The rest of this site is devoted to our earlier campaigns and results.
We have just been informed by our MP, Bob Walter, that through your efforts and in the memory of Ryan, the law will be changed. In future it will not be possible to retain the body for more than 40 days, without the consent of the Chief Coroner. Any decision of that kind can be challenged in the Courts. The draft Coroners Bill includes:" measures aimed at ensuring early release of bodies by requiring the consent of the Chief Coroner for retention for a prolonged period - this is designed, in particular, to prevent abuses by defendants in criminal cases who might insist that the body is retained on the remote possibility that it may be a significant source of evidence."
Of course this does not bring back Ryan, but in his memory you have changed the law. It should be noted that the position of Chief Coroner, with jurisdiction over all coroners in England, has been newly created, again as a direct result of our campaign.
I think that this part needs repeating, because this was the whole reason for our campaign
".. is designed, in particular, to prevent abuses by defendants in criminal cases who might insist that the body is retained on the remote possibility that it may be a significant source of evidence."
As previously stated, no second post mortem or medical examination of any kind was undertaken by the defence. Ryan was left lying in a mortuary for 18 months just because the defence thought that there might be a remote chance of something significant turning up to help their case. Any reasonable person can see that such a law that allows this is not right. Thank God that will now be changed, and no other bereaved Family will be made to suffer further by bloody minded defence barristers. How do we feel about defence barristers? Here is a joke. "What is sad about a bus load of defence barristers going over a cliff?" "There are 3 empty seats"
We have now received notification from our MP, that this law being brought in will be known officially as RYAN'S LAW. This information has come direct from the minister concerned, Harriet Harmon. This will be Ryan's legacy. We have had 3 campaigns running, and we have been successful with 2 of them so far: No1 - We campaigned to get the law changed - The law was changed. No2 - We campaigned to get the law known officially as Ryan's Law - This has now been made official.
We have just heard from the probation service that the killer of my 2 year old grandson, is up for parole after just 3 years of a 7 year sentence for manslaughter. What a joke. The pathologists at the trial reported that the boy had been severely shaken, had bruises all over his body, and then had his head struck against a hard surface. All of which was denied, despite him being the only person in the house. To make things worse, as testified in court by the doctor who took the first brainscan, which was taken immediately on admission, the fatal blows had been inflicted at LEAST 6 HOURS PREVIOUSLY! This creature had put the child to bed unconscious and gone to sleep himself. The police photos of the bed showed the bed was overflowing with bile which had seeped from Ryan's nose, mouth and ears. So at least 6 hours had passed before an ambulance was called. Does this sound like the type to deserve early parole? It seems that poor little Ryan is now out of the equation, and all that matters is his killers 'human rights!'
With the help of our MP, we have just concluded a long running campaign to get the law changed regarding how long a body can be kept before release for burial. Because this piece of low life pleaded not guilty, my grandson was kept in a mortuary for 18 months, only being released for burial after the trial. After our campaign this law has been changed to a maximum of 40 days that a body can be held and then only with the permission of the newly created post of Chief Coroner.
We thought that we had struck a blow for all devastated families who had suffered like us, but then the probation service come up with this sick news.
All this despite the fact that he never admitted that he killed the boy, and despite the fact that the judge on sentencing, said that he must serve a minimum of 2/3 of his sentence before he could apply for parole. If the do gooders' have there way, he will be released in May, which is the anniversary of Ryan's death. If only these people would realise what they are doing.
But then again, we must not infringe on his human rights must we!! Never mind that my daughter is still seeing two different Doctors every week and is unable to return to work.
When we heard that the piece of scum who killed Ryan was up for parole, we organised an on line petition to put to the parole board to help persuade them to keep him locked up. That decision is imminent. So far it is 2 out of 3. We have just heard that the hearing has been put back until May 23rd. This is just a week before the anniversary of Ryan's death. The powers that be sure know how to time these things.
So, this lump of slime has slithered out of prison, 5 years to the exact day that he killed little Ryan. How is that for consideration of the Mothers feelings? He was out on bail for 18 months up until he was sentenced. Despite the fact that the Judge said that he should serve 4.7 years before he could apply for parole. Despite the fact that he denied the offence, thereby giving his defence team an excuse to delay the burial of Ryan for 18 months, 18 months spent lying in a mortuary. I have been informed that what the Judge says is irrelevant - it's up to the prison service as to the length of sentence. Does this mean that all those recent lengthy terms of imprisonment handed down to terrorists count for nothing? This evil man also refused to admit his guilt. I was under the impression this denial in itself would be enough to deny early release. But I was even more astounded to learn that even if he did admit what he had done, this confession was confidential, and could not be revealed to no one, not even the victims family. So that's all right then. He can get this worry off his chest, but the dead boys family cannot get any closure. So the killer can get the thought of killing a 2 year old boy off his conscience, with a little chat with his probation officer. He can now leave prison without a stain on his character. He can tell all his friends that he was wrongly convicted and he is an innocent man. Without the confession who is going to know the truth? How are the family going to get any kind of closure?
