Hubbys trial about to start on 13 sex crimes

[katey]

Hi I posted a message a while back but things have been pretty quiet and now its all startin to get going leadin up to the trial starting on sep 17th
My husband has been accused of 13 sex crimes dating back 10 years (I have been with him 15 years) He has been on remand since last october when he was arrested in a dawn raid I was 26 weeks preg with my second child we already had a 3yr old. I have been strong and kept things together for the sake of my kids and my baby boy which I had on my own in jan 07. I feel my husband is innocent of all these crimes there is no evidence at all on 10 of them no sightings no dna all purely circumstancial yet because we cldnt prove otherwise he has been put to trial on them all. The press interest has been enormous and I know will be at and during the trial. I may still be being called as a defence witness which really scares me as the cps have instructed their top QC they are determined to lock my husband up for life. I have been coping ok so far but now I am really scared I just spend my evenings crying after the kids are in bed what am i going to tell them if hes convicted my little girl adores her daddy she thinks he is away working at the moment and we go and see him twice a month it would kill me to have to tell her that she may not ever see him home again this pain is unbearable it would be the hardest thing any mother would have to tell her daughter what do people say? I have had some counselling early on but nothing now no one wants to help me without me havin to pay for it and I am now on benefits so cant do that. I am cosidering going to the press myself as they are willing to pay thousands for my story I have got a pr company and they would negotiate a good fee but i would be selling my soul and thats hard but i cant survive much longer financially without me losing our home the only solid thing we have left. Has anyone got any advice becasue right now I think i am going crazy I have waited for a year for his trial to start and now it scares the hell out of me. Any advice much appreciated.

[Saffron]

Hi Katey

First of all, I would advise against talking to the press until the trial is over. Then regardless of the outcome you can talk to them if you feel it is the right thing to do. but until then, if you publish details of the case you may damage your other half's chances of a not guilty verdict.

Go and see your GP again. S/he has a duty of care to you, and is obliged to help you. If they do not, you are perfectly entitled to seek an alternative doctor.

I remember you saying that when the police arrested your husband they manhandled you whilst you were pregnant. Have you pursued this? I would definitely contact the IPCC and log a formal complaint.

With regard to the allegations and the lack of evidence, sadly this is quite normal in cases of historic accusations. Sexual assault/rape is the only crime that does not require corroboration - the jury are simply asked to decide who they believe. If you are being called as a defence witness it would be worth asking your solicitor to get some other character witnesses - people who, for preference, are teachers, doctors, etc and who will testify as to your husband's good character. In cases like this the credibility of the witness is pivotal, so to have as many people as possible standing up in court saying that your husband is a good, honest man is vital.

Trials are very frightening things. Get your solicitor to explain exactly what will happen on the day, get him to tell you the questions he will ask. try to familiarise yourself with the process so it will be a bit less foreign on the day itself. Even silly things like knowing where the toilets are is a help. Garner as much support as you can from friends and family and make sure you have lots of people supporting you in the public gallery. As a witness, you will not be allowed to watch the trial until after your testimony, so it would be a good idea to have someone there who can tell you what has happened so far.

Go to your local Citizen's advice Bureau and they will be able to give you some financial advice. If you are a homeowner you may be able to negotiate a payment break from your mortgage.

Good luck, I will be thinking of you on the 17th. feel free to PM me if you need to chat.

Saffron x

[Rights Fighter]

As you have young children your barrister can apply for (and should get) a press embargo, using the argument that there could be repercussions against your children in the form of bullying at school and on the street. This means that any reporters would not be allowed to sit in the court or take notes. He can ask this on the first day of trial but it's best applied for, before.

One of my group members' trial starts on 17th September too although as the solicitor has done little or no preparation, with less that 3 weeks to go we found another solicitor who is experienced in these matters and we await the decision from the court to allow a funding transfer. Hopefully that will give us a couple of months extra to prepare our guy for what will happen there.

You can ask the solicitor in your husband's case to "role play" your part. It's not pleasant but at least you will know what to expect.

