Found Deceased UK - Leah Croucher - Emerson Valley - Milton Keynes - #7

[WiseOwl]

Does look like the CPS also have a few things to answer too. This is happening in far too many counties in the UK (and abroad to).

Interestingly, the CPS are currently coming under scrutiny by the Commons Justice Committee (currently live on BBC Parliament - yes, my Friday mornings are that crazy!).

One of the subjects they have covered so far is a backlog of cases, with the main reason being a lack of staff, especially experienced staff, to cope with the amount of cases that are outstanding.

I can't help wondering if this is impacting on sentencing, do the CPS tend to rush through cases because of the backlog, and in doing so perhaps are handing out sentencing that is not always appropriate to the crime committed?

Max Hill, the Director of Public Prosections (CPS) has already mentioned rape cases a couple of times, so it looks as though there is some issue as regards this subject.

It's all very complicated.

 

[Nikynoo]

Interestingly, the CPS are currently coming under scrutiny by the Commons Justice Committee (currently live on BBC Parliament - yes, my Friday mornings are that crazy!).

One of the subjects they have covered so far is a backlog of cases, with the main reason being a lack of staff, especially experienced staff, to cope with the amount of cases that are outstanding.

I can't help wondering if this is impacting on sentencing, do the CPS tend to rush through cases because of the backlog, and in doing so perhaps are handing out sentencing that is not always appropriate to the crime committed?

Max Hill, the Director of Public Prosections (CPS) has already mentioned rape cases a couple of times, so it looks as though there is some issue as regards this subject.

It's all very complicated.

I can see the CPS agreeing deals of a lesser charge, is that what you mean around sentencing? the problem with rape is that its very often a case of 'he said' 'she said' (unless there are aggravting factors that point to an obvious conclusion).

The CPS commonly only proceeds with a case it the evidence provided meets the threshold of a good chance of obtaining a conviction. There are CPS charging standards (see Offences against the Person, incorporating the Charging Standard | The Crown Prosecution Service), so if someone is charged with a crime, the CPS chooses the appropriate standard associated with the crime, but it is the judge who decides the sentence, taking into account the sentencing guidelines.

When I started my law degree, my goal was to become a prosecutor. One morning in court was enough to make me change my mind and go into commercial law. CPS prosecutors and the support staff have a thankless task and are not paid well, so I am not surprised that there is a shortage of skilled staff. It takes a special kind of person to read the terrible things that humans can do to each other on a daily basis and not go mad.

 

[WiseOwl]

I can see the CPS agreeing deals of a lesser charge, is that what you mean around sentencing? the problem with rape is that its very often a case of 'he said' 'she said' (unless there are aggravting factors that point to an obvious conclusion).

The CPS commonly only proceeds with a case it the evidence provided meets the threshold of a good chance of obtaining a conviction. There are CPS charging standards (see Offences against the Person, incorporating the Charging Standard | The Crown Prosecution Service), so if someone is charged with a crime, the CPS chooses the appropriate standard associated with the crime, but it is the judge who decides the sentence, taking into account the sentencing guidelines.

When I started my law degree, my goal was to become a prosecutor. One morning in court was enough to make me change my mind and go into commercial law. CPS prosecutors and the support staff have a thankless task and are not paid well, so I am not surprised that there is a shortage of skilled staff. It takes a special kind of person to read the terrible things that humans can do to each other on a daily basis and not go mad.

Yes, that is what i meant when referring to sentencing.

Max Hill has mentioned rape cases 4 or 5 times this morning, so there is obviously an issue regarding these. He also mentioned that there are now specialist sexual offenders courts around the UK, something i had not heard of before.

There is an obvious lack of staff in the CPS currently; maybe you should reconsider your position and go back to being a prosecuter - your country needs you!

I don't know if you have seen the list of offences that Maxwell committed? If you have, why do you think he got such a light sentence for his last offence in 2018?

 

[Nikynoo]

Yes, that is what i meant when referring to sentencing.

Max Hill has mentioned rape cases 4 or 5 times this morning, so there is obviously an issue regarding these. He also mentioned that there are now specialist sexual offenders courts around the UK, something i had not heard of before.

There is an obvious lack of staff in the CPS currently; maybe you should reconsider your position and go back to being a prosecuter - your country needs you!

I don't know if you have seen the list of offences that Maxwell committed? If you have, why do you think he got such a light sentence for his last offence in 2018?

I didn't know about the specialist courts either,so I have found this Specialist rape courts to be set up in three English locations

I will check out Maxwell's previous - do you have a list of the convictions and what he was charged under? The sentences seem very light!

