Charged with rape but innocent - please help with any advice you can give

[lawlessone2009]

Just knocks me sick how they are allowed to tell this lie and because the cps want to look like they are doing something about it they are putting cases through with minimum of evidence..

Harder in most cases to prosecute a speeding driver than it is an alleged rapist!

It's SICK indeed.

Evidence? Couple of statements and a crying accuser on the stand... Turns my stomach. We, as members of the taxpaying public, are paying for this scandalous destruction of life and complete *******isation of criminal law. Humanity is not escaping intact and the suffering being inflicted as a result is unbelievable.

There is always hope of having a good honest Police officer investigating and a decent CPS person going over the files looking with an unbiased view. There is also the hope of landing yourself a good defence team which, thanks to people on here spreading the word, is a little easier but so many individuals simply don't know about here or are left ignorant by greedy solicitors that take on any cases even where they lack experience...

[Joan1978]

I just feel so out of my depth with it all.. My partner still doesnt seem to be accepting its happening, the solicitor we do have hasnt even contacted him. i have given him 2 names i was given off here to ring and swap to one of them hopefully but as of yet he hasnt done it and we are in magistrates in a few weeks!!

There is nothing i can do as he has to be the one who does it but time is ticking..

Can someone tell me what a case management hearing is please?? Someone mentioned it the other day but i dont know when or what this is.

thanks x

[JamieG]

Hi,

Case management hearing is to discuss the case, possible dates of trial , witnesses, request evidence etc.

That's what I understand anyway

[Rights Fighter]

This is "Plea and Case Management Hearing" (PCMH).

The def sits in the dock and the list of charges is read to him one by one and he responds to each one "guilty" or "not guilty".

Legal argument can occur here, fixtures (potential dates for trial) is discussed, more often than not the judge criticises Crown for being "unready".......

Last about half an hour or maybe a bit longer depending on legal arguments....

[fighter]

Joan, maybe you can volunteer to talk to the solicitor and say you want a specific barrister. I know the solicitor has to be the one to contact the barrister on your behalf.

On the day of the plead and case management you might see your solicitor, and before you are called the barrister will brief you on what will go on.

Prepare yourself to listen to the charges as he plead not guilty. It has me puffing quietly to listen to all those 11 charges! I was happy to hear also that day that the barrister wanted more documents to be served. Apparently, the other side has not provided the documents our defense team has asked for. Deadlines for documents to be served has been set too. Most importantly the the date for the trial will be set. It took a bit of time because the police officer in charge was on leave. There was even a man on the phone to check the availability of the dates and confirm it. It is just like watching a show going on!

It took about 15 to 20 mins I think, we go out and waited for the barrister and solicitor. The barrister told us to communicate with the solicitor if we have more evidence and any matters to discuss.

[NOHOPE]

can i ask if out case management hearing is on the 8th feb will we already have a barrister appointed. as far as im aware our solicitor hasnt said a thing and i wanted to ask for the one that RF recomended to me. they have said we should get all the other sides documents statements etc before 25th jan so dont know if this has any relevence

[fighter]

Hi Nohope, yes as far as I can remember, we got the name of our barrister even before the first hearing at the Corwn court. You can give the name of the barrister recommended by RF to your solicitor so they can contact him on your behalf. You can always ask your solicitor for update and what you have to do. We met our barrister weeks before the plea and case management hearing to finalize the defense statement. Before we met the barrister, our solicitor has drafted my partner's statement and went around collecting statements from people and interviewing some of them.

[NOHOPE]

thank you i will ring him first thing in the morning. i know its my hubbys case but sure he will speak to me

[fighter]

thats great Nohope. I have you have a good solicitor on your side. We changed our solicitor after four months and only then we got things running.

[NOHOPE]

well i thought he was good, but depending on what he says tomorrow depends on how good i think he is. i will speak to him about the barrister then let you know how good i think he is. i will post on the other thread for some more names of good barristers.

[Joan1978]

morning all, thank you all for your responces about the case management hearing..

I have had a very hard weekend, my partner hasnt been telling me the truth luckily hes told the police but basically he cheated on me with this girl. He didnt have full sex with her but things happened and they have found his sperm in her. Im not going into details as it disgusts me ill be honest and its very hard to face but i can see how they have this from what he has told me (if you need more info to help me, mail me privately and i will be honest), i see why he didnt tell me as he new i would leave and he hasnt attacked this girl so didnt think for a second he would be charged, unluckily he was charged and as the days have gone its got worse for him until the matter was taken out of his hands really.. He has faced it and now told me, we have told his parents and also the people who have supported him previously we have now had to tell them he hasnt been exactly truthful!!!

I still stand by him as i know he did not attack her but now i am petrified as hes lied to date so the jury will just think if he can lie to me for so long hes lying about not attacking her ??!!! He has an appointment with a solicitor today that RF has recommended and if we cant get funding we will be going to Chris Saltrese..

My head is a mess, just so confused.. Told everyone i dont want there anger and opinions on him as its my decision and im not having anyone tell me what to do. Yes hes cheated and i could kill him (not literally haha) but he deserves me to punish him not a court not this dirty liar.. It makes more sense now why shes done it though, she was supposed to be dating one of the lads who was also here that night!!!

Id appreciate any help, advise or support to quell my fears and calm me even a little bit x

[billykickass]

Tough times for you. But like you said you can punish him once its all over and its proven that he didnt rape her.

You are one in a million for standing by him (im in a similar situation with my girlfriend). Please stay with him and stay strong. You are doing so well.

[Joan1978]

Thanks Billykickass, Just so hard and in total shock.. I want to kill him but feel so so sorry for him as he is not only been charged with this horrid lie but faces losing me and knows his family and mine are disappointed that he has done this to me and lied, dont think it would have been such a shock if he had told us the truth from the beginning but i do know why he didnt and done blame him, i would have done the same in his shoes!!

I will stand by him through it all though and i'm glad you have the support of your girlfriend. I cant imagine what you or my partner must be going through !!

x

[barney]

Joan,take one step at a time. I am also in a similar position but still awaitng a decision from the CPS so still have some hope.
My wife has been amazing and It looks like you have been the same, the fear and shock of what has happened will make any decision clouded for you right now so get this terrible ordeal over with, then re asses how you feel. I think you can take one thing for granted that if you do decide to stay together you will have the most loyal partner in the world from that moment onward.

Take Care

[billykickass]

Yeah its hard no doubting that. But rest assured you know he is innocent you probably know him better than anyone, and when it is all over i have no doubt he will do everything in his power to make it up to you. He is so lucky you are standing by him.

My girlfiend says she has made her decision to stick with me and is standing by it. I feel like i am the luckiest man alive despite everything to have her. She doesnt know it yet but there is a question (hint hint) coming from me soon.

Stay strong and if you need to vent about your feelings do it here or even to me if you like i have strong shoulders and deserve some grief. I have no doubt he will get you the moon on a stick once its over and he is proven innocent.