Ken Barlow from 'Corrie'......

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Coronation Street star William Roache is to be charged with two counts of rape involving a 15-year-old girl in the 1960s, prosecutors have said.


:mmm:
 
It does seem to me to be an awful long time ago. Why have the victims taken sooooo long to come forwards?

Apparently, according to the radio this morning, we are to be deprived of Ken Barlow on corrie until this is over. I can only hope it drags on for the next 20 years then, and that all the other actors were also involved, along with the writers, directors, camera men, lighting, make up, etc.
 
Wasn't surprised by this tbh. Got to agree tho,why take so long to go to the police?? Seems like they were all at it back in the day:confused:
 
It does seem to me to be an awful long time ago. Why have the victims taken sooooo long to come forwards?

Apparently, according to the radio this morning, we are to be deprived of Ken Barlow on corrie until this is over. I can only hope it drags on for the next 20 years then, and that all the other actors were also involved, along with the writers, directors, camera men, lighting, make up, etc.

Because its notoriously difficult to prove, victims are often not believed (as you are implying), are in denial or unwilling to relive the experience in court or were very young as in this case. Currently in the light of the saville investigation etc it appears the police are finally taking these allegations seriously which is probably encouraging others that there might be some point in recounting their own experiences.

I'm sure nobody is suggesting these people should get away with their crimes (if guilty) just because a long time has passed
 
Indeed, time is no barrier to prosecution, although I do wonder how hard it will be prosecute after such a long time. They must have some fairly compelling evidence.
 
Stuff that was questionable behaviour 45 years ago could be viewed very differently today. Yep, rape is still rape, and if guilty should be punished. Hard to prove much after so long though.
 
There's been a development in the Steven Lawrence case - Police issue a description/picture from 20 years ago.
As with this case, you have to question what evidence is either available or can be relied upon so far in the future from the date of the events...
Not for one moment suggesting that Barlow is innocent or guilty or that the Woman is making it up, but what evidence, apart from her testimony, can there possibly be from 45 years ago that can be relied upon?
If she told a friend it's still no more than his word against hers, if she sought medical assistance there would be a record but then you have to ask why nothing was done at the time and how any evidence can lead back to Barlow . With advances in DNA it's easier to convict these days but there can't be anything useful from 1967 - would they have kept "samples" then?

I'm all for justice but as time goes on the quality of the evidence has to diminish..

And yet another Sex case where the name of the accused was published before charges were made....I know charges have been made now but they hadn't when his name was splashed across headlines.
 
Because its notoriously difficult to prove, victims are often not believed (as you are implying), are in denial or unwilling to relive the experience in court or were very young as in this case. Currently in the light of the saville investigation etc it appears the police are finally taking these allegations seriously which is probably encouraging others that there might be some point in recounting their own experiences.

I'm sure nobody is suggesting these people should get away with their crimes (if guilty) just because a long time has passed
No one is suggesting that at all :sbox:
 
Not saying it is right but a 15 year old girl could have easily looked 18 or older. She could also have been throwing herself at him like groupies did back in the day. Has he supposedly forced himself upon her or has he been charged simply because she is classed as underage.
 
Not saying it is right but a 15 year old girl could have easily looked 18 or older. She could also have been throwing herself at him like groupies did back in the day. Has he supposedly forced himself upon her or has he been charged simply because she is classed as underage.


I suspect this is the case and classed as rape because of the age. If true no wonder he was asking for names to be withheld until cases proven recently? Did he have wind he was on the hit list?
 
I suspect this is the case and classed as rape because of the age. If true no wonder he was asking for names to be withheld until cases proven recently? Did he have wind he was on the hit list?

Yeah he may have done. I have a degree of sympathy for him if it is just due to the age as I can remember girls at school that were 15 and they looked at least 18 some could pass for 20. If he did not know how old she was then what are you supposed to do ask for birth certificates, young girl throws herself at you many men would find it hard to say no. If he knew how old she was beforehand then he is stupid and deserves what they throw at him
 
Yeah he may have done. I have a degree of sympathy for him if it is just due to the age as I can remember girls at school that were 15 and they looked at least 18 some could pass for 20. If he did not know how old she was then what are you supposed to do ask for birth certificates, young girl throws herself at you many men would find it hard to say no. If he knew how old she was beforehand then he is stupid and deserves what they throw at him
Even at 15 he would not be charged with rape but with under age sex, so for the rape case to go ahead they have said they have enough evidence to go to trial, so I was thinking either clothing or similar that has DNA on it.
 
Even at 15 he would not be charged with rape but with under age sex, so for the rape case to go ahead they have said they have enough evidence to go to trial, so I was thinking either clothing or similar that has DNA on it.

Is sex with someone under the age of 16 not classed as rape. Not sure how law works but I thought this was the case
 
Even at 15 he would not be charged with rape but with under age sex, so for the rape case to go ahead they have said they have enough evidence to go to trial, so I was thinking either clothing or similar that has DNA on it.

Problem with DNA on clothing from 40 odd years ago, how do you prove the DNA was left there in 1967 and not 1968 when the girl was 16 and consenting?
 
I read a really good article the other day that whilst in no way condoning the alleged acts of various celebs that have been brought up recently, argued that it is very difficult to apply modern sensibilities to a by gone age.

I seem to remember John Peel recently being branded a rapist and paedophile (by the Daily Mail not surprisingly) due to the fact he had consensual sex with an under age 15 year old groupie back in the 60s. Indeed I am sure he mentioned it in his excellent autobiography.

Up to very recently, whilst I am sure no one really thought this was a great thing to happen, the vast majority of people would have not been that bothered. Person in the music business has sex with groupie in the 60s who turned out to be under the age of consent shocker. But now it could take on a very different meaning.
 
I can only surmise a complaint was made 40 years ago and dismissed by the police at the time. This was not unusual for rape claims in the 60s.


Has the women been carrying a grudge all her life, that she was dismissed? It’s a mistake to assume she has only just made the complaint. The Saville affair confirms this, complaints were made and dismissed at the time
 
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