Dear Editor,
Reading the article on page 7 of the most recent issue [number 160], I wish to applaud your expose on the repeat sex offender Christopher Bates who was recently sentenced to Life Imprisonment for the attempted rape of a teenage girl.
The circumstances of the case were disturbing and harrowing, not least of all for the victim and her family, but to the local community at large.
The present Government encourages openness and transparency and I think it is most certainly in the public interest that we are made aware of the location of the secure unit where he was being held.
I appreciate that his escape while under supervision, occurred during a visit to the dentist, but the public deserves to know the type[s] of ex-offender[s] that are being released into their community.
How many locals are aware that ex-offenders, probably recidivists at that, are out and about amongst us?
We deserve to know the full facts.
Kind regards,
Mr P Laidler, Spennymoor
Spennymoor's local community newspaper.
