off or steralizing them?Why should we be humane to things that harm our kids,Would you feel the same if it was YOUR child?

[Jack_]

Originally Posted by kazanne

and as it happenes I would prefer to see a criminal be behind bars for decades,but they don't do they?they get a cushy ride,

And I didn't dispute that...infact I said I knew that wasn't the case. But there's not much I can do about that, is there? But it doesn't mean instead we need to resort to the death penalty and mass slaughter and torture, does it?

Originally Posted by kazanne

Would you feel the same if it was YOUR child?

Yes, yes I would. Because I wouldn't want to teach my other children [if I had any] or any other children that I knew that torture and violence and murder is right. What good is there in that? Teach 'em early and then let them turn into a murderer or a bully when they get older? Yeah, because that's really what I want them becoming. Come on...use your brain for once. Two wrongs don't make a right. Most of these things are taught. A bully was oftened once bullied themselves, paedophiles were often sexually abused when they were children. So by teaching our kids that violence, murder and torture is an acceptable form of punishment what good are we really doing? Go ahead and do that if you like but at the end of the day we're going to end up living in a even less-safer world than we are in now.