Hello,

I'm currently awaiting a date for a plea hearing for a charge relating to online sexual offences. I'm unsure what my sentence is likely to be but if it's non-custodial, I'm worried about returning home following the hearing as I know the local press will publish the street I live on, as they have done in all of their reporting of other sexual offences. I am currently in temporary accommodation but I may be in permanent social/council housing by then. Does anyone know if the publishing of my street name is grounds to have an emergency move to alternative accommodation? I wouldn't feel safe for myself or my family (they don't live with me) if the public knew where I lived as I have had credible threats of violence against me from someone close to the case, not just a vigilante group or general members of the public. I don't want to press charges as that will only aggravate the whole situation further.

Any responses are much appreciated.

Just a precursor - You don't get to really decide about pressing charges in the UK, that's an American thing. You'd report the crime and the police would investigate and the Crown Prosecution Service would decide on the charges (in England and Wales) and the Procurator Fiscal (in Scotland).

Now onto the meat of your question.

It's honestly really difficult to answer and I feel a chat with your local police might be the best starting point. Lay out your concerns and be precise, back up what you say if you can as you mentioned you've had credible threats in the past and I know it's difficult but you'll need to name them to the police so they can keep an eye on it especially if they have threatened you in the previously.

I'd then be speaking with my solicitor, you never know what they might be able to suggest. They may be able to put forward a request for a reporting injunction - Not guaranteed obviously but doesn't hurt to ask.

Thanks for your response khafka.

Regarding pressing charges, what I mean is that I didn't give a formal statement as I was worried about aggravating the situation and potentially having to appear in court regarding my statement. I know CCTV footage exists of when the threat was made, which I told the police, but they said there's not much they can do without a formal statement.

I suppose I wanted to know if, in general, having the media post your street name and conviction is enough in itself to warrant an emergency change of address due to the potential public/vigilante backlash? Or would threats/acts of violence need to be evidenced before an emergency change of address can be implemented, if at all?

My solicitor said that this was a police matter and didn't seem interested in discussing it further. He said there's nothing he can do about restricting the publication of any of my details.

Ah okay.

Well the short answer at least in my experience is "No".

Most people reported on will include the street as it's a way to avoid any potential issues with another John Doe from that city being caught up in it. For what it's worth, I was convicted on a sex offence, reported in a local paper and slapped about social media vigilante groups. Aside from comments online there's been zero issues going back 6 years at this point actually, first reported at the start of December 2019. That being said there were a few comments from people that actually know me that were giving the big "Oh I'm going to batter him next time I see him yada yada" which I brought to my PPU as I felt they were slightly more credible than some random pleb but they said basically unless they actually go forward with something there's little they can do aside from log it and potentially speak to the person to tell them to knock it off. Even coming across these folk in the wild they never did anything, all mouth and no trousers as they say.

That's all anecdotal of course but from my experience and research seems to be a fairly common experience of the situation.

If you do honestly believe you are in danger of violence then you need to report this. I know it's difficult as you want to keep your head down and try and get through this but if someone is threatening you like this then it is also not acceptable. If it ever gets as far as a court room you may not need to actually be there, you can just prepare a written statement.

I don't mean to sound blunt but unless there's something you're missing out the chances of the police sorting you out with emergency alternative accommodation is zero, your situation isn't unique otherwise they'd be doing this every other day and it'd cost them a fortune.

Thanks again for your response khafka.

I suppose I need to weigh up the pros and cons of providing a formal statement vs not providing one. At the moment my hope is that I'm still in temporary accommodation at the time when my street name is published, then I get moved to permanent accommodation straight after that, but I know that situation is extremely unlikely.

There's always the chance that I receive a custodial sentence, which I don't want, but at least it would mean I'd lose access to my address and go through the homeless system again to get a new address. But the threat included knowing people on the inside, so that also scares me. Although I'd hope I'd be a bit safer in a Vulnerable Prisoner Unit, if it came to it.

I'm determined to become rehabilitated, I just hope I get the chance to do that and show everyone, although I know most people will never believe that's possible.