Full Circle

As a Who's Who of the international entertainment industry support their famous paedophile pal Roman Polanski, recently arrested after 30 years on the lam, an Australian magistrate feels obliged to mention the passage of years between crime and punishment have nothing to do with his imposition of next-to-no punishment on a lesser known local:

The significant time that had passed since the offence had no bearing on the sentence, (Sydney Magistrate Leslie Brennan) said. "Some 21 years later the matter has resurfaced," Mr Brennan told the court.

But, inexplicably, he adds:

"It was probably always on the mind of the young boy."

Indeed.

In fact, the homosexual assault by paedophile teacher Damien Vance, in which he 'incited' a 14-year-old boy to an act of mutual masturbation between February and October 1988, could have had far more damaging results than being 'on the mind' of the victim.

It may have - perhaps even has - left the now 35 year old with a whole range of psychological disorders including paedophile tendencies, homosexuality, sexual and social dysfunction, depression, sleep disorders - and the list goes on.

Yet Vance received a two-year good behaviour bond.

That his teaching career is now over is neither here nor there. The punishment is manifestly unequal to the crime.

At least the obscurity of this case may allow its victim some closure. No such luck for those who have the misfortune of being the sex toys of the rich and famous.

But one isn't referring - at least not at this moment - to the 13 year old girl vaginally and anally raped by a respected movie maker whose abscondment before sentencing ensured a vile-hearted media would drag the case back into the limelight on a regular basis throughout her adult life.

I'm thinking of Mackensie Phillips who, it was revealed this week, was drugged up from the age of 11 by her respected musician father, John Phillips, of The Mamas And The Papas, then raped by him at the age of 19 in a drug-fuelled stupor on the eve of her wedding. Papa Phillips then went on to continue raping his daughter for 10 years.

(Mackensie) Phillips said the sexual relationship, although she believes it eventually became consensual, was "an abuse of power" and "a betrayal" on her father's part.

A bit like the crime of teacher Damien Vance, really. But I digress.

Ah, such wonderful people, the famous - these cheap jongleurs who, once they have a movie or two or a couple of hit tunes under their belts, presume to tell us how to behave.

John Phillips always had a thing for a pretty young thing. Wikipedia:

While touring California with The Journeymen, he met his future second wife, the teenage Michelle Gilliam. Their affair finally forced the dissolution of his first marriage.

And he and his new wife moved in equally appreciative circles:

The Phillipses became Hollywood celebrities, living in the Hollywood Hills and socializing with stars like Jack Nicholson, Warren Beatty, and Roman Polanski.

What goes around, comes around.

-- Nick