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!
Showing posts with label Dumfries and Galloway Council. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Dumfries and Galloway Council. Show all posts
Tuesday, 18 August 2009
Thursday, 11 June 2009
Pension hearing starts Tuesday 16th June
Many of you have emailed me to ask for a date the pension hearing case. A journalist had told me it was to start next Thursday, but looking at the Scottish Courts Lists for Dumfries, the hearing of
Adam Carruthers vs Dumfries and Galloway Council
over his right to a full police pension , is scheduled to start on Tuesday 16th June at 10 a.m. at Dumfries Sheriff Court, Buccleuch Street, Dumfries. His claim is in spite of the fact that he raped and sexually assaulted women whilst on duty as a senior police officer.
The court lists show that three days have been set aside for this hearing. Three days! I know, I can imagine what many of you are thinking and it's probably not much different to my own thoughts. At this stage, Carruthers still has almost three years of his prison sentence left to serve, even though he is currently serving it at home in his local community with conditions attached following his release last September.
This hearing is at the expense of the tax payer, income and council tax as it's funded by Legal Aid and the local council have to fight the case using our council tax payments. I'm certainly not happy about that especially as I haven't even got a pension to look forward to.
I won't be at the hearing as the terms of Carruthers licence would make that impossible and, to be honest, I have no desire to see that 'man' ever again should he have the brass neck to appear in person. No doubt I'll hear on the news the outcome of the case ...whenever it comes and be able to update you on the blog. After all that's happened with various stages of the Carruthers case I won't be holding my breath with the outcome of this one.
If Carruthers wins, as I've already alluded to, I believe it would be give his many other victims the opportunity to take him to court through the civil court. 'Proof beyond all reasonable doubt' is not required in a civil case as it was for the criminal case held at Glasgow High Court in May 2001. All of you who have suffered at the hands of Carruthers might like to bear this in mind. He is already a convicted rapist and serial sex offender.
The big question will be ....is rape a pensionable occupation?
Adam Carruthers vs Dumfries and Galloway Council
over his right to a full police pension , is scheduled to start on Tuesday 16th June at 10 a.m. at Dumfries Sheriff Court, Buccleuch Street, Dumfries. His claim is in spite of the fact that he raped and sexually assaulted women whilst on duty as a senior police officer.
The court lists show that three days have been set aside for this hearing. Three days! I know, I can imagine what many of you are thinking and it's probably not much different to my own thoughts. At this stage, Carruthers still has almost three years of his prison sentence left to serve, even though he is currently serving it at home in his local community with conditions attached following his release last September.
This hearing is at the expense of the tax payer, income and council tax as it's funded by Legal Aid and the local council have to fight the case using our council tax payments. I'm certainly not happy about that especially as I haven't even got a pension to look forward to.
I won't be at the hearing as the terms of Carruthers licence would make that impossible and, to be honest, I have no desire to see that 'man' ever again should he have the brass neck to appear in person. No doubt I'll hear on the news the outcome of the case ...whenever it comes and be able to update you on the blog. After all that's happened with various stages of the Carruthers case I won't be holding my breath with the outcome of this one.
If Carruthers wins, as I've already alluded to, I believe it would be give his many other victims the opportunity to take him to court through the civil court. 'Proof beyond all reasonable doubt' is not required in a civil case as it was for the criminal case held at Glasgow High Court in May 2001. All of you who have suffered at the hands of Carruthers might like to bear this in mind. He is already a convicted rapist and serial sex offender.
The big question will be ....is rape a pensionable occupation?
Tuesday, 3 March 2009
Solidarity
Apologies for no posts on the blog for a while. We've had a very significant birthday to celebrate in the family. I hope we will continue to do so at various times during the rest of the year. That takes priority when it's somebody who is so special.
More recently I've had a bad whack of asthma and am coping with that annoying problem. Two rounds of 'stair rods,' steroids in normal speak, and I'm still fighting the wheezes in spite of all that's being thrown at my lungs. Inhalers and nebuliser are all in full flow - more than my lungs are!
Thanks to Dr Elaine Murray MSP for the motion in the Scottish Parliament on the issue of pensions for convicted offenders, pursued at public expense, who committed offences through their work. I hope this will lead to something positive and change in the future. I know this is a long haul and nothing will happen overnight, but the issue of legal aid for a convicted rapist to fight for a pension when he raped whilst on duty is something that must be followed up until a sensible solution is found. I still can't believe that is has been at the expense of the public purse.
