Trial by Twitter: Fury at police who are naming and shame drink-drivers on internet BEFORE they are convicted

[fletch70]

Personally I disagree with it but at the same time maybe we should think of how many people are named in newspapers when they are arrested or appear in court on other charges. Some of these will be aquitted, some will not even make it to trial. Remeber there can often be several appearances in court before the trial.

 

Sadly mud sticks , so if someone is charged with a sexual offence, even if it doesn't get to a trial , many people will still believe they are guilty of at least something.

 

I know DD is a very emotive subject and it can wreck lives of both drivers and victims but that is what the legal system is for. If someone is punished in court frankly I do not think they should suffer in the court of public opinion as well

[citizenkain]

maybe these drink drivers should be named and shamed,the police are only naming those that are over the drink drive limit before they go to court and get sentenced,maybe there are too many pussy footing liberals around,I suppose if a loved one was run down by some moronic drink driver most folk would want to see them named and shamed,i know I would...the problem is the court is only giving them a legal verdict,they should string them up if someone has been killed!

[caro]

For sentencing.

 

They still have the opportunity to defend themselves before judgment is passed.

 

I'm not defending DD but I do believe in the concept of innocent until proved guilty. We have on the spot fines and now this. At what stage do we draw the line and say this requires a hearing or trial and this doesn't. We also have trial by media. It's the thin end of the wedge IMHO.

[Crapstone]

Caro if you look at many of the people named they are not just for DD, they have no insurance and no license. These don't seem to be simple cases of people having a spoonful of sherry trifle too much before they drive home from their oldies house on Xmas Day by mistake!

 

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2085156/Coroners-shock-worst-drink-driver-crash-killed-4-women-West-Bromwich.html

 

Coroners can find them guilty.

 

If only you could look into the eyes of a child that lost her innocent mother in that crash you'd know. If you could see the loss the whole family has suffered.

 

We need deterrents and if that means stringing them up on poles then so be it.

[fletch70]

If you want to name and shame then the least that can be done is to wait until conviction be that a guilty plea or verdict. Drink driving along with sexual offences and attacks on the vulnerable are amongst the ones that the public find the most horrendous .Quite rightly we feel for the innocent victims however mud really does stick and truly false allegations happen. Should we not also protect the wrongly accused. I know you can argue that after a breathalyser there is little doubt but I believe we should have standard. No naming until conviction.

 

As for the people who say string them up, all I ask is for you to think how you would feel if you or a member of your family was "strung up" for something that they didn't do. Capital punishment does not deter violent crime and you can not put that sort of mistake right.

 

I also think that all this is intertwined . Mob rule is not the way forward

[Crapstone]

My reference to 'stringing them up' was a figure of speech and not to be taken literally.

 

Fletch where do you draw the line? If you are wrongly accused then you still have your day. People are named all the time and not just for crimes. They may go missing and are then found after much publicity by the police. Do they sue for the embarrassment and feel they have been wronged? Do you think it's wrong that the police would reveal the name of a person at large that has a gun or knife and is under suspicion? Or do they just wait until they are caught and convicted with the public being oblivious of anything?

 

People accuse the police of doing nothing and not being around when they need them but when they do something positive they seem to feel it's wrong! They often name the roads they are targeting in advance so how much of a warning do people need. Judging by the lists they didn't print them in enough languages but I suppose that's their fault too?

 

I've been wrongly arrested but the police were just doing their job. Embarrassing and it wasn't a pleasant experience but I don't hold that against them at all and the mud didn't stick. They have done stirling work and reduced the figures over the years they have been doing their campaigns and if it saves lives then it should be commended.

 

If names were all kept so secret before convictions or court cases then websites like this wouldn't exist and neither would newspapers.

[fletch70]

Crapstone

I do take your point. I also have mixed feelings about what I said however there are some crimes that just the mere suggestion, can cause problems for the innocent for a long time, maybe even forever .

 

Rape and child abuse suspects have no protection and if found innocent or not even charged their lives can be blighted. For that reason should we protect their identities until conviction? DD to a lesser extent but as you said where do we draw the line. I do not know hence my idea of a blanket ban.

 

I think this website would exist but if the tabloid newspapers went would that be a bad thing?

[Crapstone]

But if you take away the disclosure of their name they could also be denied a witness or a character witness! There is no easy option.

 

You say they have no protection. Well yes they do and it's not the fault of the justice system on what happens next. Blame the individuals that blight them as you can't legislate for idiots.

 

What I would like to see is fair amounts paid to those wrongly convicted or found to be innocent in court. But that's just another can of worms..