'Licence in the community' worry

[EdT]

A 65 year old man who worked in a local woodyard here was convicted 2 years ago:
www.newburytoday.co.uk/news/paedophile-who-prowled...

He was sentenced to 48 months imprisonment, half of which he will spend behind bars, and the remainder on licence in the community. The first 2 years are up, and he's now back at the same yard.

I just to speak with him, had no idea. Now I cant help but feel uncomfortable with him close. I've 2 young daughters.

I spoke with the business owner, who defended his decision to bring him back of course. Some of his response I found quite insulting i.e. "I’m sure you are quite capable of keeping your children away from my yard."

Am I wrong to feel like this? I really hoped never to set eyes on him again.

[Baroque attacks]

The best response to this is usually a lot of community awareness.

What type of woodyard is it, trade or public?

ETA- no, you’re not wrong IMO.

[EdT]

It's a small privately owned yard, opposite a row of 3 cottages - one of which fosters children I've just remembered. Jeez.
Would put a link up but not sure of name/shame policy here these days.

[Countdown]

I have no idea but I assume there are hundreds, possibly thousands of former sex offenders out in the community. They can't be locked up forever.

As a parent Id' say the best thing to do is make sure you keep your kids safe. You know about THIS guy, but there are probably lots more out there that you don't know about.

[Blue62]

EmailAddress said:

What does this mean?

(Couldn't find a way to word that without it sounding aggressive, it's meant with curiosity.)

I guess it means different things to different people. In my case we tried to educate and inform without freaking them out and made a point of talking in the hope they would do the same if they felt the need.

During Covid I observed some parents yelling at their young kids to stay away from people, they were almost hysterical and I wonder what impact that sort of behaviour has on kids, a different scenario but I remind myself of those hysterical parents whenever I feel things slipping.

[DP14]

Don't forget to leave a review of your shopping experience on Trustpilot.

[steveo3002]

put it all over facebook and karens will make his life hell

or yeah he's just one that got caught , prob dozens of others or worse flying under the radar

[Countdown]

EmailAddress said:

Countdown said:

I have no idea but I assume there are hundreds, possibly thousands of former sex offenders out in the community. They can't be locked up forever.

As a parent Id' say the best thing to do is make sure you keep your kids safe. You know about THIS guy, but there are probably lots more out there that you don't know about.

What does this mean?

(Couldn't find a way to word that without it sounding aggressive, it's meant with curiosity.)

At the risk of coming across as a total control freak

For me it's making sure kids are aware of the possible dangers and risks as they're growing up, making sure they let you know where they're going, what time they will be back, who they're going with, sending location updates on whatsapp to confirm they've got there safe and sound, having the phone numbers of their mates "just in case".

For the avoidance of doubt ^^^ isn't a daily thing, only when they were younger and/or doing something new.

[Condi]

EdT said:

Am I wrong to feel like this? I really hoped never to set eyes on him again.

So, genuine question, what do you expect to happen to him? Lock him up forever? He's paid his debt to society, the owner of the company obviously feels it has no effect on his ability to do the job, and a wood yard seems somewhere relatively "safe" for him to be, it's not as if he applied for a job as an afterschool childcare assistant!

If you don't want to see him, don't go there, but that is a you problem, not a him problem.

[EdT]

Condi said:

So, genuine question, what do you expect to happen to him? Lock him up forever? He's paid his debt to society, the owner of the company obviously feels it has no effect on his ability to do the job, and a wood yard seems somewhere relatively "safe" for him to be, it's not as if he applied for a job as an afterschool childcare assistant!

If you don't want to see him, don't go there, but that is a you problem, not a him problem.

All fair points. Trouble (for me, yes) is there's only 1 way out of this lane, and that's right past the yard's gate. So 'dont go there' doesnt assist.

Would it not be better for him to be working with adults, not left alone all day, in the same yard as before, which is near the kids' park, and the local primary school ?

From the Reading Crown Court's recount... 'His own defence counsel conceded he had "spiralled downwards" into "depravity". ' The images on his PC were class A. This was 2 years ago. Since then he's been in prison. Will he now be a level headed, trusted society member, or likely to be the same depraved guy? By sticking him right back in the same place, surely it'll be harder for him to avoid whatever triggers him.