A very firm positive hand of solidarity to Ann Robertson ,43, who was a witness in the recent Grangemouth rape case, held at the High Court, Edinburgh, with two other victims of sexual assault. Ann, a particularly unfortunate rape witness in this court case was ordered to be held in custody overnight by Judge Roger Craik. Why? She broke down in the witness box whilst giving evidence and was so upset she tried to leave. Judge Craik thought this was sufficient reason to lock her up for contempt of court. Ultimately Ann's attacker was found guilty of abusing two other girls at this trial but Ann's rape case was dropped as a result of the trauma she suffered in court giving evidence.
I found that giving evidence at a rape trial was an extremely harrowing experience. I still can't decide if it was worse than the event itself or on a par with it. Talking over horrific details of a very intimate personal assault in front of a lot of strangers is not something that any normal person could be happy with. It is horribly difficult. Like many victims of rape, there are those of us who suffer from varying degrees of PTSD as a result of the offence(s.) Reliving the experience is extremely traumatic and it flipped my PTSD symptoms to extremes before, during and after the trial. I didn't do well in court, I felt a wreck, I had to be excused by the judge at times and drank gallons of water and it seemed like I cried equal amounts in tears and used masses of paper hankies.
Ann, if you read this blog, I really feel for you. It's beyond belief for you to have been treated in this way. Very well done for managing to speak out about the horrific and, I feel, utterly inhuman treatment that you received. You are stronger than you might think and I take my hat off to you for speaking out and for asking for changes as a result of what Judge Craik did to you. In my mind Judge Craik has put the work of rape crisis centres and victim support workers back many years. The statistics comparing reported rapes to convictions is dire enough as it is. Judge Craik has undoubtedly made it a more difficult decision for any future victim to feel able to come forward and to hope to be treated reasonably and with respect.
As for the ongoing disgraced ex-cop Carruthers pension claim against Dumfries and Galloway Council - there was a third preliminary hearing at Dumfries Sheriff Court last Thursday. I do not have an outcome for this latest hearing. I phoned the court to find out and was told that the information could not be released to me. That said, the following night on Lookaround the presenters said a date had been set for the full hearing but they didn't say what it was. So I don't have that date as yet. As we know, victims and council tax payers who are helping to defend this deplorable action taken by serial sex offender Carruthers are being treated badly yet again. People don't seem to count. Heaven forbid he wins, we will have to pay again through our council tax. Double whammy.
Anybody who does have a date for the full hearing, do please leave a comment on the blog and I'll chase it up and then let you all know what the supporters wishing to see a fair deal plan to do next to highlight this atrocious claim funded by public money through Legal Aid.
More recently I've had a bad whack of asthma and am coping with that annoying problem. Two rounds of 'stair rods,' steroids in normal speak, and I'm still fighting the wheezes in spite of all that's being thrown at my lungs. Inhalers and nebuliser are all in full flow - more than my lungs are!
Thanks to Dr Elaine Murray MSP for the motion in the Scottish Parliament on the issue of pensions for convicted offenders, pursued at public expense, who committed offences through their work. I hope this will lead to something positive and change in the future. I know this is a long haul and nothing will happen overnight, but the issue of legal aid for a convicted rapist to fight for a pension when he raped whilst on duty is something that must be followed up until a sensible solution is found. I still can't believe that is has been at the expense of the public purse.
A very firm positive hand of solidarity to Ann Robertson ,43, who was a witness in the recent Grangemouth rape case, held at the High Court, Edinburgh, with two other victims of sexual assault. Ann, a particularly unfortunate rape witness in this court case was ordered to be held in custody overnight by Judge Roger Craik. Why? She broke down in the witness box whilst giving evidence and was so upset she tried to leave. Judge Craik thought this was sufficient reason to lock her up for contempt of court. Ultimately Ann's attacker was found guilty of abusing two other girls at this trial but Ann's rape case was dropped as a result of the trauma she suffered in court giving evidence.
I found that giving evidence at a rape trial was an extremely harrowing experience. I still can't decide if it was worse than the event itself or on a par with it. Talking over horrific details of a very intimate personal assault in front of a lot of strangers is not something that any normal person could be happy with. It is horribly difficult. Like many victims of rape, there are those of us who suffer from varying degrees of PTSD as a result of the offence(s.) Reliving the experience is extremely traumatic and it flipped my PTSD symptoms to extremes before, during and after the trial. I didn't do well in court, I felt a wreck, I had to be excused by the judge at times and drank gallons of water and it seemed like I cried equal amounts in tears and used masses of paper hankies.
Ann, if you read this blog, I really feel for you. It's beyond belief for you to have been treated in this way. Very well done for managing to speak out about the horrific and, I feel, utterly inhuman treatment that you received. You are stronger than you might think and I take my hat off to you for speaking out and for asking for changes as a result of what Judge Craik did to you. In my mind Judge Craik has put the work of rape crisis centres and victim support workers back many years. The statistics comparing reported rapes to convictions is dire enough as it is. Judge Craik has undoubtedly made it a more difficult decision for any future victim to feel able to come forward and to hope to be treated reasonably and with respect.
