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News.com.au
33 minutes ago
- News.com.au
Why the media is unable to picture or name three of the four teenage males accused of gang raping a girl in southwest Sydney
When news broke on Wednesday that four teenagers had been charged following an alleged six hour gang-rape of a 17-year-old girl in western Sydney late last year, social media lit up with two questions: who on earth were these boys and why were their identities being protected by media and shielded from the public? So far we know that police claim on December 15, a 16-year-old boy, unknown to the girl, approached her in a shopping centre car park in Liverpool. The girl reluctantly let him in her car to 'sit and chat' before he allegedly attacked her. According to NSW police, the 16-year-old filmed certain parts of the incident which he broadcast on a video call to his mates. She then drove him to Wheat park, believing it to be her best chance of him leaving. But once there, two other teens got in. A fourth man also joined who took control of the car, and police claim that the group then took turns raping the girl, sometimes two at once. When they finally left, at around 11.30pm, the 'distraught' girl called a friend who took her to Liverpool police station. Five days later on December 20, the 14 and 16-year-old boys were charged with multiple offenses and this week, an 18-year-old and 19-year-old were also arrested and charged. So far, Adam Abdul-Hamid, the 19-year-old, is the only accused who has been named by the media. And all four co-accused have yet to have their day in court and are entitled to the presumption of innocence. The case, however, highlights an issue that many readers often find confounding: regardless of any eventual verdict, it is more likely than not that we will never be able to report the other three boys' names to you. This is because in New South Wales, the Children (Criminal Proceedings) Act 1987 prohibits the publication or broadcasting of the names of people under 18 involved in criminal proceedings. This is to protect their long term reputation from the potential stigma associated with criminal charges, and to aid in their re-entry into society and rehabilitation in the event of a guilty verdict. The idea is that people under 18 deserve a second chance and should not have their reputations permanently damaged due to mistakes made in 'childhood'. And for petty, non-violent crimes, this may make sense. But when it comes to allegations of gang-rape, is the law keeping up with community expectations? And is the principle of open-justice being served? Theoretically, in NSW a sentencing judge can make an order to remove the suppression gag on their names at this point of sentencing, but this almost never happens. But at what price? I recently interviewed a young woman in Sydney who was sexually assaulted by a teenage boy. She wasn't alone. In total he was charged with sexually assaulting up to six teen girls. He was convicted of a number of those offenses but since they all happened while he was under 18, his name cannot be published in relation to those convictions. Worse still, once he turned 18, he was charged again with another offense, but this time was found not guilty due to a hung jury. To Google his name now, you would conclude he has no criminal record as the one and only result suggests that he was charged but found not guilty of the adult offense. It's a result which could easily mislead any young woman who now crosses paths with him. Another perverse outcome of this law is that journalists often have to suppress critical information in gang-rape cases of how boys or men are linked. While I make no comment about the case announced yesterday, it's not uncommon, for example, in gang-rape cases for the accused to be linked through family, a sporting team, or some other club or association. However if one or more of the alleged offenders are under 18, journalists must suppress not only their name, but also their identity and this will often extend to other personal information, including their family, school, sporting teams and so on. The result is that journalists are sometimes forced to leave out critical information which helps give context and can inform violence prevention research - including how the teen boys know each other. Most perverse of all though is how this law can impact complainants and victims. Rightly or wrongly, they are left with the perception that the accused's right to privacy and reputation is more important than their own and , but at times this law can directly silence victims. I'll never forget meeting a young woman who was raped at age five by her 17-year-old brother. He was found guilty and served jail time. She wanted to reveal her name and tell her story as part of her healing. But because they share a surname, and his identity is automatically suppressed due to his age at the time of the offending, her identity is forcibly kept secret by the law too, meaning she cannot ever share her name and full story, absent a specialised court exemption. These are just some of the perverse outcomes of this law aimed at protecting young people. But finally, it's worth remembering that aside from upholding the principles of open-justice, there are other public interest and public safety arguments for naming convicted offenders. Specifically, when media do publish the names of men and women who have been charged with, or found guilty of sexual violence, this can empower other victims in the community to come forward and report: both in general and specifically in relation to that named offender. The reason for this is that many victims of sexual assault choose not to report at first, especially if they believe they are 'the only one'. Isolation, shame, self-blame, fear of not being believed, and fear of reprisals are just some of the reasons many stay silent. But when a victim learns their offender has been charged with another offense this can empower them to take steps to report: not only is there strength and safety in numbers, but survivors also instinctively understand that an offender who harms two people is capable of harming many more. It takes enormous strength and courage to report a sexual crime. I hope as a community we know how to stand with those who do.