He will now be given money and a place to live, with all the help and support he can ask for. And what of Ryan's mother? Need you ask - not a sausage. The whole thing stinks. Everything is geared in favour of the perpetrator.
My 2 main points are these: 1. Why do Judges give recommended sentences, when it is the Prison Service who decide the length of sentence? And who are these unelected self regarding persons who so lightly release these killers back into the community? 2. Why is a convicted killer allowed to keep secret the fact that he had admitted the offence? He can now wander around telling everyone he is an innocent man wrongly convicted.
The whole justice system is malfunctioning. Why is there all this pussyfooting around with convicted killers? Why can't the families of victims receive the same amount of support? We spent a long time campaigning to keep this creature locked up, including an on line petition. From the remarks left by visitors to the site, I know that my views are widely held. When is the government going to listen to what the majority of people in this country want? That is, to treat imprisoned people as CRIMINALS, and not naughty boys. As a final word from a very angry grandfather, this lump of slime is called Lee Khair and he comes from Sheffield.
I have written to the "Ministry of Justice"(sic) asking them to give me the answers to two questions, namely:
1. For a convicted criminal who has pleaded not guilty, to be released early from his sentence, does he have to admit he is guilty of the said offence? and,
2. If he does admit to his guilt, is this confession to be kept secret, even from the victims family?
I will post the reply when it eventually arrives!
Well, my first email was sent on the 4 June, and my second on the 20 June. Still no response. I wonder why?
29 June - still no response 7 July - still no response 23 July - still no response 22 August - still no reponse
It is the victims family, not the killer, who get the life sentence. When do I think that his killer should be released? Not until my son comes back, and walks into the living room, with a big smile and a kiss for his mum.
Rest in peace my angel
Tell me there's a heaven
Tell me that it's true
Tell me there's a reason
Why I'm seeing what I do
Tell me there's a heaven
Where all those children go
Tell me they're all happy now
Tell me that it's so
Ryan's memorial site
http://ryan-franklin.memory-of.com <http://www.remembered-forever.org/ryanfranklin/>
In answer to several queries, the song you hear is "My love" by westlife
My MP informs me that whereas prior to APR 2005, a prisoner could be released half way through his sentence, if THE PAROLE BOARD RECOMMENDED IT. As of APR 2005 a prisoner will be released half way through his sentence AUTOMATICALLY. What a time bomb is waiting for us in future years. All the scum who have been locked up in recent and future years, will be back on the streets creating mayhem once more, just when we thought they were doing a long sentence. This is a question of saving money by the government versus public safety. What kind of government is this?
If you sometimes wonder why our judges hand out such lenient sentences to pieces of scum who don't deserve to live amongst decent people, a debate took place recently, which one of the co-founders of MAMAA attended, about offenders, their right to a more humane and less brutal prison regime and their right to have hope and a life when they are released. In the middle of this debate, a very prominent QC stated "What about the poor guy who goes out and gets drunk and rapes someone, it's not like he is ever going to do it again is he?" Following on to that kind of logic, a murder can be thought of in the same way. What a load of nonsense. And this QC is almost certain to be a Judge one day. Heaven help us. I have always thought that Judges who give lenient sentences have some sort of affinity with the accused. After learning of this, I am certain that this is true.
When are they going to have a debate on the rights of the victim and the victims family? In the case of a murder victim, what hope of a future has that victim got?
I now intend to start a new campaign to stop the release of this creature. I have been to see my MP, who was very helpful in our last campaign, and he is going to write to the Home Office for an explanation. I have started to log messages of support and they follow on from this.
Thank you to all my Norwegian family and friends who have signed the petition, and to all the people in the UK and overseas who have signed.
On reading all of the remarks that people who signed the petition have left, I can only come to the conclusion that the people who make and enforce our laws are living in a little dream world of their own. When are our politicians going to listen to the vast majority of people in this country and ensure that the punishment fits the crime? This country is yearning for killers and yobs to be dealt with far more severely than at present. How is it possible that a bank robber gets 15 years and a killer of a 2 year old child gets three? And please, no more "human rights" rubbish. The only "human rights" that are relative, are those of the victims family. The following are a few snippets from comments left on the petition.