As for the ongoing disgraced ex-cop Carruthers pension claim against Dumfries and Galloway Council - there was a third preliminary hearing at Dumfries Sheriff Court last Thursday. I do not have an outcome for this latest hearing. I phoned the court to find out and was told that the information could not be released to me. That said, the following night on Lookaround the presenters said a date had been set for the full hearing but they didn't say what it was. So I don't have that date as yet. As we know, victims and council tax payers who are helping to defend this deplorable action taken by serial sex offender Carruthers are being treated badly yet again. People don't seem to count. Heaven forbid he wins, we will have to pay again through our council tax. Double whammy.
Anybody who does have a date for the full hearing, do please leave a comment on the blog and I'll chase it up and then let you all know what the supporters wishing to see a fair deal plan to do next to highlight this atrocious claim funded by public money through Legal Aid.
Wednesday, 28 January 2009
My council tax for a rapists pension? NO WAY
Crumbs. This is a really hard slog for me, but the brilliance of friends helping to get things on the go for the protest tomorrow morning at 10a.m is magical and so heartening. Special thanks to Eryl and Stevie, Carolyn, Cello, Liz, Iraina and Mo to name but a few.
This campaign isn't about me, just a woman who was brutally raped by ex-senior cop Carruthers in her own home one October afternoon. NO, this is far more than that dreadful afternoon and all the horrors of trying to get justice in court against a senior police officer.
This pension protest affects so many people:
council tax payers in Dumfries and Galloway
income tax payers
future victims of heinous crimes
the perpetrators who think they can 'milk the system' no matter what
Today I was interviewed by a lovely reporter, Helen Pearson, and filmed by a young chap called Ben for ITV Border News for their news programmes tomorrow. Ben did a lovely job of silhouetting me according to my carer - but I couldn't see how it looked as I had to sit tight whilst the whole thing was set up. I have to think of family, of friends and of course there is the safety issue. We filmed courtesy of the Rape Crisis centre in Dumfries. They then interviewed Iraina, the head of the centre and the woman who ten years ago quite literally saved my life.
Brilliant journalist and friend Marcello Mega has come up with some horrifying stats to show the inequalities between victims and perpetrators. To date, before Carruthers got legal aid for his pension, he has received £110,395 in legal aid for his trial and attempts at appeals. He automatically qualifies for £2,100 for 'slopping out' whilst in jail. He chose to go to jail as he chose to rape and abuse women during his career in the police.
So Marcello's comparative figures show that the South-West Scotland Rape Crisis and Sexual Abuse Centre in Dumfries received less money than Carruthers has had to date in legal aid for keeping the service going last year. SWRC&SAC counselled 199 people last year. That is with the help and generosity of their trained and dedicated volunteers. They save lives. People are destroyed by rape and sexual assault. Rape crisis centres help victims to pick up the pieces, help with the head spinning that comes as us victims try to sort out why and what and blame and changes in behaviour as all victims have to come to terms with when confronted with such dreadful attacks.
So let me put this another way:
Carruthers, the perpetrator £111,395+£2,100 v.s.
SW rape crisis centre and 199 people helped on less money.I can see there is no way the two equate and now .....Carruthers is apparently allowed around £100,000 of legal aid to fight for a pension which would make rape a pensionable occupation. Can you see my blood boiling at this inequality?
What does it mean:
it won't help rape/sexual assault victims want to come forward
the pitiful 2.9% conviction rate for reported rapes won't increase
it doesn't give out a helpful message to perpetrators
Worst of all, the many Carruthers victims are helping him to fight this through their income and council tax so it's a double whammy.
as Eryl said on her blog - ENOUGH.
So tomorrow is another day,
one of protest,
a reporter and film crew for an interview for BBC TV's Reporting Scotland,
a radio interview for BBC Good Morning Scotland going out at around 8.15 a.m.
one where there won't be a decision on the pension after all,
but I hope more people will become aware at the inequalities between victims and perpetrators and find out how their taxes are being used.
ENOUGH - but more from me soon!
This campaign isn't about me, just a woman who was brutally raped by ex-senior cop Carruthers in her own home one October afternoon. NO, this is far more than that dreadful afternoon and all the horrors of trying to get justice in court against a senior police officer.
This pension protest affects so many people:
council tax payers in Dumfries and Galloway
income tax payers
future victims of heinous crimes
the perpetrators who think they can 'milk the system' no matter what
Today I was interviewed by a lovely reporter, Helen Pearson, and filmed by a young chap called Ben for ITV Border News for their news programmes tomorrow. Ben did a lovely job of silhouetting me according to my carer - but I couldn't see how it looked as I had to sit tight whilst the whole thing was set up. I have to think of family, of friends and of course there is the safety issue. We filmed courtesy of the Rape Crisis centre in Dumfries. They then interviewed Iraina, the head of the centre and the woman who ten years ago quite literally saved my life.
