Society is entrusted with the responsibility to protect its most vulnerable. Yet often, in the realm of criminal justice, the legal consequences faced by individuals involved in predatory sexual crimes like pedophilia and rape are not harsh enough. Our current laws fail to deliver adequate punishment and deterrence, considering the profound and lasting trauma suffered by the victims.

This is evidenced by data from RAINN, showing that out of every 1000 instances of rape, only 5 cases lead to a felony conviction. Similarly, a Bureau of Justice Statistics report highlights that the average sentence for convicted rapists and sexual assault offenders is less than 11 years, with many being released earlier on parole.

The law should be a reflection of our societal value: that we have zero tolerance for such heinous crimes.

One of the worst paedophiles NI has seen was Billy Adams. Adams was first jailed in the late 1990s for the rape of Michelle Ewan in Dublin when she was 8. He was sentenced to 12 years in prison after a second trial after the first ended in a hung jury. Adams managed to secure a transfer back to his homeland in Northern Ireland, where prisoners on return have their sentences slashed by 50% due to a "remission rule". Of the reduced sentence, he served only four years and was out in 2004 to later offend again in 2005. But by May of that year, he had offended again, having caught a ferry and emigrated to Liverpool.

He then befriended the family of another young girl and raped her over a six-month period before finally being caught. This time, he was given a life sentence with a minimum sentence of 15 years.

In 2022, Adams was given a further sentence after a boy, who was aged 14 when he was abused by Adams in the early 1980s some 15 years before he raped Michelle, came forward. But it was only a year or so later when parole officers made the decision he should be transferred to HMP North Sea Camp in Lincolnshire.

We as a society can only make it clear now that these people cannot be rehabilitated and must be taken out of our communities.

All sex crimes should result in a life sentence, as they devastate the victim's life and have a detrimental impact on society’s mental health services, healthcare systems, and the community as a whole. The grief that follows these crimes can remain unresolved for many victims for the rest of their lives.

Many may find this too lengthy; my advice is simple—don’t do it then.

It's time we demand stricter laws for pedophiles and rapists, focusing on ensuring substantial penalties and containment to totally eliminate the possibility of re-offenses.