I was rather weary when I came home today but a wet day suddenly brightened when I opened a series of emails in my inbox from members of the press.
The written decision of the Sheriff who presided over the case in which serial rapist Adam Carruthers had taken against Dumfries and Galloway Council, his previous employers, was made public today. This decision is the result of the three day debate held at Dumfries Sheriff Court in June.
So the decision ......Carruthers bid to have the right to his full police pension re-instated has been denied. This is the most sensible piece of news that could come out of the case where income tax and council tax payers money footed Carruthers' legal aid bill for his attempt to get his full police pension re-instated.
Had Carruthers been successful in this ridiculous quest it would have given the potential for any employee who had committed rape (or any other serious criminal offences) through the course of their employment able to claim and receive their full pension - thus making rape a pensionable occupation.
I'm sure I don't have to spell out how dreadful such a decision would have been and what message it would give out to the perpetrators of such heinous crimes as well as to their victims.
Of course, after the last 12 years of Carruthers many legal appeals and actions I will not be surprised if he appeals this decision if he can. Time will tell.
To all of the wonderful people who stood outside Dumfries Sheriff Court and protested against this action of a devious serial sex offender, to those of you who wrote letters, contacted MSP's, ministers, councillors and other relevant people and supported a campaign for common sense and justice please accept a MASSIVE THANK YOU from me for your efforts. I'm only one of the rape victims of rape cop Adam Carruthers but I'm sure other victims and their friends and families are also grateful to you for your work with the campaign. Thank you!
Tuesday 18 August 2009
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30 comments:
I hope he's sick as a pig. Hope he rots in hell.
Just heard on the late news -Shitwig failed in his pension bid.......F*cking wonderful
Peter
Good on all of you for the hard work in getting this highlighted so well.
I hope your as delighted with the decision as our family is. He devastated us so this is very sweet news. It slightly helps makes up for the justice our daughter didn’t get. Well done to you all.
Sense does exist in the legal system after all then. Hurray!
Kill the bastard and save us all a lot of money. That's how to make sure people are safe from him and those similar to him - like all sex offenders in prison. That's the right penalty for any rapist. Look how he's tried to get back working over women - tesco job attempt showed it. Get rid soon as possible.
In this country rapists would be locked up and non of this Scottish nonsense. He'd hve to prove he'd changed if they ever thought of letting him out over here. I've been watching this horrific case and this man is clearly a psychopath. He's dangerous and should be locked up for life - as in the States. Thats the way to treat people like this.
What is it with Scotland? Lockerbie bomber saga an example.
I am so delighted, Jane. You'll sleep well tonight I hope, XXX
What amazing people there have been to campaign so hard against the cheek of this man. Well done to you all.
Jane you never cease to amaze me at how much guts you've got to try to get a fairer system in spite of what happened to you. You've got great friends when I see what you've all achieved to make sense prevail. Fantastic! Well done to each and every one of you.
D x
Anon 1: You're right. I don't suppose he'll be very happy about the decision. Perhaps he will be grateful as many of the victims who didn't get justice might have sued to get some of his pension for mental and physical trauma they'd suffered at his hands.
Peter: you put things so clearly! Thanks.
Anon 2: Thanks for stopping by. Yep, I see this as something for all the women and their families who were denied justice. My regards to you all. I hope this helps in some small way.
Holly: Yes, the decision does help to restore ones faith in equality in our legal system. So often victims are the last people who 'count.' The human rights of the perpetrators seem to be of more importance than those of the victims. What a crazy world we live in.
Anon 3: I'm sure there are many who would agree with you on this. Most sex offenders don't change their horrible deeds and more innocent people suffer when they are released. Carruthers application for the job supervising women at Tesco's was just another example of how little regard he has for his licence conditions, how he wants to try to gain power over women again, for his previous actions and for the whole system. He shows no remorse at all for the heinous crimes he committed and obviously no thought for all of his victims.
Brad: I assume you're from the States? I know the penalties are very much harsher in your country and for sex offenders this is absolutely right. I wish we had the same system. Lockerbie is a very complex set of arguments and I couldn't even begin to comment on that one.
Eryl: Thanks so much for all your help with the campaign and the protests. I did sleep well thanks. I'm delighted to see all the positive comments this morning! xxx
Anne: There have been many absolutely wonderful people who helped make a point about common sense be it in the freezing cold or when it was a bit warmer. They're all fantastic.
D: To try and get a fairer system is exactly what I hope to acheive in campaigning. I admit to it being hard going at times and yes it does dredge up awful memories - but something positive has to come from what happened to so many , especially for the women who took their own lives or who did not get justice. I'm more than willing to try to achieve that.
You're right, I have got great friends and supporters. They're all wonderful and have helped so much for the future of all the issues involved in this sort of crime that Carruthers actions have brought to the fore.
Thanks to you all for your comments. I hope I've included you all in my responses. I was overwhelmed to see these this morning. it's a reflection of how decent people agree with the Sheriff's decision. Many thanks.
