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Langlands charged with child sex offences

Shorty

Moderator
Staff member
Messages
15,555
I definitely understand it and I agree it's not simple. As long as we give people a fair investigation/trial on both sides I'm pretty happy. The stigma that needs to change is this trial by the court of public opinion which is heavily in favour of guilty until proven innocent, by then your life is ruined anyway.
I think we need stricter punishments for false accusations.
 
Messages
15,545
I think we need stricter punishments for false accusations.

It's funny how society has changed in recent times.

When I was a kid, it was almost like celebrities were infallible. If an accusation was made against someone of reasonable standing within the community, the public would defend the celebrity to the hilt.

I reckon its only been in the last 10 - 15 years that this balance has changed. Now, it's almost like the public are waiting for the next accusation to come out so that they can join the mob of condemnation. The pitchforks never go into storage, they just get carried from one angry mob meeting on social media, to the next. No one is interested in whether someone is guilty or innocent anymore. Once the accusations start flying, the bandwagon rolls around and the condemnation doesn't pause until the accused persons reputation is destroyed. If eventually the accused person is acquitted there's still no apology and the accused person still carries the taint of the accusation regardless.

The accusations themselves nowadays are as good as a guilty verdict.
 

Shorty

Moderator
Staff member
Messages
15,555
It's funny how society has changed in recent times.

When I was a kid, it was almost like celebrities were infallible. If an accusation was made against someone of reasonable standing within the community, the public would defend the celebrity to the hilt.

I reckon its only been in the last 10 - 15 years that this balance has changed. Now, it's almost like the public are waiting for the next accusation to come out so that they can join the mob of condemnation. The pitchforks never go into storage, they just get carried from one angry mob meeting on social media, to the next. No one is interested in whether someone is guilty or innocent anymore. Once the accusations start flying, the bandwagon rolls around and the condemnation doesn't pause until the accused persons reputation is destroyed. If eventually the accused person is acquitted there's still no apology and the accused person still carries the taint of the accusation regardless.

The accusations themselves nowadays are as good as a guilty verdict.
Most people still actually take the accused side, particularly in sport.

This isn't necessarily a good thing.
It's very easy to believe and condemn a predator that looks and acts like one.
But somebody that was a 'good bloke' who appeared kind and genuine, yeah this is when it gets tricky for people.

I can't comment on child abuse but in terms of sexual assault/rape the % of false claims is between 3-5%.
So it's not very common.
People that lie about abuse are cut from the same cloth as abusers themselves, sociopaths.

If jail time is a possibility I'm not sure people would be so quick to falsely accuse.
Because if you lie about abuse you're not just making the life of the accused hell, you make it worse for people who have actually been abused to come forward.
 

Timmah

LeagueUnlimited News Editor
Staff member
Messages
100,992
As I understand, making knowingly false accusations already carries a hefty penalty.

That of course is different to accusations being unable to be proven or dismissed in a court of law.
 
Messages
15,545
Most people still actually take the accused side, particularly in sport.

Not so sure about that tbh. Look at the likes of Brett Stewart and even Hasam El Masri as recent examples. Both of those guys were proven not guilty to charges they were on but at the time, everyone was looking to hang them from the nearest tree. Many people still doubt the result of the Brett Stewart situation. I think the only reason Hasem escapes the same doubt is that his accuser was confirmed as a fruit loop.
 

Danish

Referee
Messages
32,019
It's funny how society has changed in recent times.

When I was a kid, it was almost like celebrities were infallible. If an accusation was made against someone of reasonable standing within the community, the public would defend the celebrity to the hilt.

I reckon its only been in the last 10 - 15 years that this balance has changed. Now, it's almost like the public are waiting for the next accusation to come out so that they can join the mob of condemnation. The pitchforks never go into storage, they just get carried from one angry mob meeting on social media, to the next. No one is interested in whether someone is guilty or innocent anymore. Once the accusations start flying, the bandwagon rolls around and the condemnation doesn't pause until the accused persons reputation is destroyed. If eventually the accused person is acquitted there's still no apology and the accused person still carries the taint of the accusation regardless.

