Kerb-crawl laws fail to put brakes on Links offences
The crack down has been branded 'a waste of time'
A LAW to crack down on kerb-crawlers has been branded a waste of time amid claims it has become “impossible” to enforce.
Campaigners say the amount of evidence required to secure a conviction means that the legislation is “ineffective” and has led to prostitutes and their customers returning to the Leith Links area on a nightly basis.
Now the Leith Links Residents Association is set to draw up a petition calling for the current legislation to be changed.
Figures show that a total of 42 men were charged under kerb-crawling laws in Edinburgh in 2010, compared with 23 in 2008 but there is no information on how many were successfully convicted.
A spokesman for the Leith Links Residents Association, which met with police and prosecutors this week to discuss the issue, said: “It was clear from what the procurator fiscal’s office said that the legislation is seriously flawed. The evidence needs to be of such a high standard that it’s difficult for anyone to be charged. The transaction between the kerb-crawler and the girl either needs to be overheard by police or the girl has to shop the kerb-crawler, which makes it almost impossible.
“It is not a deterrent if no one can be successfully prosecuted.”
Malcolm Chisholm, Edinburgh North and Leith MSP, was at the meeting and is backing the residents’ campaign. He said: “We have to explore the options for change. We could ask for a general revisiting of the law, but it may be better to come up with specific proposals.
“It would seem to me that if a car is circling repeatedly and the driver stops to talk to the women, and that is witnessed by two people, then that is enough evidence.
“The law seems to have been a missed opportunity.”
A police spokesman said: “The force takes a pragmatic approach to the policing of street prostitution.
“However, kerb crawling remains a criminal offence and anyone found to be responsible for this type of crime will be robustly dealt with.”
A Crown Office spokeswoman said: “We will continue to take action against individuals who solicit the services of a prostitute, and work closely with the police to prosecute these offenders where there is sufficient evidence.”
A Scottish Government spokesman said: “More than 200 people have been convicted under the legislation since it came into force in 2007 and we back our police and courts to continue bringing those who create the demand for street prostitution to justice.”
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Comments
There are 53 comments to this article
Page 1 of 4
leithman
Monday, February 20, 2012 at 09:44 PMCan I suggest a new Evening tolerance zone be set up in a street which is no longer popular with the city's residents and will probably be like a ghost town in the future. Princes Street
Leith_Steve
Saturday, February 18, 2012 at 09:59 AMPending Moderation
Jools in Edinburgh
Saturday, February 18, 2012 at 12:01 AM#49 Dave. The council do allow brothels....they're called massage parlours. The owners are however inclined not to allow those girls with a drug-dependency to work on their premises.
Tartancult
Friday, February 17, 2012 at 10:20 PM#47 "...my propensity to sleep with him will depend solely on the arousal elicited by his conversation, not his willingness to settle the bill." ------------------------------ So you do it for funny, not for money?
Dave scotland
Friday, February 17, 2012 at 09:57 PMWhy don,t the council allow legal brothels. This would keep the girls safely off the streets. Men could then go and pick a girl she would then have safe sex and the man would leave without having to drive around the streets The girls could be looked after by having regular checks incase infected males visit. No known massage parlour owners or pimps would be allowed to run a brothel and the police and council inspectorswould be allowed to make inspections at any time without notice. I would rather have a male going to a brothel legally than rapeing some innocent girl woman
james(1)
Friday, February 17, 2012 at 09:52 PMThe women do nobody any favours. They ruin an area for residents. They will not ply their wares outside their own homes. Why not? The police should keep stopping these kerb crawlers. Perhaps if the visited them at home to charge them with the offence it might stop them doing it. Hey but that is me looking for a solution to the problem.
Belle du Jeer
Friday, February 17, 2012 at 08:25 PMAnyway, it has been delightful debating with you, Tightwad3, but I have a dinner engagement with a charming young man. Fear not, moral guardian, my propensity to sleep with him will depend solely on the arousal elicited by his conversation, not his willingness to settle the bill.
Belle du Jeer
Friday, February 17, 2012 at 08:04 PM43 - the difference is only one of degree. George Bernard Shaw: "Would you sleep with me for a million pounds?" . . . Lady: "Of course I would!" . . . GBS: "Would you do it for ten bob?" . . . Lady: "What do you take me for?" . . . GBS: "We've settled that question. All we're negotiating now is the price."
Belle du Jeer
Friday, February 17, 2012 at 07:47 PM42 - "Your superior tone does you no favours". When viewed from what masquerades as your intellect, I can well understand that. It does, however, render my arguments intelligible. What favours do you suppose your chippy chirpings do for you? (I make that 1:1 in the name-calling stakes, can we get back to the debate now? Thank you.) I am not disputing that prostitution (both male and female) is bad and that it wrecks lives. My point was and is, what can be done about it, practically? Hand-wringing disapproval simply makes you feel better for expressing your outrage, it doesn't actually achieve anything. I have no solutions of my own. I wish I did, but it's really difficult. I simply know that simplistic, moralistic solutions have been tried and have never worked.
Lachie Mhor
Friday, February 17, 2012 at 07:24 PMAnother example of knee jerk legislation which is of no benefit to anyone.
Tighthead3
Friday, February 17, 2012 at 07:24 PMbtw, slight differences between the writings of an alleged £300 an hour call girl rented by an agency in the West End of London, and the drug dependent, poor health ravaged street prostitutes of Leith!
Tighthead3
Friday, February 17, 2012 at 07:19 PM#38 - Your superior tone does you no favours and you clearly have never worked with the shells of human beings left as a result of prostitution. Female prostitutes, almost to a man (sic) would walk away from their "trade" if they could. And what of male prostitution which has plagued the Terraces for years .......the law makes no distinction, do you?
Belle du Jeer
Friday, February 17, 2012 at 07:19 PM39 - crack down? Isn't that when a builder assumes the seated position?
archie leach
Friday, February 17, 2012 at 07:18 PMThere is also the situation where a punter has sex with a street prostitute outdoors and she becomes a trifle noisy. In this situation she will be charged with a breach of the peace and he with having an offence on the end of his weapon.
Tartancult
Friday, February 17, 2012 at 07:11 PMIf they are going to crack down on my wholly innocent night time driving (aka circling repeatedly) there really is no reason to visit Edinburgh any more.
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