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5:55pm Friday 25th April 2008
A CONVICTED paedophile caught on camera delivering food to a nursery in Corsham has had his complaint to the Press Complaints Commission dismissed.
Steven Spencer, 35, an ex-Scout leader from Charlton, complained over an article which appeared in the Chippenham News on February 22, as well as in other local and national papers.
Spencer complained the articles were inaccurate, breached his privacy and amounted to harassment. He said his private life and sexuality were not news.
The PCC dismissed all three allegations and said the Chippenham News had no case to answer.
We reported how Spencer was suspended from his job at Sainsbury's after he was photographed making a delivery to Snapdragons Nursery in Pound Pill, Corsham.
Last July Spencer admitted hoarding hundreds of images of children and received a suspended sentence, as well as being placed on the sex offenders' register.
The PCC dismissed claims of inaccuracy and said the press was entitled to report on this story, as the fact Spencer was convicted of possessing and distributing indecent photos of children and that he had made a delivery to a nursery were not in dispute.
The PCC's report went onto say there was no intrusion into Spencer's private life, as his details had been widely reported at the time of his trial and a repetition of these details did not amount to a breach.
It said: "There is also a general public interest in the identification of individuals who have been charged with criminal offences."
On the allegation of harassment, the PCC said it was legitimate for reporters to ask questions of Spencer on this matter.
cindy, darkest Corsham says...
3:49pm Sat 26 Apr 08
DILLIGAF, Westbury says...
4:32pm Sat 26 Apr 08
SteveK, Wiltshire says...
8:49am Sun 27 Apr 08
ronnie, deepest wiltshire says...
10:10am Sun 27 Apr 08
westburygirl, westbury says...
10:28am Sun 27 Apr 08
jh, west wilts says...
10:46am Sun 27 Apr 08
ronnie, deepest wiltshire says...
2:23pm Sun 27 Apr 08
jh wrote:I realise that children need to be protected, But you can keep him away from children for ever
interesting responses from ronnie,SteveK and DILLIGAF who have chosen Spencer as the victim..a paedophile's victim is a child..a paedophile is a danger to children FOR EVER!! even convicted ones who have served their sentences are still a risk to children FOR EVER!! Children must must always be protected even to the extent of erring on the over cautious
Necker, Trowbridge says...
7:11pm Sun 27 Apr 08
cindy, darkest Corsham says...
7:13am Mon 28 Apr 08
DILLIGAF, Westbury says...
11:13am Mon 28 Apr 08
jh wrote:
interesting responses from ronnie,SteveK and DILLIGAF who have chosen Spencer as the victim..a paedophile's victim is a child..a paedophile is a danger to children FOR EVER!! even convicted ones who have served their sentences are still a risk to children FOR EVER!! Children must must always be protected even to the extent of erring on the over cautious
concerned in wilts, TROWBRIDGE says...
6:28pm Mon 28 Apr 08
DILLIGAF wrote:what di you assume a few to be in the report it says hundreds well thats more than a few si he was more than curious I think,and sounds more than a bit iffy to me.If your child was on one of these pictures im sure your view would be different.
jh wrote: interesting responses from ronnie,SteveK and DILLIGAF who have chosen Spencer as the victim..a paedophile's victim is a child..a paedophile is a danger to children FOR EVER!! even convicted ones who have served their sentences are still a risk to children FOR EVER!! Children must must always be protected even to the extent of erring on the over cautiousDont talk such cr@p. The guy downloaded a few iffy pictures. He did not fiddle with kids nor is he ever likely to. I'd expect the staff at the nursery to act *IF* anyone approached the children innapropriately but to be honest you are far more likely to find a kiddy fiddler INSIDE a nursery rather than delivering to it. I'd also say that Spencer is very much a victim both of the current witch hunt and whatever causes people to decide that looking at such filth gives them a kick. Still, when some drunken vigilante mob burn Spencers house down along with whoever else was in it at the time then WT can say how clever it has been eh?
walter, wilshur says...
7:48am Tue 29 Apr 08
cindy wrote:I quite agree Cindy. And did I ever tell you,the wife's mother thought a paedophile was something you used to file your toe nails?
I do hate the misuse of the word "paedophile". It comes from Greek: "pais" = child and "philia" = love. Most people love children. Can't we use the terms "vile perv" or similar?
IAMLEGEND, Wilts says...
11:29am Wed 30 Apr 08
concerned in wilts wrote:i agree, he's a dirty rotten SCUMBAG, he had a freekin suspended sentence, no jail time, you know why cos if he'd gone inside he would have never come out again, and i say good! i think capital punishment chould be brought back for these dirty pigs, everyone on the sex offenders list should be strung up and stoned to death,
DILLIGAF wrote:what di you assume a few to be in the report it says hundreds well thats more than a few si he was more than curious I think,and sounds more than a bit iffy to me.If your child was on one of these pictures im sure your view would be different.jh wrote: interesting responses from ronnie,SteveK and DILLIGAF who have chosen Spencer as the victim..a paedophile's victim is a child..a paedophile is a danger to children FOR EVER!! even convicted ones who have served their sentences are still a risk to children FOR EVER!! Children must must always be protected even to the extent of erring on the over cautiousDont talk such cr@p. The guy downloaded a few iffy pictures. He did not fiddle with kids nor is he ever likely to. I'd expect the staff at the nursery to act *IF* anyone approached the children innapropriately but to be honest you are far more likely to find a kiddy fiddler INSIDE a nursery rather than delivering to it. I'd also say that Spencer is very much a victim both of the current witch hunt and whatever causes people to decide that looking at such filth gives them a kick. Still, when some drunken vigilante mob burn Spencers house down along with whoever else was in it at the time then WT can say how clever it has been eh?
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Necker, Trowbridge says...
9:14pm Fri 25 Apr 08
Might not be news but it's nice to be kept informed.
News for you mate, your rights were blown away as soon as you downloaded the first indecent image.
Well done Chippenham News - Everyones conscience is clear except his...