I will never work for the CPS - my family needs me and I need my sanity!

 

[lilmystery]

View attachment 377808

I would like to point out that these walking routes are outdated after the Telly Tubby Hill sighting occured. Leah walked near Rutherford Gate the day prior to her dissappearance, which is not shown here. Police assumed she did not go this route again becasue she was not seen the next day. We now know she was most likey travelled on Loxbeare Dr and probably never crossed Chaffron Way. Farraday Drive is mentioned in every early press release but for some reason is not on this map as a route.

The long way around the lake never made sense to me on a cold morning like these. Having walked these routes, she would had to really high-tail it to get around the lake on the south side to get ot work on time. To me the CCTV from Buzzacott clearly shows a person strolling to work.

 

[WiseOwl]

I didn't know about the specialist courts either,so I have found this Specialist rape courts to be set up in three English locations

I will check out Maxwell's previous - do you have a list of the convictions and what he was charged under? The sentences seem very light!

I will never work for the CPS - my family needs me and I need my sanity!

This information is taken from the BBC website (2 November 2022):

The BBC understands Maxwell's offending began in 1998 when he raped a child. He was jailed and put on the sex offenders' register.

In 2002, he was jailed for four years after being convicted of three sex offences against a girl under the age of 16 and for failing to notify police of a change of name/address.

In 2009, Maxwell admitted raping a woman in Datchet, Berkshire, and was sentenced to four years and 10 months in prison.

A year later, Maxwell pleaded guilty to sexual activity with a child and received a six-month sentence, to be served concurrently with the previous sentence.

In February 2018, he pleaded guilty to sexually assaulting a woman in Milton Keynes and was sentenced to 200 hours of community service after serving time on remand.

 

[Lofo#*]

I just wanted to share this today...
The police are still knocking doors, questioning people. 2 days ago, I asked a police officer if it would make sense to knock people's doors in the evening rather than during the day, as people work.
This was the response " I totally agree with you. You would think the detective would of figured that one out"
What did she mean by that? I think I know exactly what she was expressing!!
I mean, it's not really a situation to joke about right?

 

[bringmeacupoft]

I just wanted to share this today...
The police are still knocking doors, questioning people. 2 days ago, I asked a police officer if it would make sense to knock people's doors in the evening rather than during the day, as people work.
This was the response " I totally agree with you. You would think the detective would of figured that one out"
What did she mean by that? I think I know exactly what she was expressing!!
I mean, it's not really a situation to joke about right?

No idea what she would have meant. Could be that it was sarcasm yet another person telling them how to do their job? (Not saying that was you just from the police officers point of view)
Perhaps they have officers knocking in the evening too?!

But basically only she knew what she meant.

 

[infinit]

I just wanted to share this today...
The police are still knocking doors, questioning people. 2 days ago, I asked a police officer if it would make sense to knock people's doors in the evening rather than during the day, as people work.
This was the response " I totally agree with you. You would think the detective would of figured that one out"
What did she mean by that? I think I know exactly what she was expressing!!
I mean, it's not really a situation to joke about right?

Tends to be a job where you need a sense of humour to get by. The person with the darkest sense of humour I know in real life is ex-NCA and spent his time pulling child *advertiser censored* and god knows what else off suspects computers and phones - That's just his way of dealing with the ungodly things he's had to see. But yeah, I think they are agreeing with you, but it wasn't their decision.

 

[BethAnn777]

I just wanted to share this today...
The police are still knocking doors, questioning people. 2 days ago, I asked a police officer if it would make sense to knock people's doors in the evening rather than during the day, as people work.
This was the response " I totally agree with you. You would think the detective would of figured that one out"
What did she mean by that? I think I know exactly what she was expressing!!
I mean, it's not really a situation to joke about right?

I would take that comment to mean she agreed with your statement - It would make more sense to knock on doors in the evening rather than during the day.

 

[infinit]

This information is taken from the BBC website (2 November 2022):

The BBC understands Maxwell's offending began in 1998 when he raped a child. He was jailed and put on the sex offenders' register.

In 2002, he was jailed for four years after being convicted of three sex offences against a girl under the age of 16 and for failing to notify police of a change of name/address.

In 2009, Maxwell admitted raping a woman in Datchet, Berkshire, and was sentenced to four years and 10 months in prison.

A year later, Maxwell pleaded guilty to sexual activity with a child and received a six-month sentence, to be served concurrently with the previous sentence.

