In the UK, a criminal judge is responsible for ensuring that a trial is conducted fairly and he will often remind the Jurors of the legal framework in which he/she has to consider.

 

The jury is responsible for deciding whether or not a person is guilty of crimes they are standing trial for. 

 

A member of the jury is not a professional, they do not have any legal qualifications. They are members of the public randomly selected to make serious decisions about criminal acts which will determine the future safety to the public. 

 

This is a petition to enable Judge’s the right to overrule a jury verdict based upon the evidence they have heard using the legal framework which they are highly specialised in. 

 

The reason for the petition comes at a personal cost. My daughter is a victim, and a survivor, of Child Sexual Abuse. Her father is the perpetrator. 

 

The offender faced charges of rape, sexual assault and inciting a child under the age of 13 to engage in a sexual activity. 

 

When summing up the evidence for the jury, the judge’s views were clear. My daughter had been groomed. She had been sexually abused by the man who should have been her protector. Throughout the trial there were images and videos which the Judge referred to as child pornography. These videos and images were of my daughter being abused by her father. 

 

The police were so confident of receiving a guilty verdict on all accounts. It was very difficult to foresee how this would go any other way.

 

My daughters abuser was found not guilty of rape and sexual assault. I can only assume this being due to a lack of forsenic evidence such as DNA. He was found guilty of inciting a child under the age of 13 to engage in a sexual activity. 

 

The jury did not consider that my child had injuries supporting sexual penetration, nor did they consider that my she was groomed, they did not consider that the sexual abuse was inter familial which both are crimes. 

 

I do not underestimate the difficult task of a jury and the serious responsibility they have in the Court room. However, it is inconceivable how these 11 people can have the final say in a verdict, when this is a case which police and social workers have been investigating for over a year. The threshold to meet CPS agreeing prosecution is high. Yet the same standard is not applied in the court room. The judge should be the person who makes the final descision havign heard the evidence and reflecting upon the Jury’s views but also having considered the legal framework.

 

For the seriousness of his crimes, for those the perpetrator was found guilty of he is likely to be placed on the Sex Offenders Register, he may possibly receive a suspended sentence. This means he will still be walking our streets. 

 

This is the flaw in our legal criminal system…. This is the flaw in victims feeling heard, believed and receiving justice. This is the reason why victims often retract statements, develop mental illness and often turn to suicide. 

 

This system needs reconsideration to prevent dangerous people in society being enabled to reoffend. Our victims and future victims need our protection. 

 

The perpetrator faces sentencing on the 27th October 2023. 

 

I ask that you sign and share this petition and support my daughter, and all other future victims of crimes to get justice.