[Date Prev][Date Next][Thread Prev][Thread Next][Date Index][Thread Index]

More news on Phonenix



The Phoenix group have issued a further statement in support. Thay are also calling on the Home Secretary to remove Pete from the registry and for a change in the law. To back that up they have orgainised an email petition which can be accessed here:

http://www.phoenixsurvivors.com/Townshendx.html

Paedophile victims defend Pete Townshend and start campaign to get him
OFF the UK Sex Offenders Register.
04/06/03

http://www.phoenixsurvivors.com/Townshendx.html

Phoenix survivors, a UK based child protection campaign group (run by
the victims of Paedophiles) who had recently been quoted lambasting Pete
Townshend in the press over his involvement with the American criminal
investigation into child porn called "Operation Landslide" known in the
UK as "Operation Ore", has withdrawn their previous position and in an
astonishing development, has come out in Townshend's defence.

In a statement released on the 31st May headed "Maybe we need a 'stupid'
register"? Phoenix spokesperson Shy Keenan say's:

"Based on the evidence secured by the police and the facts, as we now
know them, it is our humble opinion that Mr Townshend should never have
been placed on the Sex Offenders Register, it is a gross injustice and a
complete waste of tax payers money, let alone an unnecessary drain on
the sex offender management teams woefully inadequate and precious
resources. We have enough problems with actual sex offenders without
stuffing it full of 'the stupid', punish 'the stupid', use the sex
offenders register to manage the actual sex offenders."

She added "We now feel, that considering everything, Mr Townshend should
have been 'less publicly cautioned' and allowed a second chance. It
seems that Roger assertions of a "witch hunt" may indeed have real
substance, the law definitely needs changing in this regard. We do not
believe that Mr Townshend is either a pervert or a paedophile, indeed he
shows many signs of being a victim and certainly falls under the
category of the "misguided with innocent intent". We do not think that
Mr Townshend should have paid such a price for 'stupidity' and we now
regret that we didn't stand up for him sooner and offer him our
support."

Shy says: The 'stupid' deserve appropriate punishment as ignorance is no
defence, Pete Townshend is a uniquely rare case, he is no pervert and
should have been afforded fairer Justice than he has received, his case
throws a great deal of light on what is in fact a "grey area" in the
Justice system regarding child porn convictions, his case highlights the
need to redefine/change the law to prevent 'non sex offenders' filling
out the sex offenders register.

It is important to keep sight of the victims of child porn, it won't
help us one little bit to 'scapegoat' the stupid, whilst actual known
convicted sex offenders can legally avoid inclusion. Pete Townshend is
no sex offender and we want him off the Sex Offenders Register (or the
'sieve' as we like to call it) we have written to Mr Blunkett asking him
to remove Mr Townshend and change the law. To support this call we are
starting an e-mail petition from our own site. Ends

_________________________________________________________________
Help STOP SPAM with the new MSN 8 and get 2 months FREE* http://join.msn.com/?page=features/junkmail