Penny Booth: "A spectacle that has no place in an intelligent society"

"A spectacle that has no place in an intelligent society"

In the news last week you could not have missed the outcome of the trial at the Old Bailey of the now youngest ever sex offenders in Britain. Two boys ten at the time of the offence were found guilty by a ten-to-two majority verdict of the attempted rape of an eight year old girl. The court officials sat in suits and gave up wigs for the trial the victim gave evidence via video link the perpetrators sat with their mothers in the court. Contradictory evidence was apparent; the girl appeared to recant under questioning but the trial went ahead. Something certainly happened. A crime was committed.

Many would say that the ‘crime' that had been committed took place at the Old Bailey when such small children were put on trial. Others would say that a crime is a crime...

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