The accusations themselves nowadays are as good as a guilty verdict.


I don’t know about that being a new thing.

The mob were more than happy to drive Fatty arbuckle into the ground over proven false manslaughter allegations all the way back in the 1920s.

Closer to home people will still swear black and blue that Lindsay chamberlain murdered her kid.

And hell the mob was murdering women by the dozen on trumped up witchcraft allegations in the 1600s.

The mob jumping to judgement has been human nature for millennia.

Even so, I think these days it’s a little more controlled - for the most part anyway. It get a more convoluted when it’s a political figure though doing the fiddling
 

Pedge1971

First Grade
Messages
5,898
The candor with which this issue is being spoken about in this thread by victims is truly impressive. I can't imagine how hard it is to speak about such abhorrent experiences, but the more it is spoken about the less power perpetrators have.

The secrecy that shrouds this issue plays into the hands of these awful people, and hopefully, thanks to magnificent humans like you all, that shroud can be lifted, and other victims will understand that they are not alone, and that they should feel no shame in coming forward.

You all have my utmost respect.

Well said mate.
 

TheFrog

Coach
Messages
14,300
I had an incident too. I don't think it was life-changing, but it happened at a very young age and has stayed with me for well over half a century. The perpetrator was a schoolteacher. It was kinda minor really but I wouldn't want the same to happen to one of my sons.
 

Generalzod

Immortal
Messages
33,964
I didn't think anything of it, Back in 1988 I started a job at a major Agricultural company in the city, Any way I arrived at work suddenly the secretary came and kissed me on the cheek and wished me a happy birthday, the problem was it wasn't my birthday, she was dared/bet by her boss to do it, I went up to my boss and said if this is normal behaviour in an office environment?, what if I went to kiss her on the cheek what do you think the reaction will be, after that it never felt the same I left the joint quick,
 
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Willow

Assistant Moderator
Messages
110,094
What will the Immortals selectors decide?
Absolutely nothing.
Firstly, this remains as an accusation. It is important to remember that no one has be found guilty of anything, and that includes the accused and the accuser.
Secondly, the Immortals concept has always been for on-field performances.
And finally, let's not put too much emphasis on a sporting award. Believe or not, allegations like this are of a more serious nature.
 

Willow

Assistant Moderator
Messages
110,094
According to an article in the SMH, the charges have been suspended.

Full article (Dec14):
http://www.smh.com.au/queensland/im...d-sex-abuse-charges-suspended-20171214-p4yxpj

Excerpts:
Criminal proceedings against a rugby league “Immortal” facing historical child sex abuse charges have been suspended amid mental health concerns.
...
On Wednesday, the criminal proceedings were suspended, and the case was referred to the Mental Health Court.
...
Defence solicitor Jessica Burke applied for a referral for her client’s fitness to stand trial to be assessed.

On Wednesday, the criminal proceedings were suspended, and the case was referred to the Mental Health Court.

It was the Sydney lawyer’s second attempt to have the proceedings sent to the Mental Health Court, having failed in a “premature” application to the Magistrates Court on November 27.

“He’s heavily medicated over the course of each day and his dementia is well advanced and his cognitive abilities decline by the day,” she said at the time, noting he had “deteriorated significantly in the past six months”.

“There is no prospect of him appearing at any point in time. It’s impossible.”

Ms Burke has previously criticised the Queensland Police Service for bringing the charges, which she said had “catastrophic and irreparable” consequences.

“My client will never have his day in court. He will never be capable of defending these serious accusations and his name will forever be tarnished,” she said outside court late last month.

His family had pledged to defend the charges.
...
It was understood the Mental Health Court will now determine Langlands’ fitness to stand trial.
 

DC_fan

Coach
Messages
11,980
It is far too easy to accuse someone of a crime. Because mud sticks you never have to totally prove anything. In the future when people think of Langlands the first thing they are going to think of is this.
 
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