I wondered why, when watching Sky and the BBC last night at about 8pm, there was a breaking news story about an article in today’s Observer. Why publicise a story in time for your rivals to be able to steal further investigate, I thought. It’s either a; a kite flying half story or b;a signed contract with someone holed up in a country retreat or c;so sensational, the others won’t have time to capture all the gory details or d;rubbish.
The story was to show that one of the people on the European offenders list had committed a serious offence. According to the story which I’ve now read, there was a case of a violent criminal who committed a gangland style killing in 2000. He had commited a violent crime abroad and had not been placed on the Police database. This happened in 2000 though ie absolutley nothing to do with the current ‘crisis’ facing Tony McNulty at the Home Office. So the Observer story is both ‘a’ and ‘d’. Don’t get me wrong, it is a serious allegation and I’m sure Chalres Clarke would want to explain himself but it is completely unrelated to the current issue facing ministers.
Copyblogger theme design by Chris Pearson | Hosted by ENTANET
3 comments ↓
I think that the reporting of offences committed abroad prior to 2005 when notification between member states became mandatory is wrong. Having worked in the system all EU countries were sporadic in notifying offences. The Observer’s article states “sources” saying that the file is lying in the Home Office. We have to believe these sources and are left up in the air as to what the file exactly contained.
The world is going mad. It is right that the EU cooperates with notification of offences by each member states citizens. We do after all have free movement of peoples throughout the union. However, this will take years to develop – we do have states that have just joined the union with unsophisticated recording of crime. We also are unable to ensure offences committed outside the EU are regularly notified despite conventions.
The media are blowing this situation out of all proportion and the right wing press and opposition parties are making a meal of it. There is absolutely no fool proof system to record accurate criminal data in this country. It was not many years ago we were criticising police forces for not entering data speedily – never mind the accuracy of the data. We are now expecting the UK criminal record system to have an up-to-date record of offences committed throughout this country, the EU and if possible all countries where UK citizens travel to or reside. It is ludicrous to suggest this is achievable. We can only do our best with the information we have or receive. Further, recording of information does not stop people reoffending. The union representing Probation Officers know this but there is an anti Home Office agenda by many criminal justice agencies because of the scrutiny of their practice by that department. I really would have wished to have someone with some knowledge commenting on these issues rather than those who seek to make political points.
Amen Mrs Ashby, it’s good to hear a voice of both reason and experience on the subject. I seriously doubt that any of the journalists reporting this situation have any direct experience of how the system works or any understanding of the difficulties faced by the home office.
The press and the oppostion have really been opportunistic on this story.
I welcome the style and substance of the article. Has someone checked whether the Observer has been a victim of sabotage?
Leave a Comment