Find Outcome Of A Court Case

[Helpme84]

Hello!

I hope someone can help me find out about a court case due to be heard soon.

I know the person's name, birthdate, address and crime (viewing child pornograpghy).

I don't know where the case will be held and need to know the outcome so I can try and safegaurd some children this person has access to.

Where is it more likely to be held? A Crown court, Magistrates etc? Can I ring the courts to find out the outcome?

Thank you to all who reply.

[New Judge]

The case will initally be listed in the Magistrates' court nearest to where the offence took place. It may be dealt with in its entirety there or it may - depending on the nature and seriousness of the particular offence - go to the Crown Court for either sentence or trial. (Almost all offences of this nature are "either way" meaning they can be heard either in the Magistrates' Court or the Crown Court).

Magistrates' Court listings are not published. You need to know where and when it will be heard. If the matter goes to Crown Court you MAY be able to find out some basic information here but you will need to know what court the matter is being heard in and the date it is due to be heard:

http://xhibit.justice.gov.uk/xhibit/court_lists.htm

Courts do not usually respond to requests from individuals for outcomes. In short you wil have to do a lot of digging to get the information you want. Also bear in mind that if the defendant is under 18 you have absolutely no chance of finding out anything.

[Buenchico]

The offence is 'either way', so it can be heard in a Magistrates Court or passed up to the Crown Court. (All but the most minor offences within this category seem to go to the Crown Court).

Court rolls (showing the basic details of all matters that come before them) are public documents but getting access to them doesn't always seem to be easy. (Similar questions here in the past have had answers from some people who've had success in just turning up at the court and asking to see them - or even simply phoning up and asking about case details - but others seem to have been met with a minefield of bureaucracy).

An initial phone call to the relevant court might be the best way to start:
https://courttribunalfinder.service.gov.uk/search/
(Once you've found the listing for the relevant court you need to click on 'More details' to find the phone number).

However you seem to be going about this the wrong way. If there are concerns over child protection issues the court needs to know about them so that an order can be made prohibiting the offender from certain actions (such as being in the company of children or going within half a mile of certain addresses). So you ought to be speaking to someone before the case gets to court. Phone your local police force and ask to speak to a member of the Public Protection team.

[Buenchico]

Oops!

Crossed posts with NJ.

As he says, getting hold of information can be difficult but the basic information used by local press reporters (listing the names of offenders, what they were convicted of and what sentence was passed) is meant to be in the public domain so, theoretically, anyone (not just journalists) should have access to it.

However my main point remains valid anyway. You need to act BEFORE the case gets to court.

[Helpme84]

Thank you New Judge and Buenchico very much.

This man has access to 5 of his children from 4 mothers, he is an adult.

My friend has recently got invloved with him and has two young children. I have found out from another friend who knows one of the mother's about his court case that is why I do not know any further details.

I am trying to stop my friend from carrying on with a man who views child pornograpghy, as the relationship is young she is smitten by this man and disbelieves what I am telling her, so wanted to find proof to help her make the right decision.

I know many will be thinking I need to keep my nose out of it, but my concern is about the children what if something happens to them and I did nothing even though I knew about what he has been accused of?

[ummmm]

Maybe be she should phone the police.

[Helpme84]

Ummmm - I have asked her to call the Police to check if what I am saying is correct or not. She said she won't do that because if he finds out that she believes me rather than him he will probably leave her as there is no trust between them.

I don't understand I would have thought the safety of your children would come before everything, this whole situation is really testing our friendship!

[New Judge]

I usually try to steer clear of offering “advice” in matters such as this as it’s not really what I’m very good at. However I never cease to be amazed at the jeopardy to which some mothers expose their children when a “new man” enters their life. Very often the new man is moved into the mother’s premises and the young children (sometimes adolescent girls) find themselves sharing a bathroom with a man perhaps three times their age whom they’d never met prior to the previous week.

I quite agree with ‘Chico that the safeguarding needs to begin now, not after (if indeed he is) convicted. Your friend may like to take advantage of “Sarah’s Law”:

http://www.itv.com/news/2013-12-23/what-is-sarahs-law-background-to-the-nationwide-scheme/

I only know what I’ve read in the article but it seems that friends and neighbours can also take advantage of it. Of course it may not help if he has no “previous” (though if he has a court case pending this should show up). I’m not sure how easy it is to instigate an enquiry under Sarah’s Law. If it’s like anything else I imagine the rights of the alleged paedophile probably far outweigh those of the children or their guardians. But it might be worth a try.

