Britain: Youth remains on sex register despite allegations being thrown out

Why was he convicted in the first place -- in the absence of all evidence except an allegation from a young girl??

A TEENAGER falsely accused of indecent assault is still on the Sex Offenders' Register - while the girl who ruined his life walks free. The Hampshire teenager's conviction was not automatically quashed when his former accuser admitted telling a pack of lies and was locked up for 18 months. Earlier this month the girl, now 14, was freed after the Court of Appeal overturned her custodial term and replaced it with a supervision order, as reported by the Daily Echo.

But her victim, now 17, must continue to live with the stigma of being on the Sex Offenders' Register. He is having to appeal against his wrongful conviction and fears that the stain on his character will not be removed for several weeks. His mother said her faith in British justice had been shattered by the "hell" her son had suffered over the past two years. She added: "The young girl who made the allegations is free but he's still on the register - for doing nothing. "He was put on it for two-and-a-half years, which isn't due to expire until September. Once his appeal goes through everything should be all right. We're hoping it will be in the next few weeks."

The pair are furious that the girl who turned their lives upside down has been released after serving a fraction of her sentence. "My son was given a nine-month supervision order as well as going on the register but his accuser spent just three months in custody," said the mother. "She hasn't even apologised to us, despite everything she has put us through."

None of the people involved in the case can be named for legal reasons. The teenager was just 14 when the girl accused him and her own brother of indecently assaulting her in a park two years earlier. Five months later they were convicted at Southamp-ton Youth Court, despite protesting their innocence, and were both put on the Sex Offenders' Register.

She was subsequently prosecuted after she admitted telling lies and her mother went to the police. The girl appeared at Southampton Crown Court in March and was jailed for perverting the course of justice. She was freed last week after the Court of Appeal said she needed support, not punishment.

A Ministry of Justice spokesman said: "A conviction may be rescinded by the court by way of an application by the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS). "The court must notify the police for an individual to be removed from the register. All obligations on an individual to report to the police cease at the point at which a conviction is quashed." A CPS spokesman was unavailable for comment.

Original report here




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