Scottish Sun
an hour ago
- Sport
- Scottish Sun
Liverpool ‘chasing England star Marc Guehi' with Bayer Leverkusen accelerating £30MILLION Jarell Quansah pursuit
Palace are already considering a replacement for Guehi Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) LIVERPOOL are interested in signing Crystal Palace defender Marc Guehi this summer. And the £30million that the Reds are on the verge of receiving for Jarell Quansah could help to fund the deal. Sign up for Scottish Sun newsletter Sign up 5 Crystal Palace star Marc Guehi is attracting interest from Liverpool Credit: Alamy 5 Jarell Quansah is at the Under-21 Euros Credit: Shutterstock Editorial Leverkusen are closing in on Quansah, in a deal that is separate to Liverpool's swoop for Florian Wirtz. Reds boss Arne Slot could look to upgrade his back line by recruiting Guehi, who has just one year remaining on his Crystal Palace contract. Eagles chiefs are already looking at potential replacements for their skipper, with Sporting star Ousmane Diomande being considered. Quansah, who is currently on England duty at the U21 European Championship in Slovakia, has already agreed personal terms with Leverkusen. READ MORE IN FOOTBALL CITY PUNISHED Man City slapped with fine as they accept breaching Prem rule nine times The defender now has his heart set on moving to Germany in search of regular first-team football. And all that now remains is for the two clubs to agree a fee. Leverkusen are yet to table an official offer for the star. Though they have been locked in talks with the Anfield chiefs and an agreement worth around £30m with a series of performance-related add-ons is close to being finalised. BEST ONLINE CASINOS - TOP SITES IN THE UK 5 5 Quansah was part of the England side that suffered a 2-1 defeat to Germany on Wednesday. He's expected to be involved again on Saturday in the quarter-final against Spain. Marc Guehi forced to tell overexcited Crystal Palace team-mate to shut up in hilarious tunnel footage The ace has come through the ranks at Liverpool and enjoyed a spell on loan at Bristol Rovers back in 2023. But he has only featured 30 times for the Reds in the Premier League, with 13 of those coming last term as Slot guided the Merseysiders to the title. 5 TRANSFER NEWS LIVE - KEEP UP WITH ALL THE LATEST FROM A BUSY SUMMER WINDOW
The Sun
an hour ago
- Sport
- The Sun
Liverpool ‘chasing England star Marc Guehi' with Bayer Leverkusen accelerating £30MILLION Jarell Quansah pursuit
LIVERPOOL are interested in signing Crystal Palace defender Marc Guehi this summer. And the £30million that the Reds are on the verge of receiving for Jarell Quansah could help to fund the deal. 3 3 Leverkusen are closing in on Quansah, in a deal that is separate to Liverpool 's swoop for Florian Wirtz. Reds boss Arne Slot could look to upgrade his back line by recruiting Guehi, who has just one year remaining on his Crystal Palace contract. Eagles chiefs are already looking at potential replacements for their skipper, with Sporting star Ousmane Diomande being considered. Quansah, who is currently on England duty at the U21 European Championship in Slovakia, has already agreed personal terms with Leverkusen. The defender now has his heart set on moving to Germany in search of regular first-team football. And all that now remains is for the two clubs to agree a fee. Leverkusen are yet to table an official offer for the star. Though they have been locked in talks with the Anfield chiefs and an agreement worth around £30m with a series of performance-related add-ons is close to being finalised. BEST ONLINE CASINOS - TOP SITES IN THE UK Quansah was part of the England side that suffered a 2-1 defeat to Germany on Wednesday. He's expected to be involved again on Saturday in the quarter-final against Spain. Marc Guehi forced to tell overexcited Crystal Palace team-mate to shut up in hilarious tunnel footage The ace has come through the ranks at Liverpool and enjoyed a spell on loan at Bristol Rovers back in 2023. But he has only featured 30 times for the Reds in the Premier League, with 13 of those coming last term as Slot guided the Merseysiders to the title. 3
BBC News
2 hours ago
- Business
- BBC News
Hospitals, schools and courts to get funding boost
The UK government has pledged more money for "crumbling" hospitals, schools and courts as part of a ten year infrastructure strategy. It will spend £9bn a year over the next decade to fix and replace buildings, but is yet to publish a list identifying major projects such as new roads and rail strategy is a cornerstone of the government's plans to put some life into Britain's sluggish economic growth, and promises £725bn of funding over a announcements on Thursday focussed on what the Chief Secretary to the Treasury Darren Jones called a "soaring maintenance backlog" in health, education and justice buildings. The strategy promised a more rounded plan for major schemes, but the publication of a new pipeline of hundreds of projects has been delayed until said the projects will be shown on a map of the said the government would be doing "fewer things better instead of the same things badly", a sign that the list of more than 600 projects inherited from the Conservatives may be cut was no formal green light at this stage for the long-promised northern high-speed rail link between Liverpool and for the link were first revealed in May 2024 after the cancellation of HS2's northern Treasury also indicated it was looking at new models for funding economic projects, including public private partnerships, and would report back by the autumn Rachel Reeves said: "Crumbling public buildings are a sign of the decay that has seeped into our everyday lives because of a total failure to plan and invest."But Conservative shadow minister Richard Fuller said the previous government "had to deal with a series of economic disruptions including the impact of Covid, the unwinding of quantitative easing across all advanced economies, and the invasion of Ukraine by Russia"."The global impact of these were to disrupt supply chains, increase inflation, and raise interest rates, " Fuller these shocks, the last government increased public spending on capital projects, he said. The £725bn will be spent on projects including rebuilding and maintaining schools, colleges, and hospitals, and prisons will be will be an environmental planning reform package of £500m over three years to speed up how Natural England and the Environment Agency process planning £8bn will go on flood defences over the ten years, and £1bn has been earmarked for repairing bridges, flyovers and is £39bn for affordable homes, and £15.6bn for regional Murison, chief executive of the Northern Powerhouse Partnership, said the investments "will both boost productivity and support the decarbonisation of our economy".
