There is however a third category. No.1. is what sexual abuse. No 2 at what age. And…
3. When did it happen – how many years ago. Our gaymonitor are in some loose association with other groups interested in these matters – HAAP Historic Abuse Advice Panel which is/ was been partly funded by what was the Home Office. SAFARI which supports friends of those in nick on such matters. CHE – the gay group etc. We attend best we can seminars and conferences with others. We try to follow what happens in other countries. We know in most states (though not all) of the USA there is a time limit on making a claim to police and co., as to when you were allegedly abused.
In some states it is ten years after an age of majority. In most (but not all) states in the EU it’s the same sort of thing. In Australia no and in Britain no. We know in British civil law there are statutes of limitation – in tax matters and other money matters if you haven’t put a claim in by so many years after the events it’s not valid to claim – forget it. We at gaymonitor have become convinced that in the UK we need a statute of limitation on some of these historic child abuse cases and have done some campaigning for that – and got nowhere with it so far. It’s an issue too thorny for anyone to take up – so far.
Now it’s 2009/ 2010 and we pick up a newsitem in a local paper of a guy being charged and taken to a magistrates court for offences – alleged offences committed 15 years ago on “a child.” We investigate – what is a child ? Between 12 and 15 in this case. The guy who’d be in his twenties at the time seems to have had a real relationship with this young lad that went on for some years and now the lad – the ex-lad has turned and said he were wronged/ abused.
So why did the lad continue the relationship ? I had loads of older fellows who wanted their hands in my pants and I simply said no and walked away. No bother. This was the 1950s – compensation never thought of it in 1953. I also me had loads of older guys I’d have welcomed putting their hands up my short trousers and they never did. I was growing up.
OK – this guy – the defendant he’s banged up no bail. Why ? He’s gone to Durham nick. Now he don’t have a Durham address not anywhere near and Durham is high security. ok. A little more sniffing – the solicitor doesn’t want to know me – some do: some don’t – it’s a private matter he and his client. Ok.
We try to make contacts – and draw blanks. Ok. But I remain interested. I just don’t know but I’ve done a lot of these cases – and some you befriend and advise like Lispy and some like the Vicar you become friends during the processes. And in some you’re just a monitor of proceedings. And some you just drop. But I had a feeling about this – keep watching and I attended one or two court hearings 3 or 4. Sometimes it’s difficult to hear in a court. Sometimes court officials are helpful and sometimes not so. But it seems as I sniff and quiz and listen – the guy who’d be in his 40s now and looked middle class collar and tie when he’d put in an appearance for another adjournment. He seems have been a sports teacher and he’d be 20 something at the time and 14 charges – 12 I think against this one lad/ ex-lad that he indecently assaulted…and two of attempted buggery. And then with 2 or 3 other lads some indecent assault. Mn to begin he went not guilty so that’s a trial date and you hear everything at a trial – near enough. Without a trial you don’t hear much of what was the truth. As there’s more and more appearances for adjournment pleas are changing – the CPS have dropped one and he’s changing to more guilty. In fact I think we finish with guilty to all the indecencies and not guilty to the two attempted buggeries. It’s all before the same judge – she’s reserved it for herself. A modern lady this Her Honour.
And we get this’d be July 2010 for a date for sentence. No no more trial he’s going guilty on everything and he’s produced – ie he’s in the dock and it’s 2.15 in the afternoon. There’s a couple of scribblers – local papers and me in the press row. There’s a public gallery of oh more than a half dozen and I would think entire bunch are the victim’s side. He has been notable for having no friends of his in the public gallery. When it was the VICAR AND JASON the public gallery was packed every day with his enthusiastic supporters. But this guy is alone – stoic – no shows of emotion – ever have I seen. Two G4S in the dock with him – security one lady one man. The man quite beefy I’d say but very kindly faced to the defendant – well convict he now is because it’s guilty. There’s only prosecution final saying – he was a martial arts instructor at seems to have been a private academy and he on many occasion had touched up and wanked off this lad. From when he was about 12 to about 15 – and also attempted buggery twice. They played games – dungeons and dragons in which the man was the dungeon master. Lad went to the man’s home etc. and the man showed him his bondage kit.
Look - I mean if I didn’t like it – the sex bit that came with the sport I wouldn’t go jitso any more. End of story. Again and again repeatedly he indecently assaulted the lad. Look the age of consent is 12 in Spain and 14 in Holland. The Ancient Romans had a simple rule after puberty/ after you can wank that’s it. You do what you want – you have the right to say no and that no to be respected.
Who came – in these sexual encounters ? We won’t know: no trial. Was it clothes all off. Was there kissing. With me and my boyfriend he was clothes all off and kissing from day one. He wanted me. Now 20 years later we talk sometimes of my current court cases. He’s been in prison himself – shoplifting. He’s quite interested. I’d said to him what’s the sentence going to be on this one – 7 years he said because he was a teacher and the lads were so young. Right – I don’t tell him my guestimate was a year and probation plus sex offenders register.
Back in court the defence say in their final pitch that he has remorse, is ashamed and knows he’s going to prison. Then it’s the judge – she don’t believe remorse – he’d groomed these lads – he’d got his position so he could touch lads. She thinks he needs help and the public need protecting. 22 years. And no consideration for parole for 9 years. I don’t know. Seems excessive but in these times we’re obsessed with child abuse - being a crime beyond murder I could sometimes say.
This court had been unfriendly to me. There had been no trial. But it is next to a very pleasant Wetherspoons and it’s my custom to pop in for a swift brandy or slow glass of wine but I left this day after sentence and walked by and sat in the piazza the market square and just cried. I don’t know – my times: today’s times.
Copyright Ray Gosling |
