VIDEO: Tele readers continue to join our call for justice for kids
For the last week we have asked you, the people of Dundee, to support our fight to get justice for our kids – and you are delivering in your thousands.
On April 29 we launched a petition as part of the Our Kids Need Justice campaign, seeking to mandate automatic prison sentences for those convicted of child sex offences.
Regardless of whether the offence involves a direct, physical act of abuse or the amassing of a collection of abusive images, we want these offenders kept off of our streets.
Following the launch of the petition we have collected countless signatures both online and by post.
Up to this morning our online petition, at thetele.co.uk, has collected more than 2,200 signatures.
And 72 paper petitions have been sent in to our offices by post.
However, our fight is far from over, and if you are yet to add your voice to our call for action, you can do so online or by sending in the form below.
Since the Tele’s Our Kids Need Justice campaign was launched 10 months ago, we have seen perverts escaping the clutches of justice time and time again.
People who have abused children or who have gathered collections of disgusting images have walked from court.
And even MSPs have agreed that judges are giving out “soft-touch” sentences.
We want to present our petition to the Scottish Parliament and have it debated in the chamber at Holyrood, following which we hope the Scottish Sentencing Council will see sense and recommend automatic custodial sentences for perverts.
Tele editor Dave Lord said: “When we launched the Our Kids Need Justice petition calling for mandatory jail terms for those convicted of sexual offences involving children, we knew there would be a degree of public support.
“We have been overwhelmed by the strength of feeling.
“Despite launching just last week, we have already collected thousands of signatures.
“While many have shown their support online at thetele.co.uk, others have taken the time to send in physical copies of the petition.
“One might have thought the days of newspaper boasting of a bulging mailbag were a thing of the past – this campaign is proving otherwise.
“There is, of course, a presumption against short jail terms and there is no doubt many crimes can be dealt with through the imposition of penalties other than detention.
“Paedophilia is not one such crime.There can be nothing more abhorrent than abusing an innocent child for some kind of twisted sexual gratification.”
Please show your support and sign below.
For more on our campaign, see today’s Evening Telegraph, also available online by clicking here.
See more at: www.thetele.co.uk
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