The Slog is grateful to readers pointing out that yesterday’s cop paedophile case dated back to 2005, and took two years to come to Court. If anyone doubts that it is still going on, however, here’s another slightly fresher instance.

DC Andrew Rowe worked as a detective constable specialising in child abuse cases for over a decade. But last September he was convucted of sexually grooming a 15-year-old girl.
Rowe, 31, pled guilty at Birmingham Crown Court to five charges under the Sexual Offences Act. Staffs Police said Rowe, who was arrested in April, had sent the girl hundreds of messages on a social networking site.

The girl’s family released a statement through the force saying Rowe had “completely abused” the trust people had in him.

“You became friends with the family and you went on to abuse their trust in a gross and abhorrent way” said Justice Sean Morris.

“It is hard to imagine a more shocking abuse of position by an officer” commented
Assistant Chief Constable Marcus Beale. Not really, Marcus. It happens all the time in Stafford.

But given the case was ‘abhorrent’ and ‘shocking’, why did Rowe get just over three years for the offences?

I’m opposed to prison: but I’m in favour of either curing or keeping traumatised kids safe from the Rowes of this world. The loss of liberty is (after taking ‘good behaviour into account) a risible insult.