Brilliant journalist and friend Marcello Mega has come up with some horrifying stats to show the inequalities between victims and perpetrators. To date, before Carruthers got legal aid for his pension, he has received £110,395 in legal aid for his trial and attempts at appeals. He automatically qualifies for £2,100 for 'slopping out' whilst in jail. He chose to go to jail as he chose to rape and abuse women during his career in the police.
So Marcello's comparative figures show that the South-West Scotland Rape Crisis and Sexual Abuse Centre in Dumfries received less money than Carruthers has had to date in legal aid for keeping the service going last year. SWRC&SAC counselled 199 people last year. That is with the help and generosity of their trained and dedicated volunteers. They save lives. People are destroyed by rape and sexual assault. Rape crisis centres help victims to pick up the pieces, help with the head spinning that comes as us victims try to sort out why and what and blame and changes in behaviour as all victims have to come to terms with when confronted with such dreadful attacks.
So let me put this another way:
Carruthers, the perpetrator £111,395+£2,100 v.s.
SW rape crisis centre and 199 people helped on less money.I can see there is no way the two equate and now .....Carruthers is apparently allowed around £100,000 of legal aid to fight for a pension which would make rape a pensionable occupation. Can you see my blood boiling at this inequality?
What does it mean:
it won't help rape/sexual assault victims want to come forward
the pitiful 2.9% conviction rate for reported rapes won't increase
it doesn't give out a helpful message to perpetrators
Worst of all, the many Carruthers victims are helping him to fight this through their income and council tax so it's a double whammy.
as Eryl said on her blog - ENOUGH.
So tomorrow is another day,
one of protest,
a reporter and film crew for an interview for BBC TV's Reporting Scotland,
a radio interview for BBC Good Morning Scotland going out at around 8.15 a.m.
one where there won't be a decision on the pension after all,
but I hope more people will become aware at the inequalities between victims and perpetrators and find out how their taxes are being used.
ENOUGH - but more from me soon!
Sunday, 25 January 2009
Pension for a serial rapist?
This is the week, on Thursday 29th, when the decision will be made in Dumfries Sheriff Court about Carruthers' pension fight. Will the Sheriff decide to give him his full pension? Will the Sheriff decide that he doesn't have a right to it as D&G Council did? Carruthers got up to 100,000K in legal aid to fight for it to alleviate his 'family hardship.' If the decision goes against him will he appeal? Highly likely on his past performance. I think many rapists like Carruthers live in complete denial about everything - be it rapes or pension rights.
I've just spent the afternoon getting emails out to 21 MSP's, 2 MP's and a series of media contacts about Thursday and the emotive issues involved. Will it do any good? Why spend a Sunday afternoon doing this? I sometimes wonder if it's worth the effort and if there will be any progress in changing these sort of injustices.
Yes, it really is worth the hassle, worth the rekindling of bad memories and worth re-feeling the horrors and negativities of much that has been part of my world since I was raped by Carruthers.
I believe action is important for a number of reasons. The behaviour of Carruthers highlights the obstacles that many victims have to face over a long period of time. I could sit back and do nothing - yeah, that would be an easier life for sure, but it's just not me. I have a conscience, a strong feeling for those victims who never get justice. I have a conscience that if people don't know what goes on then how can change possibly be effected? I do care about other victims, known or unknown; anybody who might become involved in this dreadful sort of scenario through no fault of their own.
The fact that Carruthers continues to receive large amounts of public money in legal aid beggars belief, especially for trying to reinstate a full pension for heinous acts he chose to carry out whilst on duty. The irony being that he was being paid to protect the public not go into houses and brutally rape women and sexually assault women whilst on duty.
So if he wins this case on Thursday, many of the Carruthers victims and their families will have to pay their council tax in the knowledge that a serial rapist and sex offender will benefit; that some of their council tax has been spent by their council to defend this action.
What about the victims of the future? Inevitably there will be such people. Ones who probably think 'nothing so bad could ever happen to me.' I was in that bracket of women until 12 years ago. Never say never I now realise is the case .....or was I really unlucky with being raped and then in getting the head injury?
I strongly feel that something positive must come from the horror that is the Carruthers case and from similar cases. To be a survivor who might be able to assist in helping to initiate some of the necessary changes would help. Just to make it better in knowing that women in the future won't have to cope with all the crazy things that the Carruthers victims have had to .......and still have to. I believe that some of these dreadful actions which can later be taken by convicted rapists does not encourage victims to come forward. There is only one place for rapists - prison with a punishment that might keep people safe for a decent period of time and then to keep them under supervision to protect the public as far as is possible.
