Right or Wrong?

[Kyajae]

MCCANNS HIT OUT AT CALLS TO PROSECUTE
Linky

I sometimes wonder what would have been the outcome if they were just an ordinary working class family.

[Old Greg]

It's tricky to tease the class issue out of this, but the cases (with working class parents) that I remember going to court have involved kids left at home for a matter of days (or possibly 2 weeks?) without adult supervision. This case related to kids left unsupervised for a couple of hours. I think there's a difference. 1st case is clear neglect as the kids can't be properly cared for in an ordinary sense. In the 2nd case, the kids were not abandoned in that way but exposed to a very small risk of something rare and extraordinary (kidnapper, fire etc.) happening.

In any case, I don't think prosecuting them will help, whatever their class.

[BA to the Stars]

Mr McCann said: "We have been advised that, legally, our behaviour was well within the bounds of responsible parenting, and have been assured that no action will be taken". - who drafted up the law of responsible parenting? If that is their idea of responsible, then one assumes that they do not have children.

The article also states that it is British authorities looking to prosecute even thiugh the alleged crime, in this case, child neglect, took place outside the UK, unlike the other events which OG mentions where the children are left in the UK and therefore the offence occurs in this country.

Regardless of class, I think that the McCanns are suffering enough, losing a child. That will live with them forever, even if they get her back OK, which we all pray will happen, it is still a horrific event for them to live with.

[WotNxt]

MCCANNS HIT OUT AT CALLS TO PROSECUTE
Linky

I sometimes wonder what would have been the outcome if they were just an ordinary working class family.

Are you one of those people who repeats the mantra "children are in more danger in their own home" as an excuse not to lock up paedos and throw away the key?

The McCanns did something that not all parents would have done in this day and age. However, many parents would have done so and in the past it would have been even more common.

Do you let your own kids out of your sight? Ever?

We sent our kid to school thinking she would be safe and she was abused in the classroom! Are we to blame for sending her to (state) school? As for the abuser - sorry, not enough evidence to prosecute. Yeah, right!!!!!!! His parents were definitely NOT working class and probably have "connections".

It works both ways, always.

The McCanns just want their little girl back safe and sound - it is a heartbreaking story and it is sick to launch any kind of class related rant off the back of it. They are using all their family, connections, the media hype and anything else to try to keep up the profile of their campaign to get their daughter back. Do you blame them? Do you resent them for what they have achieved? Would you rather they just shut up?

The important thing in all this is to highlight the issues so as to reduce the likelihood of other children being taken - perhaps if paedos/child snatchers were removed from society permanently there wouldn't be such a problem. Perhaps we, as parents, shouldn't have to be so damn scared of the thousands of convicted paedos there are in society that are free to re-offend whenever they like. Perhaps the legal system should even prosecute a decent percentage of the scumbags in the first place.

A very bad analogy I know, but just because you leave your radio in your car does that mean it is your fault when someone breaks into your car and steals it? Think about it!

[WotNxt]

This case related to kids left unsupervised for a couple of hours.

My understanding, I could be wrong, was that the kids were settled for the night and they were checking on them every half an hour or so whilst eating in a restaurant in the internal courtyard of the same holiday complex only a short distance away from the room.


Gerry McCann:

"The real issue is that we should not have a constant fear of abduction of our children from their bedrooms, gardens, or streets, for that matter.

"What Kate and I did was at worst naive and no one should forget that the real criminal is the predator who has taken a completely innocent child in such a premeditated fashion."

I agree completely.

[PRC1964]

Why would the British authorities prosecute anyway? Surely that should be up to the Portuguese authorities?

[BoredBloke]

"I agree completely."

I don't.

Yes the kids were settled, but that doesn't mean that they should go for a meal. So would it have been ok if they were back in the UK and did the same thing i.e. get the kids asleep and then head off to the pub for a couple of hours? No it's not. As for letting the kids out of your sight. Look at the ages of the kids concerned. No I wouldn't. Not at that age.

Yes they have paid a hefty price and one which will haunt them forever, but it doesn't excuse the fact that their actions put their kids in danger. Had they been with their kids then she would not have got snatched.

If say they were speeding in a car and the driver was pi$$ed, if the car had crashed and their daughter died, should the fact that they have paid a big price already excuse them from any further legal penalties?

[DodgyAgent]

I have been to club Mark warners and have always left my children in the rooms, as has every other family. Usually they have roaming babysitters who alert parents of crying children. I will also make the point that had they been a working class family then they definately would not have been prosecuted. in fact if they had been working class they would have been allowed to disappear for two weeks and leave the kids on their own at home, and still they would not have been prosecuted.

[DodgyAgent]

"I agree completely."

I don't.

Yes the kids were settled, but that doesn't mean that they should go for a meal. So would it have been ok if they were back in the UK and did the same thing i.e. get the kids asleep and then head off to the pub for a couple of hours? No it's not. As for letting the kids out of your sight. Look at the ages of the kids concerned. No I wouldn't. Not at that age.

Yes they have paid a hefty price and one which will haunt them forever, but it doesn't excuse the fact that their actions put their kids in danger. Had they been with their kids then she would not have got snatched.

If say they were speeding in a car and the driver was pi$$ed, if the car had crashed and their daughter died, should the fact that they have paid a big price already excuse them from any further legal penalties?

No because driving a car when pissed is a danger to others and not just their children. What you are saying is that children should not be left alone at all, even in their own home? Is it OK to leave the children asleep upstairs and sit downstairs watching tv? This is not a black and white question, it is a "where you draw the line" question.

[BoredBloke]

"where you draw the line"

at the front door. Yes it is ok to leave them asleep upstairs, but it is not ok to leave the house with them asleep upstairs and go off for a meal. The simple fact remains that they did put their kids in danger by leaving them. Had they not left them they would not have had one taken. Maybe I'm just overprotective of my family, but I would never dream of going out and leaving my kids alone when they were that young.

"I have been to club Mark warners and have always left my children in the rooms"

How old were your kids? Wasn't Madeleine the eldest of the 3.

"No because driving a car when pissed is a danger to others and not just their children"

OK driving a car in a big empty field except for one big hard tree. I was trying to see if putting the parent in another situation where their kids were in danger would have the same outcome.