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BABY RAPIST 'HAD PREVIOUS CHARGES'

Tuesday July 3,2007

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A man who raped and murdered his two-year-old niece had been previously charged with raping a 12-year-old girl, the Crown Prosecution Service has said.

Michael Mullen, 21, was jailed yesterday after admitted the rape and murder of Casey Leigh Mullen in February this year.

The part-time barman from Gipton, Leeds was told he must serve a minimum of 35 years in jail for the horrific crime after pleading guilty at Leeds Crown Court.

The Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) confirmed on Tuesday Mullen was charged with raping a 12-year-old girl four years ago. However, the charges were dropped because prosecutors believed there were inconsistencies in the victim's story and a conviction was unlikely.

A CPS spokeswoman said: "In 2003, Michael Mullen had been charged with two offences of rape on a 12-year-old girl on the advice of the CPS. The CPS keeps cases under constant review, and immediately before the trial, new evidence came to light which seriously undermined the prosecution case against the defendant.

"The new evidence highlighted inconsistencies in the complainant's evidence such as to remove a realistic prospect of obtaining a conviction for the original offence.

"The CPS consulted with the police and prosecuting counsel and discussed the new evidence with the complainant, following which the decision was taken to offer no evidence, a decision fully endorsed by the trial judge."

The alleged victim's father, a Leeds man in his 50s, told the Yorkshire Evening Post: "I am angry that the charges were dropped.

"I have tried to instil in my daughter that after Mullen raped and killed that little kiddie, he will never walk the streets again.

"But I have to wonder if there are other victims. I can't believe he went four years without committing any other offences."

NOT SURPRISED.

03.07.07, 9:33pm

This does not surprise me in the least. Peadophillia is a big threat and people will not face it head on. They have their heads on the clouds and thing that if they teach their kids about strangers that the job is done. But the threat is in the homes that you live in. It is not strangers who comit thses vile and desicable acts. It is fathers, mothers, brothers, sisters, cousins, aunts and uncles. It s family friends. And sentencing is ridiculous. Look at that judge who blamed the ten year old for her own abuse. That is sick.

Get your head out of the clouds and write to your M.P's. tell them that sentencing for abuse to children needs to be harsh. But at the same time, we have to learn what makes peadophiles tick. There has to be a better understanding.There should be more help for peadophiles who want to stop. We need to bring peadophilia out into the open. If we know who might harm our children, we can better protect them.

• Posted by: Bijemi • Report Comment