Human Rights!?!?!?

tod_in_venedig · #1 01-05-2007, 02:29 PM

http://www.guardian.co.uk/uklatest/s...324673,00.html

Quote:

'Wanted' photos 'may breach rights'
Press Association
Friday January 5, 2007 11:08 AM

Police have refused to release photographs of two escaped murderers, claiming it might breach their human rights.

Killers Jason Croft and Michael Nixon are among 13 inmates to have absconded from Sudbury open jail in Derbyshire in the past two months.

Despite the fact that only two have been caught - and that the killers are still on the loose - Derbyshire Police said the public do not have a right to know what the convicts look like.

A spokesman for Derbyshire Police said: "When making a decision to release any photograph, police forces must take into account numerous factors including the public interest test, whether there is a strong local policing purpose and, of course, the Human Rights and Data Protection Acts.

"Photographs of named people that are in police possession are classed as data and their release is restricted by law.

"Acpo (Association of Chief Police Officers) guidance states that releasing a 'wanted' photograph of a named person should only happen in exceptional circumstances where officers believe that the named suspect may be a danger to the public."

Croft, 28, has been missing since October 31, while Nixon, also 28, has not been seen since he failed to appear at roll call on November 2. Both are originally from Manchester.

"Unfortunately, once people abscond, it's up to us to trace their whereabouts," the spokesman added.

"The very nature of open prisons is that those people are out and about anyway on placements and some abuse the trust we have placed in them. We are left to mop it up."

More than 660 inmates have gone missing from Sudbury in the past 10 years and officials were criticised last year for spending £25,000 on a champagne party for staff as a reward for "high performance".

What a joke. Breach of human rights my arse

Ophiel Ophiuci · #2 01-06-2007, 06:01 AM

I've heard a lot of conflicting stuff about this story. I'll remain skeptical until I know for definite that it's just just The Sun or whoever making something out of nothing so they can get people worked up again, like they have with pretty much everything else they've done.

I'm almost the Human Rights Act doesn't prevent mugshots from being released, and I'm guessing this is at best a case of someone being overly cautious around legislature they were ignorant of rather than the legislature itself.

(I've probably mispelled "legislature" a few times. I've been away and haven't done any serious typing for a while. I am also resolutely bringing the sexy back to KR.)

amphibian · #3 01-06-2007, 06:45 AM

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/6234223.stm
The photos have been released.
People are interpreting the Act in stupid ways that don't bear any relation to what it says. Or the media is exaggerating the credence the Act gives to such police decisions.

Ophiel Ophiuci · #4 01-06-2007, 07:19 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by amphibian

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/6234223.stm
The photos have been released.
People are interpreting the Act in stupid ways that don't bear any relation to what it says. Or the media is exaggerating the credence the Act gives to such police decisions.

Indeed. It's basically the same thing you get with Health & Safety law. People invoke it like the name of some god while completely misinterpretting the spirit of it, and the media happily goes along with it because it's makes people angry without making them violent, which is always good for newspaper sales.

Gold~Lion · #5 01-06-2007, 07:51 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tod_in_venedig

http://www.guardian.co.uk/uklatest/s...324673,00.html

What a joke. Breach of human rights my arse

I have nothing smart or serious to add to this thread.

All I have to say is that when they took the mugshots and criminal records of local offenders off the web I was a very sad panda.

It was fun to see all my friends and could-be boyfriends during their darkest hour.

Yeah, I'm a sadist like that. What!