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Timings in London

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Vic25

Member since
August 2021

15 posts

Posted Wed September 15, 2021 4:29pmReport post

Hi

As there are always questions on timing for the process, I thought I'd set out what has happened in SW London.

Feb 2020: initial knock, interview and devices taken

Sep 2020: some devices returned as nothing found

Dec 2020: police and solicitor say "not long to wait"

May 2021: referrred to CPS (no second interview)

August 2021: magistrates plea hearing - images only, all categories but 100s of them and over a very long period, pleaded guilty

Sept 2021 (4 weeks after magistrates): crown court sentencing.

Court communications have been terrible - husband only found out the date of the sentencing hearing at 6pm the night before, thanks to a stray remark by the probation officer who phoned him to put together a sentencing report. Solicitor and barrister were not notified at all, but all managed to arrive in court by 9am the following morning!

Husband got a community sentence and 5 years on the sex offenders register - the fact that he had done the Lucy Faithfull course and also some private counselling seemed to count for a lot.

I hope this helps.

Cloud

Member since
May 2021

153 posts

Posted Thu September 16, 2021 3:54pmReport post

Thank you for sharing xx

GoingIntoAbyss

Member since
October 2020

8 posts

Posted Thu September 16, 2021 6:45pmReport post

Thank you so much for sharing.

Could I please ask how does the probation officer get in touch for PSR?

My husband went for plea hearing today but they didn't mention when a probation officer will be assigned and how does he/she reach us.

GoingIntoAbyss

Member since
October 2020

8 posts

Posted Thu September 16, 2021 10:26pmReport post

Thanks, Lee1969. He has been given a date for sentencing which is 4 weeks away. We wonder how will the court contact him if they don't have his mobile no. Will they mail him? He doesn't have a solicitor.

GoingIntoAbyss

Member since
October 2020

8 posts

Posted Fri September 17, 2021 7:24amReport post

Thanks Lee1969 for your advice.

GoingIntoAbyss

Member since
October 2020

8 posts

Posted Fri September 17, 2021 4:50pmReport post

Couldn't appreciate more for reminding on this Lee1969. We went to the police station today to get him registered.

Vic25

Member since
August 2021

15 posts

Posted Sat September 18, 2021 5:11pmReport post

In our case, we had a visit from the police a couple of days after the guily plea about the conditions he was now subject to and where to go to register items like passport - it's correct that you can't go to just any police station. He has done this, but I'm not sure he's actually ever officially signed the SOR, he seems very vague about it, but he did sign to say he understood the conditions. He has an induction with probation next week now he's been sentenced so hopefully will clarify then.

The probation officer contacted him by phone about 2 weeks after the guilty plea and set up a phone interview - it was all very vague, and the phone call quite difficult due to poor mobile phone quality at the PO's end. This was at 5.30 on the evening before the sentencing, the report made it to court by 9am the following morning - the report was helpful and recommended quite lenient treatment so his solictor did not object to the awfulness of the procedure.

It really is very confusing for the accused party to understand what is going on, let alone anyone else!

Notalone1970

Member since
May 2021

98 posts

Posted Sat September 18, 2021 8:44pmReport post

Vic25

if he has taken his bank cards and passport into the police station then the form he would have signed is the SOR.

just make sure you keep a record of the date, it is normal practice that the police will not call in 11mths time to remind him he has to re sign and confirm the information sadly the onus is on the person to remember when he or she has to give there yearly notification

Vic25

Member since
August 2021

15 posts

Posted Mon September 20, 2021 5:35pmReport post

Thanks for the help and comments everyone - I think he is clear on what he needs to do now so hopefully we can move forward.

Vic