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FM
Former Member

The government are thinking of bringing out a new law to allow women dating men on the internet to check their criminal record.

Quote:
Clare's law: After mother's brutal murder, women to get right to check abusive partners' criminal records

Fears that growth of internet dating means more women are meeting strangers

Law named after Clare Wood, killed by man she met on Facebook

Plan led by former Cabinet Minister Hazel Blears and Wood's father, Michael Brown


Women who use the internet to seek boyfriends will win the right to force the police to reveal if they have a history of violence under plans being considered by Home Secretary Theresa May.

The controversial move is in response to fears that the growing phenomenon of internet dating means more and more women are going out with men whose backgrounds they know little about.

The proposal has been called ‘Clare’s Law’, after the horrific killing of 36-year-old mother Clare Wood by a man she met on Facebook. George Appleton strangled Ms Wood and set her body on fire before hanging himself.

Friends and family were shocked to discover that the killer had a history of violence against women, including repeated harassment, threats and the kidnapping at knifepoint of one of his other ex-girlfriends.

A Clare’s Law campaign is to be launched tomorrow. It is modelled on Sarah’s Law’, the successful fight to give parents the right to check on paedophiles in their area after the murder of schoolgirl Sarah Payne.

Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/arti...#ixzz1SJQtVVXg

Replies sorted oldest to newest

Originally Posted by Blizz'ard:

Hmmm, interesting.

 

And, eventually, we'll all be able to check everyone, yes? 

As awful as that sounds, if you have the money and inclination..........yes......

Syd
Originally Posted by erinp:

What about guys.It works both ways.

I dont know if this is feasible.

and what about someone you met at work or on holiday or a friend of a friend? There's no guarantee they're not going to flip either.

Extremely Fluffy Fluffy Thing

How do they justify granting access to strictly confidential information, how do you prove that you are involved with the person.Some nosy git could just try to get info on someone and then do whatever they want with it.

FM
Originally Posted by Extremely Fluffy Fluffy Thing:
Originally Posted by erinp:

What about guys.It works both ways.

I dont know if this is feasible.

and what about someone you met at work or on holiday or a friend of a friend? There's no guarantee they're not going to flip either.

That is life, we have to mostly just rely on our own judgements.....

Syd
Originally Posted by erinp:

How do they justify granting access to strictly confidential information, how do you prove that you are involved with the person.Some nosy git could just try to get info on someone and then do whatever they want with it.

erinp, they have to fill in a form, show relevant papers.......

Syd

But criminal records cannot be disclosed without the persons consent.Maybe I am not understanding this .If you meet someone on FB then you have to get their name and address,DOB and have their consent to check them out before you date them?

FM

What I am trying to say Erin, is that if you met somebody on the internet or in the pub, and you were unsure, you could ask them to fill in a Criminal Records Check Form before being alone with them...........It would be up to them if they agreed, then it would be up to you what happened next....xxxxx

Syd

Reading that poor woman's story, I'd say that -

 

1) "Friends and family were shocked to discover that the killer had a history of violence against women, including repeated harassment, threats and the kidnapping at knifepoint of one of his other ex-girlfriends." 

 

2) "Ms Wood was initially charmed by Appleton’s persona after meeting him online, but his violent side soon surfaced and he subjected her to a string of sexual assaults."

 

3) "Ms Wood had first called police in October 2008 after he damaged her front door, threatened her with an iron and threatened to kill her."

 

and

 

4) "After they split he strangled her and set on fire in Salford in February 2009."

 

- maybe locking up men like that for a decent amount of time and making sure they get proper help with rehabilitation, is a better idea.

 




Blizz'ard
Originally Posted by erinp:

But criminal records cannot be disclosed without the persons consent.Maybe I am not understanding this .If you meet someone on FB then you have to get their name and address,DOB and have their consent to check them out before you date them?

No, you have to ask them to fill out a form and submit, passport/National Insurance Number etc..

to have a criminal background check..

Syd
Originally Posted by Blizz'ard:

Reading that poor woman's story, I'd say that -

 

1) "Friends and family were shocked to discover that the killer had a history of violence against women, including repeated harassment, threats and the kidnapping at knifepoint of one of his other ex-girlfriends." 

 

2) "Ms Wood was initially charmed by Appleton’s persona after meeting him online, but his violent side soon surfaced and he subjected her to a string of sexual assaults."

 

3) "Ms Wood had first called police in October 2008 after he damaged her front door, threatened her with an iron and threatened to kill her."

 

and 

 

4) "After they split he strangled her and set on fire in Salford in February 2009."

 

- maybe locking up men like that for a decent amount of time and making sure they get proper help with rehabilitation, is a better idea.

 




Or allowing Joe/Jenny public to ask strangers met over the internet to fill in a Criminal Records Check?

Syd
Originally Posted by Syd:


Or allowing Joe/Jenny public to ask strangers met over the internet to fill in a Criminal Records Check?

