Cambridge's high tech world is a mirror of the wider area: incestuous. The degrees of separation must be at worst 3; everyone knows one common person at work.
So as I started a new job in July 2006 I told my Thurday night DeanyB group who I was working with. I mentioned a name, let's call him "Pete". It's not his name. Why will become apparent later.
Anyway I'm in a local curry house, i mention a name and the table goes silent. There are stolen glances. No one speaks. It's like the Omertà. Over the next few weeks I try and raise it again. Nothing. I know when I'm beaten.
After a period of three months I have another go. "Pete" has worked in a lot of places, contractors do. But he's an arrogant objectionable little man. It's not just me. He gets the job done but he doesn't make friends.
Gradually as this comes out over Thursdays, stories start coming out of how in previous places, people have gone to huge lengths to avoid socialising with him. I've hit a deep full seam of dislike. The stories come thick and fast. Going back over 10 years, stopping about 4 years ago.
Then someone leans in. The Omertà is about to be lifted. I am inducted into the inner sanctum. The words are spoken "search for him in the local paper".
Well, went to bed that night, thought little of it. The next morning at work I hit up the local rag. It's split into Huntingdon and Cambridge. The search pages are awkward. I know it's in there.
Then, it's there. Two reports. Some comment about fraud whilst in minor local government. But the biggie. He spent three years at Her Majesty's pleasure for "leaving his DNA on a four year old" in a playground whilst his child played inside in the recreation hall.
So what to do about Paedo Pete? Yes it's not original. Of course it all came out. The Omertà was because my friends wanted me to form my own opinion before giving me this. It had happened after he'd left the last place but news travels fast.
Fortunately before I knew of his moment of weakness I'd worked it out for myself that he was an unpleasant little man. For that I thsnk my friends.
Monday 16 August 2010
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one of the things that worried me about the person i wrote about was that had i searched for his name on yahoo i wouldn't have found what i did, on yahoo i can go 12, 13, pages and nothing incriminating, thankfully i used google and the newspaper article was the 2nd thing that came up for his name. there's been a lot in the news lately about sarah's law, they are trying it out in several areas now, you will be able to find out whether anyone who is likely to come into contact with your children, such as, for instance, a new partner, is on the sex offenders register. the person that i found out about will only be on the register for 10 years, so if he meets someone after 11 years and they enquire, nothing will show up. it's a scary world we live in, isn't it, or do we all worry too much?
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