Britain's Reluctance to Challenge the Powerful: A System Under Scrutiny

[Social Media]

 

As more women come forward with allegations of sexual assault against the late Mohamed Fayed, questions have been raised about the Crown Prosecution Service's (CPS) handling of cases involving powerful figures. This scrutiny comes more than a decade after the CPS, then under Sir Keir Starmer, was criticized for its failure to prosecute Jimmy Savile, one of Britain’s most notorious sexual predators.

 

Recently, the CPS has faced further backlash for delays in announcing charges against BBC presenter Huw Edwards, who was accused of accessing indecent images of children. It took over a month for the CPS to reveal it had brought charges against Edwards, and he later avoided jail with a six-month suspended sentence. Critics, including Kemi Badenoch, decried the decision as an example of “two-tier” justice, calling for an overhaul of sentencing rules.

 

The case of Mohamed Fayed has once again highlighted what many campaigners and legal experts see as a reluctance by British authorities to challenge wealthy and well-known individuals. Fayed was questioned by police in 2008 after a 15-year-old girl accused him of sexual assault. The CPS ultimately decided not to press charges, citing “no realistic prospect of conviction.” Similar decisions were made regarding allegations against Jimmy Savile, with the full extent of his crimes only emerging after his death in 2011.

 

Despite the high-profile nature of these cases, Prime Minister Rishi Sunak’s office has stated that neither the Fayed nor Savile cases crossed Starmer’s desk during his tenure at the CPS. Nonetheless, the pattern of non-prosecution has fueled concerns about the CPS’s approach toward prosecuting the rich and famous.

 

Lawyers and activists argue that Britain’s justice system is too deferential to those in power. Richard Scorer, head of abuse law at Slater & Gordon, pointed to the UK’s strict libel laws, which he said have a “stifling effect” on victims coming forward. He contrasts this with the United States, where free speech protections make it easier to report and investigate allegations of abuse against high-profile figures. “The knowledge about what al Fayed was alleged to have done was out there in the world but the trap never sprung shut on him,” said former BBC journalist Meirion Jones.

 

Scorer also noted the underfunding of the UK’s criminal justice system, which has exacerbated delays in bringing cases to trial. Sexual assault and rape cases now take up to six years to reach court, a situation Scorer described as “totally unacceptable.” Sir Bob Neill, chair of the Commons justice committee, added that this problem is worsened when the accused is a public figure, as victims fear they won’t be believed.

 

Scorer’s third critique is that the UK lacks the direct political accountability found in the U.S. legal system. He highlighted the fact that in the U.S., prosecutors often pursue high-profile cases as a route to political advancement, whereas in the UK, the risk of failure can dissuade authorities from taking on such cases. “If you go after someone famous, you’ll likely tie up huge amounts of resources and there’s a huge downside if the case fails,” Scorer explained.

 

Victims' groups argue that the reluctance to prosecute powerful figures is rooted in the UK's deeply embedded social inequality. Andrea Simon, executive director of the End Violence Against Women Coalition, stated, “We live in an unequal social system that puts men in a position of power relative to women and girls. Sexual violence is a consequence of this, with women and girls comprising the vast majority of victims.” She added that wealthy perpetrators often use legal tools, such as non-disclosure agreements, to silence victims.

 

Britain’s justice system, still grappling with cases like those of Fayed and Savile, continues to face criticism for its perceived inability to hold the powerful to account.

 

Credit: Daily Telegraph 2024-09-23

 

 

 

 

 

[mikeymike100]

"Scorer also noted the underfunding of the UK’s criminal justice system, which has exacerbated delays in bringing cases to trial. Sexual assault and rape cases now take up to six years to reach court"

 

So according to the article it can take years for some cases to get to court, but a hateful post or comment on facebook etc and it takes days?   Even then the sentencing is far more harsh than really serious cases. re Huw Edwards?

I can see the UK has its priorities right??

[soalbundy]

       Know your place!!

[Will B Good]

 

 

You might argue the complete opposite.......we are now challenging the powerful and long may it continue.

 

Which other countries are ahead of the UK in rooting out the bad apples?.....certainly not the US or EU.

[JonnyF]

10 hours ago, Social Media said:

This scrutiny comes more than a decade after the CPS, then under Sir Keir Starmer, was criticized for its failure to prosecute Jimmy Savile, one of Britain’s most notorious sexual predators.

 

No surprise there.

 

He was an awful head of the CPS and he's an awful PM.

 

Prosecute Saville? Naaahhhh. 

Support jailing people sounding off on FaceBook? Absolutely. 

[Red Forever]

2 hours ago, JonnyF said:

 

No surprise there.

 

He was an awful head of the CPS and he's an awful PM.

 

Prosecute Saville? Naaahhhh. 

Support jailing people sounding off on FaceBook? Absolutely. 

"Support jailing people sounding off on FaceBook (sic)".

Do you mean the cuddly souls who were encouraging the low IQ, far right "protesters" to set fire to apartments housing human beings?

Hmm ..yeah right I get the equivalence. Oh wait....no I don't.