Libby mum: Cops failing on flashers
She blasts inaction
Take That star
CHARLOTTE MCLAUGHLIN TAKE That singer Howard Donald has been axed by a Pride event after “liking” transphobic tweets.
The star had been due to play a solo show at Groovebox’s Nottingham Pride Festival in July.
He said he is “deeply sorry” for “liking social media posts that are derogatory towards the LGBTQIA+ community”.
Donald, 55, added: “I have made a huge error in my judgement.
“I know I have let everyone down. I am sorry for any hurt I have caused by my uneducated actions.
“I clearly have a lot to learn and it’s a priority for me that I do this.”
Take That are working on a new album and are set to headline the British Summer Time festival.
SASKIA ROWLANDS
THE grieving mum of murdered student Libby Squire has slammed “horrifying” figures that show the vast majority of flashers and peeping Toms never face charges.
University undergraduate Libby, 21, was raped and murdered by serial sex offender Pawel Relowicz on a night out with pals.
The sick killer had a string of previous convictions for spying on women, indecent exposure and performing sex acts in public.
Libby’s mum Lisa
Squire believes her daughter might still be alive today if
Relowicz had been stopped earlier.
Now she has made a desperate plea for a tougher line on catching and prosecuting “non-contact” sex offenders, amid evidence that they often go on to become rapists or murderers.
The new figures, which we uncovered through Freedom of Information requests, show only 10% of noncontact sex crimes reported to London’s Metropolitan Police between 2021 and 2022 led to charges.
Lisa, 52, of High Wycombe, Bucks, said: “Your findings are horrifying and prove that the majority of people still view these offences as harmless. “So many crimes are now taken more seriously and we’ve progressed in other areas – but with noncontact offences nothing has changed.” The shocking statistic emerged despite growing
FIGHT Lisa is campaigning for a tougher line
Libby as a baby
pressure on police to tackle low-level don’t know they can do anything about sex offences after Metropolitan Police it. We need to make reporting easier, firearms officer Wayne Couzens but also to empower young men and flashed a woman days before snatching women to know that their reports will Sarah Everard in March 2021. be taken seriously.”
Philosophy student Libby was Her warning comes after Met Police murdered by Relowicz, then 26, in Hull, Commissioner Sir Mark Rowley East Yorks, in 2019. pledged to crack down on non-physical
Lisa, of High Wycombe, sex attacks following the Bucks, said: “He’d been murder of Sarah Everard. committing these offences He said: “We’ve stepped up for 18 months before he killed our approach to indecent Libby. I wish more could exposure because there is have been done to stop him. clear evidence that some of He has a serious sexual these offences haven’t been problem and needed help.” taken seriously enough.”
The maternity nurse said A force spokesman added: not every non-contact “We are committed to sexual offender would providing the best possible become a rapist, adding: service to victims of indecent “But every rapist was a noncontact Relowicz exposure. sexual offender at one point “These crimes are incredibly – so we need to take them for the red distressing and deeply impacting.” flags that they are.” A spokesman for Humberside Police,
Lisa is campaigning to raise awareness which is working with Lisa to raise of the importance of reporting awareness, said: “We urge the public to low-level sex offences. report all non-contact sexual offences.”
She said: “I think a lot of women still