Trial by TV

[egg&chips]

Whilst I am repulsed by the death of Poppi Worthington and the horror surrounding the circumstances, I was really uncomfortable watching the bbc news tonight. Showing footage of her father who is alleged to have killed her by a pathologist (contradicted by other medical experts) and who has been accused by a judge also, seems somewhat dodgy to me. Can anyone with better legal knowledge than me explain how
1: the judge can make this decision but the father not face prosecution
2: the news hounds can make similar accusations when nothing has been proven?
Either he is proved to be guilty and they should throw away the key, or he is judged not guilty (probably by a jury either way) and is left alone. Given the record of legal and police mess ups in the past it seems dodgy to be able to treat him this way.
Like I say trial by the media; dodgy in the extreme.

[Rowlf]

There has obviously been a massive cock up by everyone concerned when this little girl died. Apparently the postmortem indicated she had been abused shortly before her death. Her father should have been arrested then no question. Two years on it would be very difficult to prove either way I suppose as vital evidence was lost at the time. It is inevitable the press are going to report what is now coming to light. I hope sincerely there is a way to bring her father to court and let a jury decide whether he is guilty or not but I fear that after all this time there will be insufficient evidence to charge him. As for throwing away the key I am in full agreement but only after someone has taken a very large knife to him and rendered him incapable of repeating such a heinous crime.

[Guinness]

I can answer the first point..

Family/civil court can make decisions on 'balance of probabilities' regarding guilt, which is what the judge has done here...Criminal court i.e. the CPS need to find enough evidence that a jury will find 'reasonable to believe' guilt.

Civil court - 'chances are he did it' - judge makes ruling
Criminal court - 'here's the DNA, the fingerprints and the loaded weapon' - random 12 people with random intelligence levels have a chat about it and decide - judge makes ruling

[Rowlf]

I hope this goes to court and the truth comes out. That lovely little girl deserves nothing less.