News Hawthorn player questioned over sexual assault allegation - No Names, etc; UPDATED: cleared (9/5/16)

[tige19]

Are you sure you're quoting the right person, or is your reply simply to a culmination of many posts with mine acting as the catalyst? How of course you can extrapolate my response as making light of such horrific experiences or that I'm "victim blaming" is beyond any foreseeable measure.

I (now) understand given your own experience(s) that you would be emotionally invested in this topic, but that doesn't give you impunity to claim things that simply aren't true.

Spot on

 

[grumbleguts]

Just read on facebook that the two players have been cleared. (facebook being the most reputable source in the world) has anyone got any info that would substantiate this?

 

[Strapping Young Lad]

Just read on facebook that the two players have been cleared. (facebook being the most reputable source in the world) has anyone got any info that would substantiate this?

What page?

 

[grumbleguts]

What page?

"Let's talk hawthorn"
(https://www.facebook.com/groups/778775518801969/?fref=nf_

All the post says is:

I'm hearing both hawthorn players have been cleared
More into to come

As I said I'm treating it as hearsay, but this board is more rigorous with its info, so thought I'd flag it here in case someone has a more reliable source.

 

[HR Roughnstuf]

"Let's talk hawthorn"
(https://www.facebook.com/groups/778775518801969/?fref=nf_

All the post says is:



As I said I'm treating it as hearsay, but this board is more rigorous with its info, so thought I'd flag it here in case someone has a more reliable source.

I'll wait until we hear his into

 

[grumbleguts]

I'll wait until we hear his into

I'm pretty sure we'll find out he is into rumour and gossip and innuendo.

(paticularly innuendo, as it is a word that is pretty easy to create an innuendo from.

 

[Strapping Young Lad]

I'm not sure players can be cleared. They may remain un-charged, but cleared, I would be surprised to hear.

 

[beta_condition]

I'm not sure players can be cleared. They may remain un-charged, but cleared, I would be surprised to hear.

Even if cleared they would never be cleared by opposition supporters

 

[cryptor]

I'm not sure players can be cleared. They may remain un-charged, but cleared, I would be surprised to hear.

Cleared probably relies on the girl recanting or some sort of indisputable evidence which completely conflicts with her version of events. Both possible but unlikely. As you suggest it could just be left uncharged and likely due to a lack of evidence to bring charges.

That's not to say the players did it and have got off due to a lack of evidence. A lack of evidence also suggests it might not have happened.

 

[Sixpence]

Cleared probably relies on the girl recanting or some sort of indisputable evidence which completely conflicts with her version of events. Both possible but unlikely. As you suggest it could just be left uncharged and likely due to a lack of evidence to bring charges.

That's not to say the players did it and have got off due to a lack of evidence. A lack of evidence also suggests it might not have happened.

If there's evidence that the players are clear (and I'm not suggesting there is) but can't the chick then be charged with filling a false police report?

 

[Bikefreak]

If there's evidence that the players are clear (and I'm not suggesting there is) but can't the chick then be charged with filling a false police report?

Yes she possibly could be.....but then that would also have to be proven.

The whole situation is a legal minefield.

Sent from my SM-N9005 using Tapatalk

 

[The BIG X]

Yes she possibly could be.....but then that would also have to be proven.

The whole situation is a legal minefield.

Sent from my SM-N9005 using Tapatalk

and more importantly as far as we are concerned it may not become a public issue

 

[macdaddio]

This case always had doubt over what really happened, yet social media was going crazy to get the names out to prosecute them.

Maybe the those same people should work over time to force a uproar and have the legal system lock up those pigs who sexually abused that 14 year old girl in geelong.!!

 

[cryptor]

If there's evidence that the players are clear (and I'm not suggesting there is) but can't the chick then be charged with filling a false police report?

I'm not sure how it works. I'd guess there'd need to be evidence that she knowingly made a false claim. There's not really anything to suggest that is the case though.

 

[Tyrone Time]

If there's evidence that the players are clear (and I'm not suggesting there is) but can't the chick then be charged with filling a false police report?

As I said earlier in the thread, this is exactly what needs to happen. To correct the public perception of how sex assault cases either aren't reported through fear of poor conviction rate, or failure for the Police to take cases seriously due to crying wolf cases, there needs to be a severe outcome either way. If there is reasonable evidence the blokes are guilty, fry them! If there is reasonable evidence someone has cried wolf due to regret or revenge, fry them! None of this "mental health" excuse to get them off, send a clear message that neither sex assault or lying about it is acceptable. And if the boys in this case are clear, pursue every POS who took to social media with slander and start taking houses off people. As Echols said, there will always be smear in these cases, but in my view of the world innocent people sue to clear their name. If the lads are innocent, it's time to plant a flag with social media and keyboard warriors. This is why the O'Loughlin, Burgoyne and Hueskes case still doesn't smell right, it all just magically went away, but who knows? I know if I was innocent of such serious allegations, I'd sending a clear message to clear my name! Not giving "no comment" interviews through a lawyer or hiding!

