LETTERS Modern crimes
Like Mr John Mortimer, QC (Diary, 29 August), I too am'puzzled as to when child abuse became common. I practised the law in the criminal courts from 1935 until 1986, 25 years as a barrister, 26 as a judge. Dur- ing that time I was never engaged in, nor concerned with, a case involving the sexual abuse of a small child, nor did I ever hear of one. I once had to sentence a man for incest with his daughter aged eight. This was the youngest victim I ever came across. It is difficult to believe that during those years mothers, elder brothers and sisters, grandparents and neighbours who knew what was going on decided to keep silent. They did not always do so when incest with teenage daughters became known.
Another mystery is the alleged preva- lence these days of marital rape. When I was a junior barrister I appeared in many divorce suits based on allegations of cruel- ty. I found, as did Mr Mortimer, that many wives were willing to reveal alleged bad sex- ual behaviour on the part of their husbands but never once did I have a case in which marital rape was alleged, nor when in court did I ever hear any evidence being given of such conduct. If it occurred it was not then a crime but clearly cruelty.
Frederick Lawton
1 The Village, Skelton, York
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