In a serious situation whilst unsure where to go

[Santy]

Earlier today I had a group of individuals come to the house banging on the door throwing some pretty serious accusations (largely revolving around me trying something of a peadophile nature towards young girls). The threats made to me were "either the police get here first or you'll end up in hospital and we won't need the police" as there was no interest in my initial protests that I hadn't done anything.

Fortunately neighbours overheard the commotion and outright disputed it, in one case the neighbour had been there the whole time the incident was meant to have happened and hadn't seen me come out the house and whatnot.

When actually asked further it went from definitely being me, to maybe being me to being someone who was wearing different clothes and to someone who then went through the fields.

In addition to the fact the neighbours were able to rule out the fact I hadn't been out to them etc as claimed I was at the time it was meant to have happened playing an online game on the PC (WoW) so in terms of all actually proving it wasn't me there is no doubt, whether it really happened with someone somewhere or not is unknown to me but from what the neighbours have said it seems very unlikely as they saw no one at all about who matched any of this.

The trouble more is that of course as people are busybodies and when alcohol is thrown in with it stick to their prejudgements its now up on facebook without explicitly mentioning me and several times tonight there has been the repeated driving past what appears to be the car from earlier as well as generally a bit of loitering of one or two individuals which isn't really usual.

This has the potential to have far reaching consequences, a lot of people won't be interested in the truth afterall if a friend tells people something like this usually they're all too happy to believe it. Right now I suspect I can't do anything as I haven't been named or my address given away publicly, but when can I do something and who is it best to involve directly? Obviously Facebook about slanderous comments but the role of the police in this is also one I'm unsure of, should I make them aware of it already as pre-emptive protection just incase more does come of it?

[MermaidSal]

Fucking hell santy

You should be able to contact Facebook and get any serious insinuations taken off - has anyone here actually managed to do that?

Do you know all or some of the individuals?

In theory the police should be there to help but I'd talk to a lawyer before talking to the police and preferably only go to the police with a lawyer present - and I suspect a good lawyer might say hold firm, hope it blows over but the main thing is you'll have logged a conversation with him/her. Which will cost you money unfortunately but hopefully not too much.

[One-Two]

That doesn't sound good at all, completely unfair and wrong

The accusations and this behaviour from this group are horrible enough to deal with in themselves, but at least if you were on WoW, it should be very easy to prove you were online at that time through their servers etc. and your neighbours backing you up.

Hope everything gets itself sorted out as soon as possible, can't be nice at all

[PenkhullStokie]

I'm sure there's a trainee/actual lawyer either here or on the Oatie that would help.

Good luck mate.

[MermaidSal]

Good question Penks - have we got a bona fide lawyer on here in fact??

[SuperRickyFuller]

I can be a lawyer if someone pays me enough

That sounds mental Santy, absolutely mental. Definitely worth at least talking it over with a solicitor before talking to the police, might prevent the situation from escalating slightly because they sound like a right set of bastards with no regard of a fellow human

[Santy]

Well the whole nature of the accusation isn't an issue, that was pretty quickly proven to have no basis of truth at all. I don't actually know any of them personally but my brother has seen it on facebook through a friends of his facebook.

The ramifications more lie in the fact that there is more potential for some pissed up bloke saying stuff on facebook to have more damaging consequences on my life than the initial event. It's incredibly irritating and angering to sit here knowing its being done and said. At the moment its just been referring to 'an individual' on facebook as such, but obviously there is the chance for it to go further away from the public domain if they know my name and/or remember my address.

Unfortunately I don't have the money to seek proper legal advice which is sort of the reason behind seeking anyone who has a better understanding than myself. End of the day kids make up stories, one of the two dads got extremely angry and apologised after his daughter revealed she had made it up about it being me or even bearing witness to anything at all. I'm not angry at that but the stupid behaviour of adults who can't bear to be in the wrong or whatever it is that is keeping them on about it. It's more frustrating my partner has to endure the worrying of what may happen.

The initial 'claim' as such is a non-start, I mean when the whole incident was meant to take place I was actively in conversation with some 25+ other people online and the 5/6 neighbours who are immediately available can confirm that I didn't leave the house. The issue is more any slanderous claims, these have more potential for harm in the long term than any of the rest of it. This is something that could if it goes badly or gets out of hand ruin my life for a few years to come and at 22 I don't want that.

