I intensely dislike anybody suing Government services for any wrongdoing, regardless of whatever it may be. It means that the taxpayer (including those doing the suing) have to foot the bill and it can have an extremely adverse effect on the services that are meant to provide the community with healthcare and education. The only winners in this game are the solicitors representing both sides who will be paid regardless.
What these victims should be doing is suing those individuals (or groups of individuals) directly – the PR fallout alone is sufficient punishment to the Government and should adversely affect any election outcome accordingly – at least one would hope so. When it comes to staffing and employment, those responsible for the incident shall pay accordingly for their actions.
However, what frightens me the most is that while the police have recently gone on record to say that Savile is a sexual predator – much of the press that have been concentrating on this story have already tried him for the crimes before any official criminal findings were reported. This media circus, this trial by media, gives the impression that this is politically motivated rather than reporting on a very serious crime that needs to be thoroughly investigated and proper conclusions reached.
The pitchfork and burning torches brigade should be left in the middle ages. 21st Century witch hunts are deplorable. The last I heard, due process still forms the foundation of our law and needs to be followed through properly. I’ve come away from all this thinking the media is trying to jump the gun.
Those complicit in covering up or ignoring these claims have to be brought to justice accordingly if the claims have been properly substantiated by the police. Not by the press, but by the police and justice system. As much as I’m sure editors of national newspapers would like to see themselves as such, they’re not the police or high court judges. The victims should be bringing forth civil proceedings against these complicit in covering up Savile’s crimes too.
Don’t get me wrong – I am certainly not defending Savile or decrying the victims. All I want to see is proper due process and not have the media introduce significant prejudice before the police and justice system have finished with their cases – otherwise we might as well appoint Richard Desmond and Paul Dacre as Chief Justices.
(Shudders.)
