I don't blame the papers for picking up on this, but they should be picking up on the unprecedented attempt to use the political leanings of the victim's father to provide mitigating circumstances for his daughter's alleged rape.
Just imagine the parents of Stephen Lawrence being subjected to this and the insinuation that in some way his death was either deserved or his life was of lesser value because of their allegiance to a political party.
Mr Nichol asked the girl’s father if he agreed that the BNP contained 'an element of racism'?
The father said: 'I joined the British National Party purely and simply. A leaflet came through the door just after what had happened.'
He said: 'I read the leaflet. The policies that were put on the front of the leaflet didn’t really mention racism, to be honest, which is why I thought I might join this (sic) which I did.'
He said that in his time at the BNP he met 'three types of people'. 'People like myself, who were not racist and were worried about immigration, worried about jobs, housing and the banking system in this country.'
He said there was a second set of people who he said were 'questionable people'. 'And I met some downright nauseous people who have nothing to do with my views on society as a whole and I consequently left the BNP.' ......
A twelfth man called Mohammed Shazad, 39, from Rochdale absonded while on police bail and is now subject to an arrest warrant.The prosecution claim he was part of the group who 'acted together to sexually exploit the girls.'
