A mother’s torment

A mother who killed herself and her disabled daughter in a burning car had contacted police more than 30 times about abuse claims, an inquest heard.

The inquest heard how the family were “under siege” in their home but police filed the incidents as the less serious “grade two” and considered her to be “over-reacting”.

The jury was told Ms Pilkington’s son Anthony, who has severe dyslexia, was locked in a shed at knifepoint and beaten with a metal bar. The gang also shouted at Francesca, who has severe learning difficulties, to lift up her nightdress. They also pelted the family’s home with eggs, flour and stones and shouted insults about the children’s disabilities.

Leicester Police said they logged 33 complaints from Ms Pilkington about a gang between 2000 and 2007, including 13 in the 10 months before her death. Ms Pilkington’s mother said a gang of up to 16 youths would stand at the front of the family house shouting that they could do “anything they liked to the family”. *

The coroner responding to the tepid responses of Leicestershire’s Assistance Chief Constable, Mr Chris Tew, correctly pointed him towards law and reality. Coroner Olivia Davison explained ‘’ It seems to me that, given the history and the context of the abuse, it would not have been anti-social behaviour but a crime because we had people being hounded in their own home … If a police officer reflected on these incidents, an attempt might have been made to apprehend the individuals who were doing this, charge them and bring them before a youth court, rather than passing them on to the council who will write them a letter they will probably ignore.’’

Who is going to bring each gang member to account in court and will the Independent Police Complaints Commission initiate a formal inquiry about the conduct of Leicestershire police? What a frightening and degrading life this innocent family was subjected to by their community. Imagine the level of despair that brings a person take their life and child’s? What does this tell us about the people and public services of Britain beyond the political executive hype that patronises but fails to protect us?

* BBC News 17 September 2009

Is it time for children predators who violate other children to be held accountable?

Has the time arrived for legislation to address the new types of severe violent crimes perpetrated by children against children? This week sees the trial in Sheffield for heinous crimes both sexual and physical in nature perpetrated by children against children and what type of punishment may they expect within the UK?

This young generation is not like any other young generation that has gone before and the government and wider society need to reflect this is the manner in which child criminals are managed and treated.

It seems the time has come for the government to act with legislation that reflects this new child generation of violent crimes against children. The extensive weight of clinical and forensic expert knowledge shows that children who begin violating at an early age very often go on to commit more and more serious grievous crimes as adolescents and young people.

Why should children not be placed on a sex offender’s register and detained in a secure forensic environment and appropriately treated for an appropriate time?  Does the damage they impact on innocent children mean less because the crime victims are children?

Have we reached the time were this is reasonable way forward for the safety of children and wider society? It is time the public were made safer from children who are sexual and violent predators are placed by law on the sex offenders register. We need statutory services held more stringently accountable when custodial sentences are due for review, especially when any possible consideration is given to types of non-custodial ‘community’ environments are considered. It seems the time has arrived for radical changes to punishment of children and adolescents that are predatory knife, or gun-touting and dangerous. Maybe it is time to review the use of secure approved schools and conscription.