IIOC police investigation- so scared of what will happen

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pmecgrant
Posts: 2
Joined: Sun Aug 20, 2017 3:22 pm

IIOC police investigation- so scared of what will happen

Post by pmecgrant » Mon Aug 21, 2017 10:55 am

At the end of january this year, when my baby was 2weeks old, police came to myself and my husbands home with a search warrant for IIOC and took all electronics in the house. It was traumatising but we were very quickly reassured by police that they knew immediately that it wasnt us that had commited the crime and they realised quickly it was my younger brother who had lived with us until 2days prior to the raid (typical). They arrested my brother, and long story short after quickly checking his devices within a few weeks couldnt find the evidence. I must note that they did not take a laptop or a desktop computer he had, the laptop he claimed to have lost and the desktop he had got my dad to throw in the recycling centre for him when he moved the couple of days before because he said it was broken. Anyway, as far as we were always made aware they said it was unfortunate that we were caught up in everything and my husband had been ringing every few weeka asking them to hurry up and check our stuff so we could get them back.

Fast forward to 2 weeks ago and the police detectives came to the house apparently to return our things, and then told us that they had actually found 14 extreme pornography images on an old laptop that hadnt been able to be switched on for about 8 years and 11 IIOC on our current working laptop. Myself and my husband have absolutely no idea how the images have gotten on the computer but i am 100% sure that it was nothing deliberate. Both myself and my husband had access to the computers so i dont know what will happen. I dont know if they could charge us both and bring us both to court even if we have both said we dont know how they got there. The policeman asked us to come to the station for voluntary interviews after he gets back from annual leave (he was going off for 4 weeks).

He said that he was re referring to social services as they had asked if there were amy changes in the investigation (they came out and done an initial assessment but felt no further action or input was needed then). My son has just turned 7 months and i am 6 weeks pregnant with my second. I feel like my whole world is crumbling around me. I dont know what social services can do...can they take my son away from us?! Can they say we are both a risk to him? Will he go onto the child protection register? We love our son with all our hearts and i wouldnt survive without him. Both of our jobs involve working with children so if we ended up getting charged with this we would lose our jobs, our names would also definitely be printed in local media and we wouldnt be safe to live where we do. Theres just so much im scared about. Thanks

pmecgrant
Posts: 2
Joined: Sun Aug 20, 2017 3:22 pm

Re: IIOC police investigation- so scared of what will happen

Post by pmecgrant » Tue Aug 22, 2017 8:56 am

Can anyone help me understand what will happen with this process??

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Suzie, FRG Adviser
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Joined: Mon Jul 04, 2011 2:57 pm

Re: IIOC police investigation- so scared of what will happen

Post by Suzie, FRG Adviser » Wed Aug 23, 2017 5:02 pm

Dear pmecgrant

Welcome to Family Right Group’s parents’ discussion board. My name is Suzie and I am the online adviser. I can see from your post that you are very worried about what will happen to your family now that children’s services are becoming involved. You are also concerned about how this will affect your and your husband’s jobs.

As the police have now found evidence of 11 indecent (sexual) images of children and 14 extreme pornography images on computers in your home they are continuing a criminal investigation. Because you have a baby son and are expecting another baby they are referring back to children’s services so that they can assess further.

You can seek advice from a criminal lawyer about the police investigation. Children’s services are the lead agency, though, in relation to child welfare and child protection and so their role is to ensure that children are safe. You and your partner both state that you don’t know how the images came to be on the computers which you both have access to and so may both be regarded as potential offenders. Police are planning to interview you both (if you agree). Someone is responsible for accessing the sexual images of children that the police have found. This means that the potential risks to your children need to be identified and safeguards put in place. The fact that no-one has said they were responsible makes it more complicated.

It is very important that you cooperate with both the police investigation and with children’s services’ assessment of the situation. Understandably you want some reassurance about what will happen. However, what happens will depend on the outcome of both the police investigation (whether you or your husband are arrested or convicted) and how children’s services assess the risks. You should be fully involved in the process which could be undertaken as part of a child in need assessment process or as part of child protection enquiry.

When the social worker contacts you do ask them to explain the process to you and to keep you fully informed. It is a good idea to have a look at FRG’s advice sheets on family support and child protection so that you can understand this better. Children’s services can ask you to agree to restrictions around contact and who lives with or cares for the child/ren. This will depend on the circumstances and identified risks. Do involve wider family if you need support or may need alternative care. You are worried that your son could be put on a child protection plan. (there is no child protection register anymore). This would happen if a child protection conference found that he had suffered significant harm or is likely to suffer this in the future.

The Lucy Faithfull Foundation website provides lots of information about child sexual abuse and works with offenders, families and anyone affected by this. Their Stop It Now website is well worth a look as it provides factual information, support and resource information for anyone affected by sexual offences related to the internet.

You are right that this situation could impact on each of your jobs. This is not an area on which we advise but it is discussed in the Stop It Now website mentioned above. You could also seek advice and support from a union or professional body if you belong to one.

It is not surprising that you are feeling scared as you are dealing with lots of unknowns. You have taken the first step in trying to find out more. You and your husband should discuss this situation openly and be prepared to work with children’s services when they become involved again.

I hope that the links above are helpful.

If you have any specific queries once the social work assessment is underway then do post back or call to speak to an adviser on FRG’s Freephone helpline on 0808 8010366.

With best wishes

Suzie

Granny7
Posts: 8
Joined: Tue Oct 17, 2017 5:21 pm

Re: IIOC police investigation- so scared of what will happen

Post by Granny7 » Tue Oct 24, 2017 9:54 am

Hi pmecgrant..I have been in your position for 18 agonising months..as a parent of a convicted offender and grandparent of the child ...its awful I wont pretend..our cs officer was brilliant concluded that my grandson was at low risk but was to be supervised when said parent was with him..our lives crashex in august and are on hold now till june next year.nobody tells you anything nobody helps you you drive yourself mad researching on internet..prison governir has refused contact by parent to child as he is not biological child..ridiculous cs advised governor it was in childs best interests..get family support talk to each other and get a GOOD solicitor..voluntary interviews can be held against you and police are very devious..good luck xx

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