[jamlander]

My advice would be to speak to a lawyer or the Citizens Advice Bureau. Make sure that you write down all the times, events and get whatever corroboration you can from friends, neighbours. If you know these people or your neighbours know who they are then my suggestion is that you involve the police due to the threatening nature of their behaviour.

I think Sal's made the point before now of the utter madness of attitudes where paedophilia is concerned. Meet it head on. Really feel for you and I'm sorry I can't be of any more help.

[WineDelilah]

Think everyone's advice previously Santy is about right. I agree that you should meet it head on. Most Solicitors will give you half an hour, (though often longer) free of charge and the CBS are always a good port of call.

Must be awful for you and I fully understand that whilst it's fine to know that you are able to disprove any ridiculous accusations that doesn't stop some of the braindead idiots that frequent facebook from whipping up a storm as it were. Hard though it must be, try not to bite at any comments but at the sametime I would look into contacting facebook to see what your rights are..

Chin up chap..

[aworldofmyown]

well if you were playin WoW, there's no hope for you, they are all supposed to be weirdo's who play that game

[Ninjadmin]

Tell us the whole story so we can fathom it. What is said to have taken place and why on earth would you get brought into it? Who do you know that is involved with any of this? Start from the top so we could advise you properly.

It just so happens that I've got a lot of experience in dodging child molestation accusations.

[Santy]

I went and asked my neighbours to write it all out in a statement kind of fashion with it dated and signed. I'm not entirely aware of the whole story initially it was that I had come out exposed myself to them and tried to take it further, then it became that this person ran into my back garden, the person was wearing different clothes. One of the two dads took his daughter to one side after this and asked her in private, came back apologised said she hadn't seen anything and her friend was the only one who had.

The problem only seems to have come from the fact some were well on their way to being drunk and were just intent on dragging it on and on. The main problem in the end was the mother of one of the two girls just left hurling abuse saying that her daughter isn't a liar etc.

What it came down to I don't know, too many things to speculate but ultimately it seems more like the fact that some were just spoiling for a fight, I was told the police had already been called and were on there way, the jist of the threat was either the police would get here or I'd be getting a beating.

It does leave me angry and perplexed, I'm going to wait today see what is said and what transpires before I go any further. Hopefully there is no need to take it further and even if the few who couldn't admit they were wrong yesterday can admit to themselves now. Ultimately I'd rather have a quiet life, but certainly not at the expense of people continuing to state things like that.

[Campervan Von Bigglesworth]

you dont play for Hearts do you???

[Santy]

Afraid not

It has basically devolved to just one man going out of his way to drive around my street screeching his tires and shouting abuse. Borrowed a camera from the neighbours to set-up in the window and they're also considering making a complaint due to the fact he's doing it at silly hours through the night and in the morning.

He just cowardly shouts obscenities as when I wandered past his house today he was in the garden and didn't utter a word (a neighbour from a few doors away pointed it out) so just made a note of the address and if he persists being stupid when hes had a few beers then I'm sure he'll regret it soon enough.

[SuperRickyFuller]

It's odd how some people get a kick from such weird behaviour isn't it?

[Deleted]

My, my there are some fucking cretins about. It amazes me that people are so stupid that they will blindly believe any stupid Chinese whisper. Like that one on facebook a few months ago about the couple going round snatching kids.

You seem like a really genuine guy Santy, it pisses me off knowing evolution forgot to include some people. Hope it all dissolves without any grief mate.

[Santy]

I've missed half of it due to the fact I usually don't get up that early, but the neighbours said they've heard it when taking thier kids to school both today and yesterday starting at around 6/7am, I heard him today at just after 9 and it really is strange. If he still genuinely believes its true in light of everything else the simple solution would be to involve the police.

Ultimately most things I would let go I only want a quiet life and I've got a holiday in a month but it's not something I can just sit and tolerate with him shouting things of such a nature.

[spunkbubble]

get the phone number of your local police station, ring them up and ask for an appoitmnet with the local community liason officer or such like, and explain the whole situation to them, with referance to this one individual who is driving like a loon by your house, and show any video evidence to them you have.

[Pretty Little Boother]

Get your knob out.

[rhodesy]

May as well shag a 16 year old, everyone thinks you're a paedo in your neighbourhood, you have nothing to lose!