suffer little children

My technical boffins at 3AW have recently cleaned up my laptop computer with a new anti-virus filter and a pornography blocker which has cut hundreds of e-mails out of my system a day. And that is great. But you still get stuff from real people that can break your heart.

 I’ll give you an example. And, yet again, it involves a predator. A paedophile. Listen to this from a grandmother in Western Australia and how she and her daughter – and her granddaughter -- have been  let down, betrayed by our legal system.

Her story speaks for itself. She wrote to me: 

“I am writing about a court case in Coff’s Harbour regarding a paedophile. This paedophile has been to court in Coff’s Harbour about 6 times and has pleaded guilty to 16 charges of molesting my granddaughter, who is now 6 years old, and has pleaded guilty to internet pornography.

He is the child’s natural father. He was supposed to have been sentenced on 12th September 2005. The judge in Coff’s Harbour let him out on bail each time with no surety, so of course he didn't turn up for sentencing. The judge might just as well have handed him his freedom on a silver platter.

My daughter and her children are suffering now. The children have to be taken to school and picked up from the classroom each day, and are not allowed to play outside or be left alone at all without full supervision. They still live in NSW. The 'scum-of-the-earth' who committed these horrendous crimes has also stated that he sees nothing wrong with what he has done, and that he cannot control himself around little girls.

The child protection unit applied to the Coff’s Harbour court for him not to be released on bail as he would be a threat, but the judge did not listen. I'd like to know who is held responsible if anything should happen to one of my grandchildren. I have pleaded, begged, cried and done everything I know how to get some sort of help from someone, but no-one wants to know. I am starting to believe that paedophilia is now accepted in society. No-one has offered my daughter or grandchildren any protection whatsoever. What am I supposed to do? Is there a reporter out there who will help us, as I think it’s time to go public with this. Although there is a warrant out for his arrest, he is free to do as he pleases to other children any time he likes. God help if any harm comes to my daughter or my grandchildren because he has been allowed out on bail. Then you will really have a story on your hands. Please help us, or if you can’t or don’t want to help, maybe you will be kind enough to put me in touch with someone who will. I would appreciate a reply to this email."

I read that overnight and thought:  the legal system stinks. This is a woman under such duress. Trying to get justice for a little girl. Her grand-daughter. And the courts treat the alleged offender better than they treat the victim and the victim’s mother. All over this country we have case after case like this. Are our judge’s so blinkered. So detached. So self-centered.  I despair.

Thursday, October 20, 2005

©Copyright Derryn Hinch 2005