I suppose anyone could ask anyone else for permission to do a CRC, but I'm not sure that this is going to work like that. If it's like Sarah's law, permission won't be asked for.

 

My point was, though, that this man had been violent towards women before, had already physically and sexually abused Clare Wood, had been reported to the police in Oct 2008, and yet, he was still free to murder her in Feb 2009!

 

If she'd met him in the pub, she should still have been protected from this 'man'. 

Blizz'ard
Originally Posted by Blizz'ard:
Originally Posted by Syd:


Or allowing Joe/Jenny public to ask strangers met over the internet to fill in a Criminal Records Check?

I suppose anyone could ask anyone else for permission to do a CRC, but I'm not sure that this is going to work like that. If it's like Sarah's law, permission won't be asked for.

 

My point was, though, that this man had been violent towards women before, had already physically and sexually abused Clare Wood, had been reported to the police in Oct 2008, and yet, he was still free to murder her in Feb 2009!

 

If she'd met him in the pub, she should still have been protected from this 'man'. 

I know Blizz, but meeting eye to eye, with body language, vocal language....we are able to make our own judgements, we might and do get it wrong sometimes...that's life. (I agree the Judicial system is wrong sometimes too).

 

But I do think that before meeting people through the typed word, and the sent photos, we should maybe be able to ask them to fill in a CRC form before meeting...That might weed out those who slip through the Judicial system.....

Syd
Originally Posted by Syd:

I know Blizz, but meeting eye to eye, with body language, vocal language....we are able to make our own judgements, we might and do get it wrong sometimes...that's life. (I agree the Judicial system is wrong sometimes too).

 

But I do think that before meeting people through the typed word, and the sent photos, we should maybe be able to ask them to fill in a CRC form before meeting...That might weed out those who slip through the Judicial system.....

I'm sure most women, or men, would go for 'meeting in a public place and not going off somewhere private, until you know them better', before contemplating getting them CRC'd.

 

It sounds more palatable in the Guardian's article, but I still have my reservations.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/soci...-partners-clares-law

 

"The trigger for release of information had yet to be determined but might either come in response to people raising concerns to the police over the behaviour of a partner or, more controversially, through the police proactively alerting people if a new partner had a history of violence flagged on the computer, even if a formal approach for information had not been made.

In both instances, the decision to release details would have to be approved at a meeting with other agencies such as the NHS or children's services, said Blears. There should be no "free for all" allowing people to go on "fishing expeditions" or try to settle scores."

Blizz'ard

They've just interviewed her father on bbc breakfast.... 

 

I think the poor bloke is grieving & clutching at straws to try & make some sense of his daughters death.   He said he took an instant dislike to the bloke, & warned his daughter off him, but she didn't take his warnings on board.

 

However, this proposal is not the answer, I think its impractical, and it wouldn't have stopped his daughter meeting this bloke (even if it had been in place I don't think she would have crc'd him...   I doubt many people would crc someone they had met, whether online or not).   And, sadly, love can be blind.   I know plenty of girls that go out with blokes they know have been violent to previous partners...   they tell themselves they wouldn't behave that way towards them.

 

I think if any changes to legislation should be considered as a result of this tragedy it should perhaps begin with an thorough review of the laws & available resources regarding domestic violence & stalking,  

 

In terms of establishing someones background that you have met online, a google search can be very useful.   And then a massive dose of common sense & putting safety measures in place when then meeting them.     I've met quite a few blokes that I met online (prior to meeting & marrying MrD),  and I always had a set up where by I would have to phone in to a friend at certain times, secret "panic" words to say if I was in trouble, planned steps for that friend to take if I failed to call in, ensuring that friend had all the information I had.

 

Once though I was actually background checked prior to meeting a bloke, cos he was in the Army based in Ireland.    I had to be security cleared before I was allowed to go & visit him over there.

Dirtyprettygirlthing
Originally Posted by erinp:

What about guys.It works both ways.

I dont know if this is feasible.

I was about to ask the same question.  There are many men who have been physically abused by their female/male partners.

Smarting Buttocks

wasn't a woman shot dead in Harrods by a stalker ex BF?. .police couldn't do owt according to them until he did some harm. .well by that time it was too late.. stalkerish OTT type of behaviour needs to be looked at  ... in this case the fact the bloke was violent within a relationship then stalked her after should maybe have been dealt with. .especially if he was the same with previous ex GF's too..

Mount Olympus *Olly*
Originally Posted by Mount Olympus *Olly*:

wasn't a woman shot dead in Harrods by a stalker ex BF?. .police couldn't do owt according to them until he did some harm. .well by that time it was too late.. stalkerish OTT type of behaviour needs to be looked at  ... in this case the fact the bloke was violent within a relationship then stalked her after should maybe have been dealt with. .especially if he was the same with previous ex GF's too..

Harvey Nics, but I get your point.

suzybean

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