Rapist 7/7 victim guest of honour at memorial service

[Honey]

David Cameron was criticised yesterday after he was pictured chatting to a violent gang rapist at the memorial to the July 7 victims.
The Conservative leader also shook the hand of Garri Holness, 42, who lost a leg in the London bombings.
In the weeks after the 2005 attacks, which claimed 52 lives, it emerged Holness had been jailed for his part in the horrific rape of two 16-year-old girls in 1985.

Meeting: David Cameron talks to Garri Holness at the ceremony

He was part of a gang known as the Young Raiders who dragged the schoolgirls into an underground garage in Brixton, South London, where they were raped more than 40 times at knifepoint.
Holness, a musician from Croydon, South London, was sentenced to seven years.
He was freed after serving three years but his conviction came back to haunt him when he took a leading role in the fight for justice for the 7/7 survivors. Holness has always argued his past should not be dragged up.

The fourth anniversary ceremony, attended by Prince Charles, was held to unveil 52 stainless steel columns, one for each of the people killed in the terrorist attack

But Mr Cameron's meeting with a convicted criminal has angered many.
Fay Maxted, of The Survivors Trust, which offers support to those who have suffered a sexual attack, said she was astonished.
'It is beyond our understanding that he should have been invited to shake hands with leading officials at the memorial service,' she said.
'The suffering of Holness's young victims seems to have been forgotten.'

Holness, pictured in the Royal Free Hospital, insists the rape was in his past and should not be dragged up

Speaking before Tuesday's Hyde Park ceremony, Holness said: ' People have to move on, I was a 17-year-old who didn't know himself.
'I don't want it raked up for the victims. I believe I am here now for a reason, to help young people.
'I was young, I was in a gang and I was brought up in a single parent family. I can help them.'

Holness also mingled with Gordon Brown, Prince Charles and the Duchess of Cornwall.
A spokesman said Mr Cameron was unaware of Holness's past.
A source added: 'David had no control over the guest list.
'He didn't know who Holness was.'
In January 2007 it emerged Holnesshad been awarded more than £100,000 in compensation for his injuries.
He received at least £74,000 from the London Bombings Relief Charitable Fund and at least £33,000 from the Criminal Injuries Compensation Scheme.
It is more than ten times that given to his two teenage victims, who received just £7,000 each.

Rapist who lost leg in 7/7 blast meets Cameron as guest of honour at memorial event | Mail Online

[buttmunch]

Hmmm....tough one. He was obviously a teen when convicted, served his time and has not been in trouble since. Are we not allowing people to pay for their crimes and then hopefully emerge a better, more law-abiding person? Tough one.

[celeb_2006]

He does seem to have a rather odd manner of distancing himself from his heinous crimes, seemingly blaming it on his youth, his gang, etc. etc.

Doesn't sound like a guy that's the least bit remorseful over what he did, more like, meh, I got caught, did the time, so what.

[buttmunch]

That's why I'm torn. On one hand you'd think he'd take the chance to say yes, I'm sorry for what I did and sorry for my victim and then say 'but time has moved on, I was young, I've learned from my mistake, etc.'. Then again, this is from the Daily Mail so we might not be getting the entire story.

[MoodyJenny86]

I agree buttmunch.

This is a tough one.

[sputnik]

i'm with butt. i'll reserve judgement until i see coverage from a real source and not the dodgy mail.

[crumpet]

Originally Posted by buttmunch

Hmmm....tough one. He was obviously a teen when convicted, served his time and has not been in trouble since. Are we not allowing people to pay for their crimes and then hopefully emerge a better, more law-abiding person? Tough one.

No, because being a rapist isn't like stealing a candy bar or vandalizing sidewalks. I could never be in the presence of someone capable of doing that to anyone, much less pretend that they are just like everyone else now and it's all in the past. I doubt it's all in the past for his poor victims. Gang raped. 40 times. At knifepoint. That's waaay worse than impulsively firing a single gunshot. That takes the worst kind of sadistic woman hater to do that to a woman, multiple women, repeatedly. I'm sorry, but I really worry about anyone who could struggle with this. Imagine these victims watching him get 'honored'.

I'm glad he got his fucking leg blown off.

[sputnik]

it was a ceremony for people who were injured in the 7/7 bombings. should they have gone through all the victims' pasts and only invited the ones without criminal pasts?
yes, he was in jail in the past and yes, he commited a horrible crime but he also got a leg blown off in the bombings so technically he had every reason to be there... but i'm also totally disgusted with the crime he commited... that's why i'm having trouble with this one. he commited a crime, went to jail, did the time and, as far as i know, hasn't re-offended. and isn't that what the justice system is supposed to do? and once a criminal is done with jail, he/she re-integrates society?

[crumpet]

[quote=sputnik;1810368]it was a ceremony for people who were injured in the 7/7 bombings. should they have gone through all the victims' pasts and only invited the ones without criminal pasts?
yes, he was in jail in the past and yes, he commited a horrible crime but he also got a leg blown off in the bombings so technically he had every reason to be there... but i'm also totally disgusted with the crime he commited... that's why i'm having trouble with this one. he commited a crime, went to jail, did the time and, as far as i know, hasn't re-offended. and isn't that what the justice system is supposed to do? and once a criminal is done with jail, he/she re-integrates society?[/quote]

No, they shouldn't go through everyone's past, but if someone happens to get written about in the paper and they have info on his past, I'm going to be critical. As for the second issue, well, why would anyone have a problem with a released sex offender/pedo moving in next door since they've done their time,too? I mean, it's all in the past, so just have him over for dinner as long as he hasn't been arrested since then. I'm biased because I don't think violent criminals should get the light sentences they do, most don't ever serve near their full time to begin with, and the majority are repeat offenders that I don't think should have ever been let out.