[Helpme84]

New Judge thank you so much for your reply, I too normally stay clear of giving people advice but in this case like you I could not understand how my friend was willing to allow her children to be in potential danger, over a new relationship, over someone she hardly knows.

As far as I am aware this man has no previous, which makes me think he'll get off lightly even though the footage of film involved a very young baby!! I have no idea about how sentencing works. Made me feel sick and I panicked that my friends children maybe in danger so told her immediately what I found out and was shocked that she did not believe it. I believe viewing material like this is the tip of the iceberg, I am frightened for all the childrens he has access to.

I have met this man and he comes across very friendly and charming which makes me even more scared that her children will trust him like their mother does.

I will try and see if I can get any information from 'Sarah's Law', thank you for making me aware of it.

[EDDIE51]

You have to remember that this person has not been convicted yet so is still ''innocent until proved guilty''.The case may be dismissed or he could be found not guilty. Information is going to be hard to find until he has been convicted.

[EDDIE51]

Sharah's law does not apply until someone has been convicted AND put on the sex offenders register. He may be convicted but not placed on the register in which case Sarah's Law will be useless.
I am not sure if looking at child porn even makes somone liable to be put on the sex offenders register. it is for convivcted peadophiles , which I assume means people who have committed a physical act against a child not just looked at pictures. Prehaps NJ could tell us more!

[Buenchico]

For Eddie:
A person is a 'relevant offender', for the purposes of 'notification requirements' (commonly known as inclusion on the Sex Offenders' Register), if their conviction in relation to indecent images of children results in a prison sentence of 12 months or longer.

[hc4361]

Child porn is an offence that can result in being included in the Sex Offenders' Register

http://www.inbrief.co.uk/offences/sex-offenders-register.htm

[hc4361]

Sentencing guidelines here:
http://www.cps.gov.uk/legal/s_to_u/sentencing_manual/indecent_images_of_children/

It is very likely that any conviction will be reported in the local newspaper.

[Helpme84]

Oh my goodness Eddie51 please don't tell me he won't even be put on a sex offenders register for viewing child porn!!! To me that is just the begining of something worse, it is a serious offence surely??

[Helpme84]

Thank you hc4361 thank goodness. If it gets reported in the local paper that would be even better as he is a Postman and will know of addresses of young children so perhaps his work would be resricted to office only.

[EDDIE51]

Look at the previous answers, especially hc4361's 2nd post at 17.12

It needs to be a pretty serious offence to get a 1 year prison sentence which is the minimum to be placed on the register. Minor offences for a 1st time offender are only going to get a community service order!.
I am as worried about such things as you are
( I have 12 Grand children ) but we have to remember that like it or not the person you are concerned about does have 'rights' as well. This includes the right not to be judged before the case has even gone to court. At least 50% of such cases are found 'not guilty' when it actully comes to trial.

[Helpme84]

Eddie51 - Yes I know he could get away with it as it is his first offence and he will then be even more clever about it in the future which makes things even more dangerous.

I also understand ''innocent until proved guilty' but there was child porn on his mobile and computer which was taken away by the police and if they deem that is not serious enough in my mind he is still guilty, even though the law allows him to walk away scot free.

To me there is nothing more important than protecting children from people like this, too many children's lives are ruined due to the leniency in the Law in my humble opinion.

[EDDIE51]

There are at least 5 categories of 'child porn' with 5 being the most serious.
You really need to wait until the case comes up before you do anything, as I said he could well be found 'not guilty', in which case anyone spreading rumours about him would be liable to be sued for deframation of character.

[New Judge]

Yes, reading through the article, it seems only convictions are revealed, so a pending case will not be highlighted.

Viewing child pornography is usually charged under “Possession of indecent images” or “Making indecent images”, Eddie. Simply downloading, viewing and then moving on is usually seen as “making” such images. Most of these offences carry up to ten years custody, though in certain circumstances a Life sentence can be imposed.

All these offences lead to compulsory notification requirements (i.e. registration) on the Sex Offenders’ Register for a period determined by the sentence imposed. This is not an order made by the court (the court has no discretion in the matter) but is simply enacted as part of the legislation.

[New Judge]

Just to add a bit more, it is not necessary for an offender to be sentenced to imprisonment to be made liable to sign the register.

I cannot find the schedule of the Act which provides the criteria for registration. However, this BBC article provides the details:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/4618172.stm

It can be seen that not only is it not necessary for a custodial sentence to be imposed but also those cautioned for sexual offences are required to sign the register.