Some blog readers have contacted me and are going to protest at the court on Thursday. If you feel as upset as they do about this abuse of public money - do join them. It will all help to draw attention to this piece of madness that favours serial sex offenders and neglects their victims. I understand people will be at the court at about 10 a.m.
After the case on Thursday it will be interesting to find out if rape is a pensionable occupation or not.
I've just spent the afternoon getting emails out to 21 MSP's, 2 MP's and a series of media contacts about Thursday and the emotive issues involved. Will it do any good? Why spend a Sunday afternoon doing this? I sometimes wonder if it's worth the effort and if there will be any progress in changing these sort of injustices.
Yes, it really is worth the hassle, worth the rekindling of bad memories and worth re-feeling the horrors and negativities of much that has been part of my world since I was raped by Carruthers.
I believe action is important for a number of reasons. The behaviour of Carruthers highlights the obstacles that many victims have to face over a long period of time. I could sit back and do nothing - yeah, that would be an easier life for sure, but it's just not me. I have a conscience, a strong feeling for those victims who never get justice. I have a conscience that if people don't know what goes on then how can change possibly be effected? I do care about other victims, known or unknown; anybody who might become involved in this dreadful sort of scenario through no fault of their own.
The fact that Carruthers continues to receive large amounts of public money in legal aid beggars belief, especially for trying to reinstate a full pension for heinous acts he chose to carry out whilst on duty. The irony being that he was being paid to protect the public not go into houses and brutally rape women and sexually assault women whilst on duty.
So if he wins this case on Thursday, many of the Carruthers victims and their families will have to pay their council tax in the knowledge that a serial rapist and sex offender will benefit; that some of their council tax has been spent by their council to defend this action.
What about the victims of the future? Inevitably there will be such people. Ones who probably think 'nothing so bad could ever happen to me.' I was in that bracket of women until 12 years ago. Never say never I now realise is the case .....or was I really unlucky with being raped and then in getting the head injury?
I strongly feel that something positive must come from the horror that is the Carruthers case and from similar cases. To be a survivor who might be able to assist in helping to initiate some of the necessary changes would help. Just to make it better in knowing that women in the future won't have to cope with all the crazy things that the Carruthers victims have had to .......and still have to. I believe that some of these dreadful actions which can later be taken by convicted rapists does not encourage victims to come forward. There is only one place for rapists - prison with a punishment that might keep people safe for a decent period of time and then to keep them under supervision to protect the public as far as is possible.
Some blog readers have contacted me and are going to protest at the court on Thursday. If you feel as upset as they do about this abuse of public money - do join them. It will all help to draw attention to this piece of madness that favours serial sex offenders and neglects their victims. I understand people will be at the court at about 10 a.m.
After the case on Thursday it will be interesting to find out if rape is a pensionable occupation or not.
Friday, 9 January 2009
Rape - a pensionable occupation
As you probably know from previous posts Adam Carruthers, ex-senior police officer and convicted serial rapist and sex offender has taken his previous employers, Dumfries and Galloway Council to court for the re-instatement of his whole pension. At the moment he is only entitled to the money he paid in whilst a cop, roughly 35% or around £6,000 p.a.
From one of my readers:
"Read your blog and noted my comment......hope it helps a little........Carrying on in the same vein.........I know it is a common mistake to confuse the law with justice, however, it would add insult to injury if the sheriff ruled in favour of Carruthers...........It would make rape a pensionable occupation........I hope they realise that.....How sick would that be?"
I quite agree and many thanks for your comments. It would be extremely sick. This is an insult to his many victims, not to mention the whole process of getting justice through the Scottish legal system.
It's interesting that one could already assume the Scottish Legal Aid Board (SLAB) considers that rape and serious sexual offences, such as the ones committed by ex-cop Carruthers when he was on duty qualifies him for his entire pension ......thus making rape a pensionable occupation. Why assume this? I understand the SLAB have made up to £100,000 of legal aid available to Carruthers to fight this pension case.
I continue to throw my hands up in horror at the treatment of victims of serious crime and our justice system; and now also for the people who pay council tax and income tax. We know this money could be better spent - helping the cash-stapped rape crisis centres would be a very good way for starters. They really do save lives, yet Carruthers is claiming 'family hardship.' The pension cut Carruthers got was due to his own choice of heinous actions against many women, some of whom took their own life and others who tried to as a result of his sick crimes.
Remember, Carruthers lost his original criminal trial case, lost his criminal appeal against rape and indecent assault convictions and lost his two attempts to have his conviction quashed through Scottish Criminal Cases Review Commission. Surely that speaks volumes?