At last, a victory for reason. Well done to everybody .....including D&G Council for taking the right stand.
Oh, Jane! that's so good to hear. I'll email you soon.
xo
Anon: Many thanks. I agree that D&G Council took a very reasonable and to be honest, the only possible stand they could take with Carruthers pension. It's a historic moment.
Hi Debra! Thanks very much. It is good news. I've just done an interview with the local tv news programme and people at the Rape Crisis Centre (where we filmed) were obviously also delighted. Hope all is well with you over the pond. X
Just seen you on Border TV about this pension case against the rogue cop. Well done Jane. You're amazing for coping so well. I wish you as much luck as you can handle after what you've been through.
I know that TV interview can't have been easy for you but you did so well. I never thought you'd get your speech to that ability from when I first met you. You've worked so hard. Congratulations Jane. You're a true fighter. x
bloody fantastic news. Carrtuhers is a waste of money. why do we keep the likes of him? He's no place in our sociaty.
Anon 1: Thanks very much, I like the idea of having some good luck! I thought the piece Border TV did was good and well balanced.
Anon 2: Thanks and I'm sorry I don't know who you are but you obviously know me. I've come a long way with my speech in the last 11 years. Hard work and determination really can pay off! It would be easy to give in and yes, there are really tough times that I go through like all rape victims, but I don't think my nature is to be a quitter.
Anon 3: It is good news for all victims, D&G council tax payers and decent people. At last it's a move forward where the perpetrator hasn't been given absolutely everything on a plate. It is hard to think where such violent and evil people can possibly fit into our society. I don't know what the answer is to individuals like Carruthers.
Such Good News !
Keep well !
Parsnip, thank you so much. It shows common sense and the power of protest at the ridiculous antics of a dangerous and devious indivudual. Here's to a brighter future for those who fall foul of such people. Thanks for stopping by the blog again. Hope you are well. Best wishes, Jane
Saw you on the tele - well as much as you could see! Well done to you and to all the supporters of this important campaign.
R
Jane you deserve a medal. Your courage is incredible. I'm humbled.
You and your protestors have been dignified and amazing. I think that says a lot when you compare it with the actions of Carruthers. A man lacking in thought for his family, for others and for legislation. What a contrast. As you said on the TV - he had choices and now he has to live with those choices. I can't think why he expects to be pensioned for what he did to many people.
Anon 1: Many thanks. The decision is a piece of Scottish legislative history and a decision for common sense to be celebrated as such. The protestors were brill and emphasised the level of public disgust at the actions of this 'man.'
Anon 2: Thank you. I seriously believe in what I'm doing for the sake of all those who suffered and were denied justice, for those women who took their own lives as a result of what he did to them and importantly for the future victims who sadly will inevitably follow. There have to be changes to make this a fairer system so that victims of serious crime feel they can come forward and be treated fairly.
Emily: Thank you. Yes it's all down to making choices and being responsible for your actions. I'm a great believer in that but sadly it seems that the perpetrator of these crimes will never accept the responsibility, despite what he has done to so many people, including his own family. Thanks for reading and commenting.
A sheriff with sense and thought for what this could have meant if it had gone the other way. You obviously think deeply about all these issues and I see why you want things to change for the future. Good on ya. it can only do good.
What an arse of a man. He should never have been let out. Life is what he should have got. He 'killed' women who ended up so bad they took their own lives.
Anon 1: I don't think there was any option but to dismiss the case. Yes,good on Sheriff Ross and D&G Council for their fight.
The quote in my profile sums up the need to campaign.
Anon 2: I was shocked that the sentence wasn't longer. Such an abuse of power using the guise of his police uniform and whilst working was shocking. It drove victims to attempt or commit suicide and many are in pieces with their lives changed for ever. As long as Carruthers remains in denial and with showing no remorse he remains a huge danger to the public.
Thanks to you both for your comments.
What is this Carruthers individual? I'd say an animal but that wouldn't be fair to animals. Why oh why is he out of jail? Scotland you've got this wrong.
Kurt: Thanks for stopping by. Sadly this is the law in Scotland and as much as it sticks in my throat to have an evil person like Carruthers, still serving out his prison sentence but out of jail with few restrictions - that is the way it is. As a democratic nation we have to accept that .....but we can also lobby to change the way these dangerous individuals are dealt with by the judiciary. I'd hate to see even more people hurt by him and his ilk. It is likely that will happen as shown by the re-offending statistics.
I am so pleased to see the outcome - it really feels like justice can be done. Huge respect to you for seeing this through Jane.
Thanks Jean, it is good news and I hope it will give out the message that this was a seriously flawed case.
It was thanks to the many protestors and supporters who turned out at the Court that helped to make more of a noise about this and bring the folly of it to the attention of the public. Everybody who supported is to be applauded and thanked for their efforts, including those who wrote letters to MSP's.
Justice has been shown to have common sense at last with this character.
Thanks - Jane x
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