Over to you VicPol, time to change public perception!

 

[Davo23]

I'm not sure how it works. I'd guess there'd need to be evidence that she knowingly made a false claim. There's not really anything to suggest that is the case though.

It's very unlikely she will be charged: there may be no proof that a crime was committed, but there may equally be no proof that she made a false report. Apart from that, you mustn't deter future victims from reporting incidents.

The likely outcome (if they don't charge anyone) is that the police release a statement that there was insufficient evidence to proceed.

Which probably means that no one is happy.

 

[Tyrone Time]

I'm not sure how it works. I'd guess there'd need to be evidence that she knowingly made a false claim. There's not really anything to suggest that is the case though.

Video evidence from the bar and taxi should be pretty conclusive in this case either way.

 

[Tyrone Time]

It's very unlikely she will be charged: there may be no proof that a crime was committed, but there may equally be no proof that she made a false report.

The likely outcome (if they don't charge anyone) is that the police release a statement that there was insufficient evidence to proceed.

Which probably means that no one is happy.

Yes, if our lads are innocent that is a very bad outcome.

There will be sneer and smear that they were let off for being footballers and the fright bats on Twitter will go into overdrive.

Hoping the video is conclusive to prevent either side claiming they were hard done by.

 

[Siri]

I'm not sure how it works. I'd guess there'd need to be evidence that she knowingly made a false claim. There's not really anything to suggest that is the case though.

Regardless of the outcome or the circumstances surrounding why a matter does or does not proceed, I am pretty sure it's Victoria Police policy NOT to charge a complainant of a sexual assault with making a false report as it may dissuade other victims from taking that first step & making a complaint.

 

[cryptor]

Video evidence from the bar and taxi should be pretty conclusive in this case either way.

It will help paint a picture no doubt but I doubt there will be anything conclusive about it. Purely as example she may have claimed she was fingered by one of the players in the taxi against her will but then the video from inside the taxi might show the player only placing their hand on the inside of her leg. In this example does that conclusively show that she lied about what happened in the taxi? I don't think so. In her drunk/drugged state she could genuinely believe it had happened the way she reported.

And as others have pointed out they're unlikely to bring false reporting charges against her if this were the case for the sake of actual future victims.

 

[arupist]

It's very unlikely she will be charged: there may be no proof that a crime was committed, but there may equally be no proof that she made a false report. Apart from that, you mustn't deter future victims from reporting incidents.

Not sure how letting them get away with a false report encourages future victims to report incidents. Can't see how I would agree with that concept either.

 

[threesixpio]

You need pretty cogent evidence that someone falsely reported a rape. There may be an entirely different view from the alleged victim and perpetrator as to what occurred particularly in relation to consent.

You're more likely to get charged with a false report if "the act" did not occur at all - ie clear alibi evidence

 

[Gralin]

This case always had doubt over what really happened, yet social media was going crazy to get the names out to prosecute them.

Maybe the those same people should work over time to force a uproar and have the legal system lock up those pigs who sexually abused that 14 year old girl in geelong.!!

There are a bunch of people doing this and the police have asked for them to stop.
Public outrage on social media achieves nothing and can actually stop the successful prosecution of a case if the judge decided there is no way for the defendants to get a fair trial.

 

[macdaddio]

There are a bunch of people doing this and the police have asked for them to stop.
Public outrage on social media achieves nothing and can actually stop the successful prosecution of a case if the judge decided there is no way for the defendants to get a fair trial.

Yes I heard about it too... That case a Cab driver actually came forward to name the suspects, why didn't the Cab driver come forward with the players if what was reported did take place??

 

[MistyAvalon]

Yes I heard about it too... That case a Cab driver actually came forward to name the suspects, why didn't the Cab driver come forward with the players if what was reported did take place??

um...............maybe he was a Hawks fan? or maybe he was paid off? But seriously maybe he comes from a culture which simply sees nothing...especially what happens to women. I really don't know.

love the idea of causing a ruckus on social media too. Sometimes we have to be disorderly and troublesome for justice to occur. On the other hand an innocent person may be condemned due to a mob mentality.