Gravesend Baby Rape: Who Told The Tabloids The Child Had Been Sexually Assaulted, Allegedly?
STILL no more news on the Gravesend baby hospitalised with severe injuries. The tabloids used the word “rape“. Tens of people took part in a vigil in the street – an outpouring of orchestrated grief in the grim post Diana ritual of mourn porn.
The Bexley Shopper says that the man aged 35 and a woman aged 33 remain on police bail.
The paper says the pair were “arrested on suspicion of assaulting a baby boy“.
Says Chief Superintendent Neil Jerome:
“There has been a lot of unhelpful speculation around social media and also what’s going on in the local community. It’s our job to establish the facts and to conduct a thorough and professional investigation. That is what we are doing and when the investigation is reaching the correct and appropriate stage then we will announce further details.”
Later, he adds:
“First of all I would like to thank everyone in the community for the compassionate way you have pulled together and expressed support for the baby boy who was admitted to hospital last week with serious, unexplained injuries.”
Or as the Sun reported:
A woman said: “Someone shouted, ‘Let’s go and find the b******s who did this’.
“People started throwing things at the house and damaging a car in the driveway.”
Chief Super Jerome adds:
“I know you, like my officers and I, all hope that his condition continues to improve and he has a speedy recovery. He remains stable at present and is receiving excellent care and medical treatment.
“Due to the baby’s tender age and the medical care he is currently undergoing, it has not yet been possible to carry out the relevant scans and assessments for the police investigation.
“The baby’s well-being is our top priority, and once it is safe to do so my officers will continue with this aspect of the investigation to find out how the injuries were caused and whether criminal offences have been committed.”
Whether.
So. How did the Daily Mirror, which first took the story national, have information of an alleged rape?
How did the Daily Mail conjure the headline, “One-month-old baby with every rib broken fighting for its life after man and woman are arrested for rape and battery“?
On December 3rd the Mirror created the headline
Two arrested after ‘raped’ one-month old baby admitted to hospital in critical condition
Two days later the Mirror wrote:
One-month old baby that was ‘raped’ in critical but stable condition
The child is badly injured:
When asked about the nature of those injuries, he replied: “It would be absolutely inappropriate for me to go into those details because we are working with the hospital to establish exactly what they are.”
The pair were not arrested for rape.
The Mail quoted a nameless Facebook member:
One Facebook group called ‘Jail the scum who raped and beat a one-month-old baby in Gravesend’ contained several messages calling for the parents to be named over the alleged abuse.
“Two people who were arrested in connection with this incident remain on bail whilst the investigation continues.”
Who said “rape”? And if the police are treading carefully, as they seem to be, why did the tabloids spread the rumour in their headlines? Over to you, Mr Leveson…
Posted: 9th, December 2011 | In: Key Posts, Reviews Comments (2) | TrackBack | Permalink
