[thesheriff443]

Originally Posted by Niamh.

Looks like they did anyway, from the further links Ammi posted

Ok just wasn’t clear In the link

[Mystic Mock]

Originally Posted by Toy Soldier

"I thought she was older" isn't even considered a valid legal defense, I dunno why people keep using it. Other than that, sadly, there are probably plenty of judges who factor it into sentencing.

Plus I think that anyone can tell the difference between a 13 year old and a 16 year old.

[Niamh.]

Originally Posted by thesheriff443

Ok just wasn’t clear In the link

Yeah, I think child sexual abuse and rape was brushed under the carpet back then for the most part. Terrible

[Ammi]

Originally Posted by Ammi

Judge Martin Hurst sentences Bennett to 11 years.

He tells him new guidelines mean he will serve two thirds of the term in custody before being released on licence.

Bennett will also have to sign the sex offenders for life.

Judge Hurst does not impose a sexual harm prevention order (SHPO) due to the fact he has not offended since the incident in 1975 as well as how old he will be if he is ever released from prison.

Originally Posted by Ammi

Bennett had 'clean criminal record'

Judge Martin Hurst says: "Children of 13 were probably not called as witnesses then.

"I think a child of 13/14 probably would have been competent. It would have been before my time. I expect it would have been unusual even then."

In mitigation Tom Walkling states Bennett has an otherwise clean criminal record and has a number of health issues, likely down to his industrial employment.

Originally Posted by Ammi

In 1970s it was felt 'a conviction was unlikely'

The hearing moves on to legal arguments.

Mr Glenser elaborates on the involvement of authorities in 1975, confirming that DNA evidence did not exist back then.

He says: "I have read the social services file.

"The view, I will choose my words carefully, the view was taken in the absence of DNA, given her particular background, it was decided that a conviction was unlikely."

Mr Glenser confirms 'there was some police involvement' in the 1970s.

…sorry, the article that I was posting from was stating the information in time segments as recorded today in courtroom times in the sentencing…so it was easier to post them separately but that’s probably confusing…

…the above posts was information given in court today in sentencing and also some follow ons…


The statement added: "I was left to deal with it alone. I felt disgusted with myself believing it was my fault.

"To be raped, made pregnant and give birth was traumatic and horrendous for me.

"People told me how disgusting I was being pregnant as a child. I was carrying his shame although the shame was also mine.


He reveals she was still involved with a social worker when Bennett raped her and she had said: "I was so scared, scared so I didn't say anything.

"I was never questioned about the pregnancy."

Continuing the statement the prosecutor adds: "Life was already traumatic before, during and after this happened due to neglect and other sexual abuse."

[Ammi]

…I won’t post all of the court quotes given as there are quite a few and they’re in the link….but the taped child wasn’t with parents as such, she had been in social care since she was a baby and was in foster care at the time of the rape…

[Ammi]

Continuing the statement the prosecutor adds: "Life was already traumatic before, during and after this happened due to neglect and other sexual abuse."


….during her childhood social care she had suffered other sexual abuse…

[Niamh.]

Originally Posted by Ammi

…I won’t post all of the court quotes given as there are quite a few and they’re in the link….but the taped child wasn’t with parents as such, she had been in social care since she was a baby and was in foster care at the time of the rape…

Oh why did it say her mother told her to go babysit then? Or did they mean the Foster mother told her?

[Ammi]

…it actually just feels you with so much emotion that her daughter did this for her and pursued this justice to this conclusion and finally caused her mother’s rapist to be convicted…and to know her mother’s story and the story of her own conception…it’s just overwhelming…

[Niamh.]

Originally Posted by Ammi

…it actually just feels you with so much emotion that her daughter did this for her and pursued this justice to this conclusion and finally caused her mother’s rapist to be convicted…and to know her mother’s story and the story of her own conception…it’s just overwhelming…

Yeah absolutely, she sounds like an amazing woman

[Ammi]

Originally Posted by Niamh.

Oh why did it say her mother told her to go babysit then? Or did they mean the Foster mother told her?

…oh hang on, I’m getting this wrong because I’m reading it in bits….

Mr Glenser tells the court she was also taken into care as a baby and placed back with her family aged between ten and 11 but things 'became more traumatic'.


..so she had been returned to the family home when she was 10/11, so yeah …was in ‘family care’ by then…but it could have been a very struggling family care…/struggling parenting and I doubt that family wraparound service was very much present back in the day as it is more now…

[Ammi]

…apologies for the misinformation there…it’s set out in time sections so was confusing…(…to me…)…

[Niamh.]

Originally Posted by Ammi

…apologies for the misinformation there…it’s set out in time sections so was confusing…(…to me…)…

No worries

[Tom4784]

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