The conviction rate for rapes reported to the police in Scotland is a pitiful 2.9% of all cases. That says a lot about our criminal justice system, serial sex offenders like Carruthers and the treatment of victims through the process of getting justice.
This pension case returns to Dumfries Sheriff Court on 29th January. There are many people who have contacted me who will be there on the 29th January to protest against the misuse of public money for the financial gain of convicted sex offenders. Perhaps you might wish to join them?
From one of my readers:
"Read your blog and noted my comment......hope it helps a little........Carrying on in the same vein.........I know it is a common mistake to confuse the law with justice, however, it would add insult to injury if the sheriff ruled in favour of Carruthers...........It would make rape a pensionable occupation........I hope they realise that.....How sick would that be?"
I quite agree and many thanks for your comments. It would be extremely sick. This is an insult to his many victims, not to mention the whole process of getting justice through the Scottish legal system.
It's interesting that one could already assume the Scottish Legal Aid Board (SLAB) considers that rape and serious sexual offences, such as the ones committed by ex-cop Carruthers when he was on duty qualifies him for his entire pension ......thus making rape a pensionable occupation. Why assume this? I understand the SLAB have made up to £100,000 of legal aid available to Carruthers to fight this pension case.
I continue to throw my hands up in horror at the treatment of victims of serious crime and our justice system; and now also for the people who pay council tax and income tax. We know this money could be better spent - helping the cash-stapped rape crisis centres would be a very good way for starters. They really do save lives, yet Carruthers is claiming 'family hardship.' The pension cut Carruthers got was due to his own choice of heinous actions against many women, some of whom took their own life and others who tried to as a result of his sick crimes.
Remember, Carruthers lost his original criminal trial case, lost his criminal appeal against rape and indecent assault convictions and lost his two attempts to have his conviction quashed through Scottish Criminal Cases Review Commission. Surely that speaks volumes?
The conviction rate for rapes reported to the police in Scotland is a pitiful 2.9% of all cases. That says a lot about our criminal justice system, serial sex offenders like Carruthers and the treatment of victims through the process of getting justice.
This pension case returns to Dumfries Sheriff Court on 29th January. There are many people who have contacted me who will be there on the 29th January to protest against the misuse of public money for the financial gain of convicted sex offenders. Perhaps you might wish to join them?
Saturday, 11 October 2008
Good tax payers money - some of this yours?
It's hard, if not incredible to believe that the Legal Aid Board for Scotland have granted serial sex offender Adam Carruthers yet more money, up to £100,000, to fight his way through yet another legal process to endeavour to regain the whole of his police pension from Dumfries and Galloway Council (his ex-employers) who sacked him after the court case and misconduct inquiries which found him guilty of serious crimes and dereliction of duty on numerous occasions. The Council reduced his right to a full pension and have only granted Carruthers the right to have a pension which equates to the money he paid actually into it. This will give him around £6,000 a year. The Council can not take this money from him as he paid it in to his pension fund.
So let's give just a wee bit of thought to this latest decision.
1. In the lenghty Lothian and Borders Police inquiry Carruthers was found to have stalked, attacked, raped 38 women - to my knowledge he carried out all of these incidents whilst on duty.
2. I was attacked in my own home at 4 o'clock in the afternoon when Carruthers was on duty, in uniform and he arrived at my house in a marked police vehicle. Ironically my own council tax helped to fund his attack against me.
3. The court heard that Ms X was repeatedly raped by Carruthers and, like myself and several of his victims, she also attempted suicide. It has now been reported that two of his victims did sucessfully commit suicide.
4. The day Ms X came home it was Carruthers who told her husband to take their young son out of the house so that he could speak to Ms X and take her statement. He then RAPED her again in what must have been the most horrendous ordeal at a time when she was at her most vulnerable. An ordeal that must be very hard for her husband and their now grown up son to come to terms with.
5. Another victim was stalked whilst she lived in Langholm and this happened whilst Carruthers was on duty. Her case was featured in the BBC Frontline Scotland programme.
6. Carruthers offending behaviour is known to have taken place over a 20 year period - 20 years when he was not doing his duty as a police officer in protecting the public and endeavouring to reduce or stop crime in his local patch. Earlier in his career, as a constable, he was censured for sexual misconduct and yet incredibly he still rose to the rank of police inspector before he was finally suspended from duty and subsequently imprisoned and became renowned as one of Scotland's most prolific sex offenders.
These are just a few points that this incredulous decision of giving a convicted serial rapist even more tax payers money raises.
Who really pays for Carruthers' action against D&G Council as his previous employer?
1. The tax payer in Legal Aid fees. That is you if you pay income tax. His legal aid bill already tops £110,000 - a phenomenal amount of money that some of your income tax has been used for.
