CCChat-Magazine_5

This is a new addition to CCChat Magazine. For a while,
I have been reading Judgments and Sentencing
Reports and have been surprised at some of the
comments made which did not appear to recognise
coercive control.
This section will look at cases that have been through
the CJS and look at instances where abuse was not
identified and possible reasons why, including common
misconceptions, as well as how unconscious and, in
some cases, implicit bias may have played a part in the
decision making. This section is by no means an attack
on the judiciary but aims to highlight areas where a
possible lack of understanding around the nature of
course of conduct offences such as harassment,
stalking and coercive control, and the ways in which
the behaviour of both perpetrator and victims can be
misinterpreted.
Next month's CCChat will give details of the upcoming
online discussion on this Judgment.
The first case we will look at is a Court of Appeal case
Meachan v R
Neutral Citation N0: [2009]EWCA Crim 1701
http://www.bailii.org/ew/cases/EWCA/Crim/2009/
1701.html
The appellant is appealing his conviction on the grounds of
having new evidence. On 2nd Aug 2002, X met appellant with
both eventually taking a taxi to X's house .where X had no
recollection of the events that followed. The next morning X
woke up to a lot of pain and considerable blood loss. A
subsequent examination revealed extensive bruising of the
peri-anal area and acute splitting of the anal canal extending
into the rectum. The injury was so severe, it was deemed
necessary to fit X with a colostomy bag. The appellant
maintained that they had both drunk half a cup of GHB , a
date rape drug, which he had obtained. The appellant said X
was a willing participant. The Appeal looked at further
evidence on pain perception.
It is a distressing case. I had originally wanted to look at the
Andrew Luster trial and the reaction of his mother. This is the
great grandson of Max Factor who originally received a
sentence of 124 years for drugging and raping three women
as it was not a UK case, decided against.
It is still worth reading the appeal for the position taken by
the mother who refuses to accept her son's guilt.
https://cases.justia.com/california/court-of-appeal-2ndappellate-district/B228748.PDF?ts=1396114239
If there is a case of interest which can be looked at, in
order to widen understanding of the dynamics of abuse,
please get in touch on:
contact@coercivecontrol.co.uk
Please note that only judgements published and available
in the public domain will be featured .
2018 is the Year For Making The Invisible Visible