There will have been a psychiatric report to evaluate her fitness to plead (i.e. does she have the mental capacity) but the threshold for insanity is incredibly high (McNaughton insanity).
That's an argument as to why it might be a good idea, but it's not the actual reason. The defendant is named because it's the standard rule in any trial unless there's a very good reason not to. Let's be honest, the stigma around being accused of rape is down to the ridiculously low conviction rate. We know for a fact that statistically most people who are accused get away with it just because of the nature of the possible evidence and the prevalence of false claims. Nobody cares about the accused being named in a theft case or a murder case because we have trust in the system with those crimes.
Sounds like something @Mad Eyed Screamer 's favourite crooner might pen.
I did note that the lack of jail time had something to do with a plea deal.
It’s a controversial point, and it’s not nearly as rigidly applied these days, but half a decade or so ago the CPS had an unwritten policy, while Alison Saunders was DPP, of prosecuting any rape allegation where there wasn’t clear evidence of the allegation being false, and the allegation hadn’t been withdrawn, no matter how weak or tenuous the evidence, or how reluctant the victim appeared. Highly experiences counsel give up advising the CPS to drop cases because there is no way they would end in a conviction because they came to realise it was a complete waste of time: “leave it to the jury” was the standard response. This policy would undoubtedly have had a significant impact on the conviction rate.
We don’t have plea deals in the country, Doc. The prosecution have no input into the sentence here, which is entirely down to the court. We do have Goodyear indications, which can be given by the Judge (although are frequently refused) where the defence requests what sentence the court would impose if there was a guilty plea at a particular point
Happened to my mate’s Brother. Ruined his life. Thankfully the girl did eventually admit she was lying, I wonder how many never do?!
That's what I meant. ;-)We don’t have plea deals in the country, Doc. The prosecution have no input into the sentence here, which is entirely down to the court. We do have Goodyear indications, which can be given by the Judge (although are frequently refused) where the defence requests what sentence the court would impose if there was a guilty plea at a particular point
Fourth point on here:
but they are at the complete discretion of the judge (as to quantum and whether they happen at all) and are not the same as plea bargains where the prosecutor effectively cuts a deal with the defence on a sentence in exchange for a guilty plea.
Other than taking the court to the sentencing guidelines, minimum and maximum terms for that sentence, it’s considered improper for a prosecutor to suggest to a Judge what the sentence should be and they would be bollocked for so doing.
I've been hearing murmurs for a long time now that there is a compensation side to this whole grooming thing. Allegedly, girls have been exaggerating and falsifying historical accounts of rape and trafficking to take advantage of the compensation for grooming victims.