I now gather part of his probation is allowance to use the village store. It's tiny, and come this Weds when school's open again, packed with primary school kids.

[Terminator X]

The wonders of letting people out after 50% time served. Labour want it to be 40% afaik.

TX.

[andburg]

would you feel any different if had served the 4 inside?

I don't think the guy will have changed so 2 or 4 years really makes no difference

[Vasco]

This appears to be somewhat OTT to me. If he was clearly a massive risk he could have been sentenced to, say, 8 years and not let out beforehand.
.
He might not have changed as much as you'd like so care will need to be taken with any young children. Do you realise that there are likely to be many others, just not yet found out? - some will be in schools so there's probably just as big a risk out there in the big wide world.
.

[EdT]

andburg said:

would you feel any different if had served the 4 inside?

I don't think the guy will have changed so 2 or 4 years really makes no difference

No, he won't have changed. He's 65.
What rankles is it's the fact he's been dropped right back in the same place as before, and left alone there, providing him with the same opportunities & choices.

[EdT]

Vasco said:

This appears to be somewhat OTT to me. If he was clearly a massive risk he could have been sentenced to, say, 8 years and not let out beforehand.
.

Maybe, but have a read & judge for yourself. I wont paste on here exactly what he'd planned.

https://www.newburytoday.co.uk/news/paedophile-who...

[anyoldcardave]

EdT said:

Vasco said:

This appears to be somewhat OTT to me. If he was clearly a massive risk he could have been sentenced to, say, 8 years and not let out beforehand.
.

Maybe, but have a read & judge for yourself. I wont paste on here exactly what he'd planned.

https://www.newburytoday.co.uk/news/paedophile-who...

Sentencing has been pathetic for years, dumbed down like everything else, by money.

If I had young daughters I would be very concerned about this, and no doubt, being a small place everyone is?

It would make me question the wood yards owner too, whether he knew or was in on it. Managed for two years without him, did he lay off somebody to have him back?

[EdT]

anyoldcardave said:

Sentencing has been pathetic for years, dumbed down like everything else, by money.

If I had young daughters I would be very concerned about this, and no doubt, being a small place everyone is?

It would make me question the wood yards owner too, whether he knew or was in on it. Managed for two years without him, did he lay off somebody to have him back?

Yard owner is 100% aware but just doesnt care about this community. One of his comments in response to me:

"it is not my job to police the village, and I’m sure you are quite capable of keeping your children away from my yard."

He did have a replacment guy who was fine, but he moved on 6 months ago.

[CKY]

EdT said:

It's a small privately owned yard, opposite a row of 3 cottages - one of which fosters children I've just remembered. Jeez.
Would put a link up but not sure of name/shame policy here these days.

Might be worth raising it with your local Parish Council if they are relatively nearby, sounds like the sort of thing they would be good at getting 'up in arms' about and bringing some attention to.

[ThingsBehindTheSun]

CKY said:

EdT said:

It's a small privately owned yard, opposite a row of 3 cottages - one of which fosters children I've just remembered. Jeez.
Would put a link up but not sure of name/shame policy here these days.

Might be worth raising it with your local Parish Council if they are relatively nearby, sounds like the sort of thing they would be good at getting 'up in arms' about and bringing some attention to.

Surely there are rules that state he has to be a certain distance away from schools and foster homes?

[boyse7en]

I can understand your concerns, so I'm not dismissing them out of hand.
But there is only so much you have control of.

1. You can flag him up on Facebook and under pressure from angry local Karens and male Karens (is there a name for them) he will either feel he has nothing to lose and go back to offending, or maybe move on to an area where he is not known, making him a bigger risk than he is now.

2. You can tell your kids to give him a wide berth and not to engage with him. You can explain why in a way suitable for your kids ages. They will have to negotiate life through all sorts of offenders and miscreants at some point, so early education my help in later life too.

3. On an official basis, i don't think you have any hope. The guy has served a sentence, been released with conditions

4. Rather than blaming the Woodyard owner, maybe he has done the community a favour - If the ex-offender is working at least he isn't hanging around in a park or street corner all day. You know where he is 9-5 and can mitigate risks accordingly.