2. The Council tax payers of Dumfries and Galloway, an area where many of his victims still reside, will pay through their local council tax in fighting the action and, heaven forbid Carruthers wins his case, they then have to pay more of their council tax money towards his pension which one can certainly argue he doesn't deserve.
3. Yet more trauma is added to his many victims by yet more actions of this man who so abused his power as a policeman one questions how could he even be considered to be worthy of his full pension after what he did to so many women?
4. How can a man who quite obviously did not uphold his police oath or do his duty in serving the local community be worthy of a full pension?
So let's think why Carruthers is taking this legal action.
1. He appears to have absolutely nothing to lose as under current legislation he is legitimately using tax payers money to fight his case. It isn't costing him anything. That is the system we have and we haven't tried to change .....yet.
2. Despite being a convicted sex offender who has lost his appeals against convictions of rape and indecent assaults, the legal system works in his favour and is actually aiding his continued legal actions on any front he appears to see fit.
3. He has everything to gain if he were to win his case and regain his right to a full police pension which would give him a pension of around £17,000 per annum.
What about the victims? This gives a different perspective.
The Criminal Injuries tariff for being raped at the time Carruthers was found guilty was £7,500. If a victim put in a claim for more than one serious injury, as I did, which included permanent psychological damage which requires prolonged pscyhiatric treatment (for post traumatic stress disorder and depression), then the tariff for the rape was reduced to only 10% of that £7,500 ....yes that was a mere £750 compensation for being raped in my own home mid afternoon by a police sergeant on duty paid for by our council tax. The mental scars still remain and that tariff for psychological damage was £20,000 at that time. I remain on 23 prescribed medicines a day, as I have done for many, many years I still have to see health professionals on a frequent basis for the effects of the physical and mental injuries of his attack.
When you put all this in perspective it's not hard for any reasonable person to realise that the income tax and council tax payers are losers and the victims are also the losers physically, mentally and financially. Sadly the memories of these crimes do not fade with time ....you just have to try to learn how to deal with them day by day ...or as was sadly the case with some of Carruthers victims, give up in despair, take your own life rather than try to live with the memories of his actions and also not be believed by his fellow police officers to whom you reported.
As you have read this blog entry I really hope these points raise some searching questions in your minds.
Why is this happening and have we, as a society accepted this system as is? Huge sums of money are paid to serial sex ofenders who have served minimal time in prison and now have everything to gain in financial terms by taking out such actions.
Why do decent people let it happen? May be they don't realise?
Do decent people know the system we have in this country is firmly biased towards the perpetrators?
Why isn't this level of (legal aid) money instead spent on the important (often voluntary) agencies who have to pick up the many pieces and the debris from the shattered lives of the many victims of such heinous crimes? My local rape crisis centre quite literally saved my life yet they work on a shoe string budget and struggle to provide a region-wide service which I, like other survivors know really does save lives.
These are all points that I am raising with MSP's, victims groups and other agencies. Will you raise them too?
I don't want to pay a penny more in council tax to a serial sex offender like Adam Carruthers who has been responsible for the deaths of women and for mulitple traumas to women when it was his paid duty to care and protect them. As a special constable I happily worked many hours each week as a volunteer. In executing my duties I took all the same responsibilties and risks as any paid police officer does. This is not something that I regret. I only regret that I ever met Adam Carruthers and I regret to have discovered that many decent citizens are badly let down by the social and justice systems in our country.
It wouldn't be easy, but if asked, I will stand up in the court yet again and give evidence as to how my council tax was used to pay for a police officer in the employment of D&G Council to abuse, degrade and rape me. I would do this because I believe it is the right thing to do. Serial sex offenders, like any other offender, should not benefit or profit from their crimes. Carruthers made a decision every time he atacked a women and he alone is responsible for all that entails ....including losing his right to a full pension.
"All it takes for evil to succeed is for good men to do nothing."
So let's give just a wee bit of thought to this latest decision.
1. In the lenghty Lothian and Borders Police inquiry Carruthers was found to have stalked, attacked, raped 38 women - to my knowledge he carried out all of these incidents whilst on duty.
2. I was attacked in my own home at 4 o'clock in the afternoon when Carruthers was on duty, in uniform and he arrived at my house in a marked police vehicle. Ironically my own council tax helped to fund his attack against me.
3. The court heard that Ms X was repeatedly raped by Carruthers and, like myself and several of his victims, she also attempted suicide. It has now been reported that two of his victims did sucessfully commit suicide.
4. The day Ms X came home it was Carruthers who told her husband to take their young son out of the house so that he could speak to Ms X and take her statement. He then RAPED her again in what must have been the most horrendous ordeal at a time when she was at her most vulnerable. An ordeal that must be very hard for her husband and their now grown up son to come to terms with.
