Spot the Difference

[steepholm]

William Mayne, noted children's author, jailed for two and half years in 2004 for child sex offences that took place some thirty years earlier. On the sex offenders register for life. An unpublishable pariah.

Roman Polanski, noted film director, still unpunished some thirty years after admitting the rape of a thirteen-year-old girl. Feted, given lifetime achievement awards by the European film establishment (ETA to say nothing of the Oscar!), and continues to make movies that receive critical acclaim - including some that involve working closely with children, such as Oliver Twist (2005).

Shurely some mistake?

Comments

[gillo]

I find it disturbing too. The girl was 13. Not acceptable in my book whether it was consensual as he claimed or not, as she did. I don't get the waves of sympathy towards Polanski.

I'm not convinced Mayne would be particularly publishable nowadays anyway, though - his later books lacked something

Earthfasts

, for example, had - and I suspect they would be less likely to appeal to t' young of today...