They Are Playing A Dangerous Game, A Game With Many Different Components

November 28, 2012

Be not afeard; the isle is full of noises.

"Though in truth, you should be mighty afeard; Calibans’ ‘thousand twangling instruments’ are in full throttle and care not how they put at risk our hard won and historic rights to fair judgement by our peers.

In the light of Greater Manchester’s astounding statement last night concerning Cyril Smith:

The Force is now publicly acknowledging that young boys were victims of physical and sexual abuse committed by Smith.

I thought it might be helpful to set out the changes in British law which has led them to conclude that if:

…the same evidence was presented to the CPS today there would have been a very realistic prospect that Smith would have been charged with a number of indecent assaults, and that the case would have been brought to trial.

Those reading this with some legal training will have noticed immediately that the first quotation goes further than ‘the case would have been bought to trial’ – and assumes the role of the jury in deciding that ‘young boys were victims of physical and sexual abuse committed by Smith’. Does that matter, in the present climate of hysteria surrounding paedophilia? Good Lord Yes! The day we allow the Police to be both Judge and Jury is the day we turn our backs for ever on the Magna Carta. The righteous mob, however, is delighted; they have been handed an acknowledged paedophile, a dead and thus libel-free one, a politician no less, to kick around the Internet.

They are playing a dangerous game, a game with many different components.

Was Cyril Smith a paedophile, a sexual abuser? I have no idea, and it is right and proper that I have no idea, for he never was, and never can be, brought to trial. Nor can Jimmy Savile. I have no idea, yet, whether Madeleine McCann’s parents are ‘murdering scumbags’ or tragically bereft parents. I have no idea whether YOU are a dangerous rapist, nor your neighbour a serial thief. Why is that right and proper? Because 900 years ago, we wrested control from those who ruled us to denounce and punish us as they chose, and insisted that only a jury of our peers could decide our guilt or innocence, on the basis of the competing evidence laid before them by prosecution and defence. Only then, and only if found guilty, could the authorities punish us.

Slowly and surely, those who rule us have been trying to take back that right by degrees."

http://www.annaraccoon.com/politics/be-not-afeard-the-isle-is-full-of-noises

Cyril Smith abuse claims: 'decision not to prosecute would not be made today'

http://www.guardian.co.uk/society/2012/nov/27/cyril-smith-claims-decision-prosecute

Cyril Smith 'sexually and physically abused young boys'

http://www.channel4.com/news/cyril-smith-sexually-and-physically-abuse-young-boys

Revealed: The missed chances to stop sex abuse by former Rochdale MP Cyril Smith - 40 years ago

http://menmedia.co.uk/manchestereveningnews/news/s/1594735_revealed-the-missed-chances-to-stop-sex-abuse-by-former-rochdale-mp-cyril-smith---40-years-ago

Liberal grandee Smith was paedophile – police

http://www.independent.ie/world-news/europe/liberal-grandee-smith-was-paedophile-police-3308876.html

Cyril Smith Did Abuse Young Boys, Say Greater Manchester Police

http://www.ibtimes.co.uk/articles/409029/20121127/cyril-smith-abuse-young-boys-police.htm