Posted on 02/08/2008 8:46:11 PM PST by Roberts
A 34-year-old Italian man who had sex with a 13-year-old girl has had his sentence cut by a two-thirds because a court decided there was "real love" between the pair.
Antonio de Pascale, a butcher from Vicenza, admitted that he had a four-month long relationship with the girl, who sent him a stream of torrid text messages on his mobile phone.
His lawyers argued, however, that there was a "deep tenderness" between him and the girl and that he had "fallen head over heels in love" after a sexual encounter in his car. They said the girl had consented to every action.
The court in Vicenza accepted their opinion and sentenced de Pascale to only one year and four months in jail out of a possible 12-year term.
Because of a general amnesty for anyone who receives a sentence of less than three years, de Pascale is unlikely to serve any prison time for his Lolita-esque romance.
Antonio Marziale, the president of the Association for the Protection of the Rights of Minors, said the decision was "execrable".
He said: "It is not right to judge whether or not a 13-year-old girl is willing. The law should safeguard young girls who are too immature to make these decisions against adults without scruples."
However, Simonetta Matone, a judge in Rome, said the law must "always look to be reasonable in these cases".
She added: "Every relationship is a relationship and the real maturity, whether physical or psychological, of the minor must be weighed, with the help of experts."
The court decision has unleashed a wave of condemnation in Italy, and even authors of teen novels stepped forward to caution their readers against early sexual encounters.
Federico Moccia, the author of Excuse Me But I Love You, said: "This seems a very strange situation to me. Obviously in a relationship between a child and an adult, the adult has to stop himself. A girl has to be able to value the situation, and a girl this young is certainly not capable. My appeal to 13-year-olds is to wait for your time."
more importantly, does the father own a gun?
Me thinks this case “scandalizes” the puritanical, porno loving Anglo-Saxons more that it does the Eyetalians!
Not so much “moron” adults, as children with manipulative adults.
If the story were in Brooklyn, I'd agree readily. But over there, who can be sure?
The term “moron” wasn’t intended for the predator; it was aimed at the judges that bought the self-serving “we were in love” argument.
Considering the circumstances, I believe … moron matches all concerned.
Their “judges” are as psychotic as ours.
This is a 13 year old girl. She doesn’t even know consequences exist yet; and even if she did; she wouldn’t understand them.
There was a time when these kind of things used to happen quite often in this country. Only back then they would marry the daughter off to what was called an established “suitable provider”.
This girl would have been considered an "Old Maid" by Muhammad!
***...and even authors of teen novels stepped forward to caution their readers against early sexual encounters.***
“Early sexual encounters”??? How about NO sexual encounters before marriage?
In Iran the legal age for a girl to marry is 9 years old.
In Gambia and Brunei and Yemen there is no limit.
In the US:
Arizona, no statutory minimum, those under 18 must have parental consent, those under 16 must receive approval of a superior court judge and parental consent.
New Hampshire: A female between the age of 13 and 17 years and a male between the age of 14 and 17 years can be married only with the permission of their parent (guardian) and a waiver. A female below the age of 13 and a male below the age of 14 are not allowed to marry under any conditions. If both parties are nonresidents of NH and are below the age of 18 they cannot be married in NH under any conditions.
Is there no age of consent there?
In love...
Oh, OK now that’s real
And he fell in love when they had sex!
Wedding bells or another little girl for him now that there is no punishment?
Sick, and coming to a town near you
Pruning shears!
Look at your family tree, there are plenty of 30 years or older men marrying teen brides. It was quite common right up to the beginning of the 20th century.
I am talking about this child of 13; not the guy.
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