Rochdale Sex Gang

@terry wrote:

@kent f OBE wrote:

A 15 yr old girl reported the gang in 2008 but the Crown Prosection took no action. Investigations only began in 2010.

Reports in the newspapers are saying the police were “petrified” of being branded as racists.
My message to the police and the CPS involved in this case is simple: resign.

May I ask which newspapers? I don’t buy them.

@Sgt Pepper wrote:

@wordsworth60 wrote:

Anything they said to avoid guilt is probably bogus. That they screamed racism is a good indication that it had nothing to do anything and it certainly doesn’t mean in itself that the police were any more afraid of that accusation than they would be of any other cry of “it’s a fit-up” by someone being led off to the cells.

Tenuous logic at best there in my opinion Words. Methinks police fears for any potential ramifications for maintaining social order would be much more justified in the case of a racist conspiracy being alleged as opposed to a mere “it’s a fit-up” cried from the dock. However I do see where you are going with this and I fully support your approach with regard to perspective and knee jerk reactions when it comes to something as explosive as this.
What is beyond question or supposition is that these reports of police “fear” must be given the closest scrutiny resulting in full disclosure without passion or prejudice. A big ask I know when entering a human minefield such as this. Let’s all hope it’s thorough, transparent and fully accountable before minds that seem to be already made up seek to twist and distort others.

Miscreants do show tenuous logic when they’re trying to get off something for which they are guilty. The “Fit up” defence at its merest might be screamed from the dock steps, but when supported by expensive lawyers, influential contacts or real menaces becomes something far more terrifying.

If there is an appeal to come then the race issue will be brought up undoubtedly, it doesn’t make it genuine or even sincere.

Police officers are accused of bias, corruption etc on a daily basis if it stops them from doing their job then I think Terry has already pointed to the only practical solution – make space for someone who will. But who would have the guts to admit they weren’t up to the job?

Racism, real and imagined, in Police work has been examined in depth over the past 30 years.

I write as a believer in, and defender of the police in general and with some familiarity with police officers and their work.

The Mail and the Telegraph – pah!

I hadn’t see these reports because I don’t get those rags. They can tell the truth, but I’d like to see that truth corroborated by other sources, thank you.

The BBC didn’t report PC as a problem. Police bungling seems to have been. If there are more reliable sources of coverage, I’ll take more serious notice.

The cops seem to be a bit more angered by cuts than by accusations that they are all sensitive Guardian readers.

@sceptical guy wrote:

The Mail and the Telegraph – pah!

I hadn’t see these reports because I don’t get those rags.

It may have been in The Sun too if that helps.

I didn’t see the Daily Mail article at all nor do I vouch for the standard of accuracy from the Daily Telegraph’s reporting on the subject, scept. I was merely helping to answer panda’s question. If you extend your up to now open minded appraisal of things to my earlier posts then you will see I mentioned a brief Telegraph article printed in my own newspaper of choice – The Irish Independent – which often prints a variety of UK news items from a variety of UK papers along with Independent News Services in it’s world news section.
My particular fondness for The Irish Independent is in it’s capacity to at least attempt to print a variety of journalistic perspectives on certain subjects.
You will be glad to know, scept, that The Daily Mail rarely gets a look in.. And Terry will be glad to know the same goes for The Sun.. For both these titles have official Irish editions.