[katey]

Thanks rights fighter and saffron for your honest replies it means a lot. My husbands solicitor/and barrister are v unhelpful they said that there is no way i can escape the press because as my husband is not on bail but in custody and as our children arent at school yet or of an impressionable age the court would not grant a press blackout. After my husband meeting his qc for the first time this week he is v depressed she told him that if convicted he is looking at a double life sentence that would be unbearable especially if he truly is innocent how would my kids/us ever get over that? She told him about a bargain plea that if he pleaded guilty to 3 then others may b dropped he said why should he say he is guilty if he hasnt done it? Its very worrying is that what people do? I am beginning to realise just how corrupt the court sytem seems to be. I am vry scared I have my daughters 4th bday right near the end of the trial but she has got a party planned I know I will b putting on a brave face but i have to its her day. Some days I feel so low don't know what to do it has been a year since he was arrested and all our dreams have been shattered I cant plan for the future I cant even plan next week right now. x

[Rights Fighter]

Your hubby is instructing the sols and barrister and he is well within his rights to request a press embargo. You have young children who could be identified via dad's name in the papers. They could be picked on by older kids on the street or anywhere where else they might be.

Obviously you can't discuss the trial matter on this board. However if you email me at rightsfighter@pafaa.org.uk I can advise you further.

[MGR]

You say there's no evidence on 10 of them but there are on the other 3? What makes you disbelieve this evidence?

[Rights Fighter]

I cannot see where Katey has said that there is evidence on three of the charges.

It is possible that the complainant has got "witnesses" for the remaining 3 who she has made her first complaint to (legal term is "recent complaint"). That doesn't mean that the allegation is true. It could mean that it's been stage-managed or that she's persuaded somebody/or some people to give false evidence for her.

One case I was involved with, the complainant got a huge amount of "compensation" and paid all her "witnesses" £500 each and took them to Tenerife for a week as a reward.

[Saffron]

I'm afraid i agree with rights fighter on this. The falsely accused use this forum as a coping mechanism as well as those who are rape survivors, and i think that querying someone's belief is downright insensitive. You wouldn't appreciate being questioned so brusquely, so pleae don't do it to others who are frightened and hurting the same as you.

[Rights Fighter]

I had a similar response from the same person under the petition thread. Unfortunately unless somebody has been touched by false allegations of sexual abuse many people refuse to believe that it happens.

Prosecuting counsel will say to the defendant "why on earth would this young woman/man/child put themselves through the trauma of this trial?"

The answer is simple, when they are interviewed for alleged (often historical sexual abuse allegations) the accuser 9 times out of 10 are believed immediately and are treated with kid gloves, unlike the suspect who is told he is guilty often during their first interview.

The accuser then goes to court and if under 17 years give evidence via video link and once again treated with kid gloves with a pre-hearing visit to the court. (I've known adult women give evidence in chief via video link so they don't have to face their victim who they are putting in prison).

If they "win" they then get paid £k's from the public purse as "compensation". If or when they are later found to be lying they get to keep the money. Accusers can also get "compensation" even if the accused is not convicted and in some cases not even charged.

Why on earth do the general unbelieving populace believe that prisons are getting overcrowded? Why there are so many paedophiles seemingly springing up from nowhere? Why is it that those who admit guilt and do SOTP often re-offend? Why is it that those who protest their innocence in prison and do not do the SOTP do not go on to "re-offend"?

The answer is simple - because people often lie about sexual abuse.

Yes people are truly sexually abused every day. And the perpetrators should be severely dealt with. But that does not mean that many people every day do not abuse the system by telling bare faced lies in court out of malice, and for money.

[Rights Fighter]

There is absolutely no mention of Katie saying that her hubby is guilty of three charges neither did she say that there is evidence for three.

What she said was this:

I feel my husband is innocent of all these crimes there is no evidence at all on 10 of them no sightings no dna all purely circumstancial yet because we cldnt prove otherwise he has been put to trial on them all.

and

She (the solicitor) told him about a bargain plea that if he pleaded guilty to 3 then others may b dropped he said why should he say he is guilty if he hasnt done it?

This does not mean that the solicitor thinks he is guilty of three either. What the solicitor was doing was trying to get a reduced sentence. Many innocent men (usually those in their 70's and older) who are falsely accused will admit guilt in order to avoid prison or to ensure a lenient sentence.

MGR you have an awful lot to learn. I hope to God that nobody you love is ever falsely accused of sexual abuse.

[MGR]

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