5. Another victim was stalked whilst she lived in Langholm and this happened whilst Carruthers was on duty. Her case was featured in the BBC Frontline Scotland programme.
6. Carruthers offending behaviour is known to have taken place over a 20 year period - 20 years when he was not doing his duty as a police officer in protecting the public and endeavouring to reduce or stop crime in his local patch. Earlier in his career, as a constable, he was censured for sexual misconduct and yet incredibly he still rose to the rank of police inspector before he was finally suspended from duty and subsequently imprisoned and became renowned as one of Scotland's most prolific sex offenders.
These are just a few points that this incredulous decision of giving a convicted serial rapist even more tax payers money raises.
Who really pays for Carruthers' action against D&G Council as his previous employer?
1. The tax payer in Legal Aid fees. That is you if you pay income tax. His legal aid bill already tops £110,000 - a phenomenal amount of money that some of your income tax has been used for.
2. The Council tax payers of Dumfries and Galloway, an area where many of his victims still reside, will pay through their local council tax in fighting the action and, heaven forbid Carruthers wins his case, they then have to pay more of their council tax money towards his pension which one can certainly argue he doesn't deserve.
3. Yet more trauma is added to his many victims by yet more actions of this man who so abused his power as a policeman one questions how could he even be considered to be worthy of his full pension after what he did to so many women?
4. How can a man who quite obviously did not uphold his police oath or do his duty in serving the local community be worthy of a full pension?
So let's think why Carruthers is taking this legal action.
1. He appears to have absolutely nothing to lose as under current legislation he is legitimately using tax payers money to fight his case. It isn't costing him anything. That is the system we have and we haven't tried to change .....yet.
2. Despite being a convicted sex offender who has lost his appeals against convictions of rape and indecent assaults, the legal system works in his favour and is actually aiding his continued legal actions on any front he appears to see fit.
3. He has everything to gain if he were to win his case and regain his right to a full police pension which would give him a pension of around £17,000 per annum.
What about the victims? This gives a different perspective.
The Criminal Injuries tariff for being raped at the time Carruthers was found guilty was £7,500. If a victim put in a claim for more than one serious injury, as I did, which included permanent psychological damage which requires prolonged pscyhiatric treatment (for post traumatic stress disorder and depression), then the tariff for the rape was reduced to only 10% of that £7,500 ....yes that was a mere £750 compensation for being raped in my own home mid afternoon by a police sergeant on duty paid for by our council tax. The mental scars still remain and that tariff for psychological damage was £20,000 at that time. I remain on 23 prescribed medicines a day, as I have done for many, many years I still have to see health professionals on a frequent basis for the effects of the physical and mental injuries of his attack.
When you put all this in perspective it's not hard for any reasonable person to realise that the income tax and council tax payers are losers and the victims are also the losers physically, mentally and financially. Sadly the memories of these crimes do not fade with time ....you just have to try to learn how to deal with them day by day ...or as was sadly the case with some of Carruthers victims, give up in despair, take your own life rather than try to live with the memories of his actions and also not be believed by his fellow police officers to whom you reported.
As you have read this blog entry I really hope these points raise some searching questions in your minds.
Why is this happening and have we, as a society accepted this system as is? Huge sums of money are paid to serial sex ofenders who have served minimal time in prison and now have everything to gain in financial terms by taking out such actions.
Why do decent people let it happen? May be they don't realise?
Do decent people know the system we have in this country is firmly biased towards the perpetrators?
Why isn't this level of (legal aid) money instead spent on the important (often voluntary) agencies who have to pick up the many pieces and the debris from the shattered lives of the many victims of such heinous crimes? My local rape crisis centre quite literally saved my life yet they work on a shoe string budget and struggle to provide a region-wide service which I, like other survivors know really does save lives.
These are all points that I am raising with MSP's, victims groups and other agencies. Will you raise them too?
I don't want to pay a penny more in council tax to a serial sex offender like Adam Carruthers who has been responsible for the deaths of women and for mulitple traumas to women when it was his paid duty to care and protect them. As a special constable I happily worked many hours each week as a volunteer. In executing my duties I took all the same responsibilties and risks as any paid police officer does. This is not something that I regret. I only regret that I ever met Adam Carruthers and I regret to have discovered that many decent citizens are badly let down by the social and justice systems in our country.
It wouldn't be easy, but if asked, I will stand up in the court yet again and give evidence as to how my council tax was used to pay for a police officer in the employment of D&G Council to abuse, degrade and rape me. I would do this because I believe it is the right thing to do. Serial sex offenders, like any other offender, should not benefit or profit from their crimes. Carruthers made a decision every time he atacked a women and he alone is responsible for all that entails ....including losing his right to a full pension.
"All it takes for evil to succeed is for good men to do nothing."
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