In February 2018, he pleaded guilty to sexually assaulting a woman in Milton Keynes and was sentenced to 200 hours of community service after serving time on remand.

There is not much I'd take from the US system, but their sentencing guidelines for serious crimes e.g. violent, sexual.. Is certainly something I would. Average sentence length for rape there is 8 years, never mind of a child, never mind repeat offending.

 

[Nikynoo]

This information is taken from the BBC website (2 November 2022):

The BBC understands Maxwell's offending began in 1998 when he raped a child. He was jailed and put on the sex offenders' register.

In 2002, he was jailed for four years after being convicted of three sex offences against a girl under the age of 16 and for failing to notify police of a change of name/address.

In 2009, Maxwell admitted raping a woman in Datchet, Berkshire, and was sentenced to four years and 10 months in prison.

A year later, Maxwell pleaded guilty to sexual activity with a child and received a six-month sentence, to be served concurrently with the previous sentence.

In February 2018, he pleaded guilty to sexually assaulting a woman in Milton Keynes and was sentenced to 200 hours of community service after serving time on remand.

yes but what statute was he charged under? We need to know this to understand the sentences given.

 

[Miss_French]

It was an off white pick up truck. Not only did I see it before screens were put up it aerial photos confirm. A local said it had been there for some time. LE took no interest in it. No covers were put over it and only taken away a week into their presence on siteView attachment 377809

Are you talking about at the house? I'm talking about the vehicle in the photo at Furzton Lake.

 

[LINEOFDUTY]

Are you talking about at the house? I'm talking about the vehicle in the photo at Furzton Lake.

My mistake. I should have looked at your attachement.
I agree the white vehicle in the Lake photo does look like a car.
The off white pick up truck that was in the front drive for the first few days of the LE presence, is no longer on the drive. Not sure if it is in the Garage.Or if the Police have it.

 

[Lofo#*]

I would take that comment to mean she agreed with your statement - It would make more sense to knock on doors in the evening rather than during the day.

As a police officer... a simple agreement would of been in line with her work. She made a sarcastic comment about the detective on this case! That for me speaks volumes!
So, on that note...
Let's see what this detective comes up with!

 

[WiseOwl]

yes but what statute was he charged under? We need to know this to understand the sentences given.

I have no idea what statute he was charged under, all the articles i've seen in MSM give the same information as the one I quoted from the BBC website. Is there any way of finding out what statute he was charged under do you know?

I found this snippet of information from the Daily Mail (16 October 2022):

Maxwell, then aged 48, admitted committing a sexual assault on a woman in Milton Keynes in February 2018 and was sentenced to 200-hours of unpaid work and made to pay £85 court costs and £1,000 compensation. He was also placed on the sex offender's register for five years.

Does this mean that he wasn't on the sex offender's register before this? And why only five years, didn't they take his previous convictions into consideration? He was an obvious danger to women and children.

Also, he pleaded guilty to his sexual offence in 2018, is this why he got the sentence he did instead of a jail term?

 

[mrjitty]

If only HMG hadn't reduced the funding for policing, prosecutions, hearings and barristers to represent accused, things might be more efficient. Criminal justice is in a complete crisis, so not surprised to hear about these issues!

 

[LammyTheRobot]

If only HMG hadn't reduced the funding for policing, prosecutions, hearings and barristers to represent accused, things might be more efficient. Criminal justice is in a complete crisis, so not surprised to hear about these issues!

I hear you, but NM’s first bunch of offences were well before “austerity”, well before COVID, and the courts crisis.

 

[Pinkizzy]

I would like to point out that these walking routes are outdated after the Telly Tubby Hill sighting occured. Leah walked near Rutherford Gate the day prior to her dissappearance, which is not shown here. Police assumed she did not go this route again becasue she was not seen the next day. We now know she was most likey travelled on Loxbeare Dr and probably never crossed Chaffron Way. Farraday Drive is mentioned in every early press release but for some reason is not on this map as a route.

The long way around the lake never made sense to me on a cold morning like these. Having walked these routes, she would had to really high-tail it to get around the lake on the south side to get ot work on time. To me the CCTV from Buzzacott clearly shows a person strolling to work.

She may have walked along Billbrook Lane on her last day.

 

[Officer Dibble]

I must admit that I don’t understand why the police didn’t have a good nose around number 2 after he had been found hung. Surely when he was found dead they would have been a bit curious as to where he had been?

I wonder if a missing person report had been filed for him?

How would the Police know he was working at no. 2 though?