Family and Friends Forum

We haven't moved even though the media reported our address. My son received a 2 year suspended sentence and we returned home straight from court. We did lay low for a few days after the media published the story but apart from that we live in our home in the way we always have.

I am still in my home. I told him he wasn't welcome back. He has been housed temporarily but no one from police or probation have ever contacted me to check this was the case. Unsure what would have happened if I had allowed him home

We stayed together and stayed in our home. Even after horrendous media coverage twice first at the plea hearing and then 4 weeks later at sentencing. We live in a small close and have a recognisable name and the media mentioned both. We don't have any involvement with neighbours and if any walk past us they put their heads down. At the beginning I started to plan to move to the other end of the country and change our names however after intervention from my sister who advised we both needed family around us and stability we decided to stay. We have a beautiful home that we have both worked hard for and on reflection now I am glad we decided to stay put. I will always be anxious and on alert but we are now living a more structured and calmer life. We have lost some close family and his friends but we are adapting to the shift in relationships. It was extremely hard in the beginning but I am so glad now that I stood by the decisions I made then.
Katie xx

I remember when we had the media attention my oh was saying we have to move my daughter and I said no as we had done nothing wrong, I gave my oh the option to ride the storm or move on himself he chose to stay I guess we all go I to fight or flight mode but as with this whole journey never make a snap decision x

We stayed together and in our home too. Ours sounds very similar to Katie's story. I made it clear to OH at the start I wouldn't be moving and that we would have to ride this out. Media coverage sensationalised what happened, highlighted the prestigious company he used to work for and my health condition.

Some neighbours have been brilliant, one was round yesterday asking OH how to fix his ipad. Others ignore us and we ended up going doing the police and legal route with another set that were determined to drive us out.

We also have someone from further down the road that always stops and stares when she sees us so she just gets a 2 finger salute. She had put dog poo on my car when this all kicked off and when I caught her about to do it again she crumbled and backed off. We are 2.5 years post sentencing and have moved on with our lives, its a sad reflection on the lives of those who still try to make it issue.

As inturmoil says, it's fight or flight and if you can ride it out it might not be as bad as you fear.



S xx

Mines was non custodial

Together 20 years and remaining married. Our outcome came out of the blue, wasn't expected or advised by defence or prosecution and was a 32 month custodial sentence. No iioc but communication with adult (police decoy) in a gaming chat room where a child was discussed. We are now approaching the end of the prison sentence and he is in open conditions. He will go to AP upon release for 8-12 weeks but this could be less. I have spoken to his PO with his permission and am told that AP is normal protocol upon release, not just for SO. The PO has stated they need to do a home check prior to his release. They said this was to clarify the address is as stated and check it's habitable and only adults reside here.

Non custodial, 10 Yr SHPO/SOR xx