Yahoo
2 hours ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
David Ornstein: Liverpool ‘Close to Agreement' of £34m with Bayer Leverkusen for Defender
Quansah on the Brink as Leverkusen Close in on £34m Deal It's never easy watching one of your own leave. Jarell Quansah, a product of Liverpool's esteemed academy and a player many believed would be the heart of the defence for years to come, is now edging closer to a move to Bayer Leverkusen. As reported by David Ornstein in The Athletic, talks between the clubs are advancing rapidly with a fee just north of €40 million being discussed. No formal bid yet, but the signs are there. In a summer where Liverpool are showing ambition in the market — having already secured Jeremie Frimpong and lined up Florian Wirtz — this feels like a twist few expected. Especially when Quansah himself appeared committed to staying and fighting for his place. Advertisement 'I think I can take massive learnings from the three seasons I've had in professional football,' Quansah told The Athletic. 'From Bristol Rovers (on loan in 2023) until now, to put perspective and look back, I'm in a very good position to take the next step.' It's that last part that lingers. Is the next step progression or departure? Photo: IMAGO Minutes Matter for a Man with Ambition Quansah played 25 times last season but only started five league games under Arne Slot. While Liverpool lifted the Premier League title, the 22-year-old spent more time observing than influencing. For a player desperate to make the England senior squad and hungry for minutes, that's a bitter pill. Advertisement As Gregg Evans noted in The Athletic's analysis, 'Moving to a club like Leverkusen, who will be playing in the Champions League next year and chasing domestic honours, is a good switch for Quansah.' The opportunity to replace Jonathan Tah, who joined Bayern Munich, is there for the taking. Leverkusen offer not just game time but the right stage — Europe's top competition — to prove he belongs in Gareth Southgate's plans for next summer's World Cup. A Liverpool Path Less Travelled Quansah's journey has been anything but linear. From League One football with Bristol Rovers to duelling Premier League strikers at Anfield, the lad has packed plenty into his young career. There's rawness in his game but no shortage of resilience or reading of play. At times last season, he looked more composed than those around him. Advertisement Liverpool, however, are not in the habit of standing still. With Ibrahima Konaté negotiating a new deal and Virgil van Dijk committing late last season, the centre-back picture is crowded. The club are also assessing external options, ensuring that any Quansah exit won't leave a defensive vacuum. Photo: IMAGO Leverkusen's Investment and Liverpool's Gamble Should the move be finalised, Quansah would become Bayer Leverkusen's record signing, eclipsing the €32 million paid for Kerem Demirbay in 2019. That speaks volumes about their belief in him. It also highlights Liverpool's current transfer model — selling high, reinvesting wisely, trusting the academy pipeline. Advertisement Yet for all the financial logic, there's always the emotional pull. Quansah had the makings of a cult hero, a homegrown lad made good. Losing him before his Anfield story fully unfolds leaves a sense of unfinished business. 'From Bristol Rovers to now… I'm in a very good position,' Quansah said. It seems that position may soon lie in Germany. Our View – Anfield Index Analysis For Liverpool fans, this one cuts deep. Quansah isn't just another squad player — he's a reminder of what the academy can produce when patience and coaching align. Watching him leave now, before truly establishing himself in red, feels premature. Many supporters saw him as a long-term successor to Van Dijk, especially with his composure, aerial ability and natural leadership. Advertisement There's also the broader issue of squad depth. With Van Dijk ageing, Konaté injury-prone and question marks over Joe Gomez's long-term role, is letting Quansah go wise? Yes, £34 million is a tempting offer. But in a summer where margins will be fine and every department needs reinforcing, letting a top young centre-back leave could be a decision we regret. Still, fans understand Quansah's motivation. He needs to play, especially with the World Cup on the horizon. And if Leverkusen can offer that while competing in the Champions League, it's hard to begrudge him the move. Let's hope Liverpool have a proper replacement lined up, because if Quansah shines in Germany, we'll be left wondering what could have been.
