“I also know Mr Brown from school. Was I shocked= NO. He always liked girls a lot younger than himself. Karl as far as I saw it had few friends, was quiet, and was not popular. He hid behind his other persona as a bit time actor (which involved panto) and a bit time (not very good) member of Southbase (not very good band). The only people who were really impressed with this, were young impressionable girls. Karl groomed these girls and I would not be surprised if there were others. He is a peadofile and deserves to be in prison. He undertook this activity with a loving girlfiend (subsequent wife) and has also ruined her and his baby's life.
On the plus point people would like to know the following:
1. Karl persona is not equiped for prison and it may destroy him (either by suicide, death, or other manner)
2. His life will be hell in prison as a peadofile and he will never be the same.
3. All his ambitions of being a singer, having a profession, and everything have been wiped out.
He thought he was clever, he thought he could get away with it, he committed awful crimes on the basis that these girls were young and he thought he could get away with it. He was wrong, he has destroyed the his partner's, his baby's, his own, and these poor girls lives. I always disliked Karl, but I have to state that if you blame CHILDREN for this then you are just as bad as he is.”

“It doesn't matter if these girls went to school dressed in stockings, high heels and a skirt up to their ass. To suggest that this "encourages hot-blooded men" to act out in such a fashion is irresponsible, illogical and the type of reasoning that feeds the existing rape culture.

What kind of excuse is that? "I couldn't help myself. She was dressed provocatively." Not only is that providing these men with flimsy excuses, but it's also pretty insulting to the male species on a whole, to suggest that they are so barbaric and base that they can't control such instincts.

It's a bloody myth that men are more sexual than women. They aren't. The only difference is that men are somehow excused from acting on their urges because they're simply more "primal" than we are. What a load of tosh.

At the end of the day, this man not only groomed and raped ONE child, but several. But I guess all of them were nothing but highly-sexualised, nymphomaniacs who gave him no other choice. PLEASE. How ridiculous can you get? It his JOB to draw boundaries. If he felt that he couldn't handle those duties as a teacher, if he honestly felt uncomfortable with the situations he found himself in, then he should have either reported it or stepped down.

I cannot possibly understand how any of you are justifying the fact that these were young girls who were groomed by this man. I don't care if any one of those girls was the embodiment of sexual temptation; they are still girls, girls he knew were underage, girls he was meant to look out for, take care of, and protect.

I don't know how anyone can defend a man who abused his position in such a way. I don't know how anyone can think to blame this on the girls, their dress, their state of mind or whether it was consensual or not. THAT kind of rational is what encourages rape culture... victim-blaming. I'm actually rather horrified to know how many of you are willing to jump on that band wagon.”

“Six and a half years would suggest that the judge had little doubt.
The two jurors being removed and the short period of the trial might lead to an appeal though.”

“Of course it's worrying...I have teenage girls myself and I have to say if they left the house looking like many of them do nowadays when they leave for school I would be the first to drag them back and make them change...but there are many who leave , go elsewhere and change....and this is a worry because then the responsibility is fully down to the staff within the school to ensure their safety...which as we see here does not always happen.
So many changes are happening all around us....children are no longer children....some of the clothes and underwear available in high street shops with the age 10 upwards on the lables are clothes not even I would wear as an adult...in my opinion kids have far too much freedom from being far too young.....so yes....I do see what you are saying in this respect...I am not saying you are wrong.....What I am trying to say is that becase of the ever changing world around us that adults have an even bigger responsibility to make sure we are extra vigilant and more aware of everything that's going on around us especially in this kind of situation.
I won't sit here and say I know what to do or say because I don't.....there are far too many changes and I wouldn't like to guess where it's going to lead....all I can say is that Parents must be more aware, teachers should also be more aware and maybe offered extra training in dealing with situations like this.Thankfully uniforms this year in particulaly have been changed and are becoming very strict which in my opinion is only a good thing as they leave no room for 'adjustment' and there should be a zero tolorence for this kind of behaviour where young girls are concerned....maybe an instant removal and sanction for that sort of behaviour....On both the sides of the pupil and the staff member...something must be done I agree....”

“i have to agree with josephine fully..... for the crimes he admitted to, he should be punished to the fullest as should we all, the point claire makes also has its merits, but sadly, when a blanket age is put on things like sexual maturity, you are always going to have problems.The same law that labels him as a paedophile would also stand when a male of 16yrs and one day, talked his girlfriend into having sex the day before her 16th birthday... if he had been suggesting they should have sex over a period of time, then he is also guilty of grooming... the court evidence from the girls own testimonies was clear that he did not have sex with the girls from the theatre group (no connection to the school) but admitted an affair with a pupil from his own school..... and he should most certainly be punished for that crime. Some of the things ive read just do not add up though..... and as for the reasons that 2 of the jury were sacked off... hmmm”

“Claire wrote: "Young teenage girls unfortunatly do this....it is part of growing up....they flirt....they flirt with adults....they subconciously do this because it is safe to do so....."

I think you're being a bit naive Claire. The report above states that the girls were 'complicit' . This indicated a lot more itent than a harmless flirt. It indicated they knew very well what they wanted and what they were doing.

Look, I am not condoning what Brown did ... neither am I judging the girls. I was merely attempting to take the discussion further by bringing the xtre 'sexualisation of children' into the equation. You can't seriously believe it's not happening or deny that it is extremely worrying?”

“J White wrote ''Personally, I think the notion that the man is a paedophile. is ludicrous. These were not patently not 'children' in the physical sense .. they were provocative young women, playing silly dangerous games with their sexuality.''
Young teenage girls unfortunatly do this....it is part of growing up....they flirt....they flirt with adults....they subconciously do this because it is safe to do so.....you ask any qualified child psychologist and I am sure they will confirm this.”

“J White you appear to enjoy quoting me on my comments don't you....you are right this forum is to discuss..which is all I am doing.....and at the end of the day....look up the word paedophile.....Mr Brow fits the discription.....therefore I and many others are not only putting across an opinion but also stating a fact.”

“Clare wrote:"....what's there to argue and blame kids and parents about???".

The fundamental concept behind this on-line forum is to discuss (objectively and calmly .. like mature adults) the issues which surround news items like this. It's all very well shouting and ranting about how things SHOULD be in a perfect world, but without offering reasons *why* things like this have happened (in our NOT so perfect world) and trying to suggest ways of preventing it happening again, it's all pretty pointless, isn't it? We may as well just organise a lynch-mob, drag the man from his cell and hang him from the nearest tree!

Personally, I think the notion that the man is a paedophile. is ludicrous. These were not patently not 'children' in the physical sense .. they were provocative young women, playing silly dangerous games with their sexuality.

In my view Browns only real crime (apart from his weakness and his immaturity) was the gross betrayal of his profession and the trust which society places in that profession. And I think this is what he has been punished for, and quite rightly so.

For the rest, we must blame a society that tacitly encourages young girls to behave in this manner.”

“I can't believe how much conflict there is over this....He did wrong nobody can dispute this.....he deserves to be punished, do we really need to know how the girls dressed and talked to him....it was his duty of care to say no however they portreyed themseves to him....it's not like he was some 20 year old tranee he was a TEACHER....what's there to argue and blame kids and parents about???”