NSPCC: Barrister's age of consent view 'beggars belief'
The NSPCC has said that a leading barrister's call for the age of consent to be lowered in a bid to end the "persecution of old men" in the wake of the Savile scandal "beggars belief".
Barbara Hewson also argued that crimes committed by disgraced broadcaster Stuart Hall were "low level misdemeanours" and called for an end to anonymity complainants.
These outdated and simply ill-informed views would be shocking to hear from anyone but to hear them from a highly experienced barrister simply beggars belief.
Stuart Hall has pleaded guilty to abusing children as young as nine years old, we think most people would agree that crimes of this nature are incredibly serious. Thankfully the law, and most people, are very clear on this matter.
– Peter Watt, director of the NSPCC helplineTo minimise and trivialise the impact of these offences for victims in this way is all but denying that they have in fact suffered abuse at all. Any suggestion of lowering the age of consent could put more young people at risk from those who prey on vulnerable young people.
And we must strongly defend the right for victims to remain anonymous and to ask for justice no matter when they choose to come forward.
Read: Barrister calls for age of consent to be lowered to 13
More top news
The top five websites Britain can't live without
The UK's favourite websites and what makes them so popular, according to new research.
A genuine working class hero who stood his ground
The late Bob Crow took the trade unions back to their roots and left his members better off - and attracted many critics along the way.
Caribbean nations planning legal action over slavery
Two centuries after slavery was abolished in Britain, a group of Caribbean nations are planning legal action to get a formal apology.