"should never be released" "Travesty of justice" "I wonder how the judges sleep at night" "3 years is not a punishment" "...is indicative of why the UK is in the state it is" "..its about time the judicial system started to think of the victims and their families" " Too soon little Ryan is being forgotten, not part of the equation, nor his traumatised Mother" "Should never be allowed out" "Too sad. People need justice" ".. and I hope they throw away the key" "He should be hung" "Why am I paying tax to support this monster?" "3 years is silly" "...punish the innocent and let the guilty go free" "keep him locked up" "What's going on with the justice system?" "Parole board system is an insult to all law-abiding members of the public, and a travesty of justice for all innocent victims of homicide and their families." "Ryan's case is yet another example of victims of serious violent offenders in this Country being ignored by the government" "The law is all about the criminals rights. What about the victims rights and the terrible consequences for the family?" "The law is too soft" "I am totally against the lenient attitude of the authorities" "Early release needs to be looked at by the government and changed" "I think that the short length of this sentence is appalling" "What type of person could do this to a child?" "Anyone who kills a defenceless child should be jailed for life" "Criminals have more rights than the victims" "Where is Ryan's familys' justice?" "Where is Ryan's justice?" "Sometimes I squirm at the lengths we go to , to give a murderer every opportunity to escape the gravity of his crime" "An utter joke" "Where is the justice?" "Shouldn't be out at all" "Disgusting he should be out so soon" "What an evil man. He should rot in jail forever" "I hope the killer rots in jail" "This man is capable of unspeakable violence, and should not be released" "Keep him locked up" "Keep the b....... locked up" "He should stay behind bars" "Sentence a joke" "His sentence is nothing compared to the one that the family are suffering" "Bring back capital punishment for child murder" "I think he should never get out of jail" "I think he should never see the other side of the prison walls" "Taking someones life means less than selling drugs.....life is the most precious thing on earth. This is not true according to todays values." "protect the victim and not the criminal" "the British justice system is cheating us - let him rot" "the amount of time this man got is sickening" "the man has proved he is capable of unspeakable violence" "pure evil man" "if he is freed it is showing everyone that the justice system is a farce" "give the family a chance to begin to heal" "the only people getting treated fairly are the killers.....when is the government going to listen to victims and put them before the criminals" "absolutely disgusting" "why should he even be breathing" "the law is a joke" "Keep him behind bars where he belongs" "Please keep this monster behind bars" "I wish he would've gotten life" "This is outrageous" "Parole board needs to think again" "Keep this monster behind bars" "Government should be protecting citizens from such violent people" "This is not justice" "the public do not want violent killers walking free" "How can they justify 3.5 years for someone cold hearted enough to kill a child, let alone his own son" "Keep the murderer in prison where he belongs" "The thought of this man being released SICKENS me" "To let him out shows that the court system doesn't believe a childs life is worth living." "keep the killers of children locked up" "people who do this to children DO NOT deserve to be free" "The justice system disgusts me" "I have kids and I think he should BURN in hell"
I have had queries from viewers asking what has happened to the Forum pages. Unfortunately, Forum was the victim of hackers and I had to take it off the air. So stand up "Turkish Hacker" and the American who listed porn sites in place of a message of condolence. I hope you are proud of yourselves for despoiling a site dedicated to the memory of a murdered 2 year old boy. May God forgive you, because I won't!
What follows are the records of our campaign from the early days
The main campaign is now over, but I think that it is a good idea to give the government a nudge with a little bit of publicity now and then, to make sure this law is brought into being. What follows on these pages is a record and history of our long struggle with the legal profession.
Messages of support are still very welcome justice@justiceforryan.com <mailto:justice@justiceforryan.com>
And if you think that ours is an isolated case, I recently received an email from a grandmother whose 2 year old grandson was murdered by the babysitter. Once again the legal profession had their wicked way, and refused to allow the boy to be released for burial until a year had passed. And then to heap further agony on the family, retained the poor boys brain until after the trial!
Therefore the family had to endure 2 burials. I pray that the change in the law comes in quickly to prevent any further travesties of justice being inflicted on grieving families. I wonder how many more of these terrible events are taking place around the country? If anyone knows of a similar tragic event, perhaps you could let me know and I will enter the main details on this site. I will not identify you of course. Perhaps we can use this to pressure the government to bring in the much needed legislation more quickly.
If any visitor to this site has also lost a child, a very good site, which offers help and support, where you can meet fellow sufferers, is at www.mamaa.org
Ryan John Franklin was killed by his father in May 2002, aged just 2 years 3 months, but I was not allowed to bury him until November 2003. Ryan's father's defence team said they needed 'more time' to conduct medical tests. They carried out no such medical tests. Ryan's father was convicted of the killing and received a custodial sentence. The forensic tests carried out by the police took several months and during this time we were not told of the fatal blows to the back of the head which had caused his death. His killer had claimed that Ryan had fallen down the stairs, and we assumed that the injury to his forehead was the one that was the cause of his death. Not so. We were never made aware of the extensive injuries to the back of the head until sometime after his death. Why was this? Here was us thinking that it had been a terrible accident, with the killer in the background laughing his socks off. If we had known while Ryan was in hospital the extent of his injuries my Dad would have.......well I leave that to your imagination. By the time we knew the true story, that piece of pond life who had killed Ryan, was a 100miles away in an Army barracks.
With your help I would like the law changed so a body can be held for no longer than three months, not indefinitely as is the present situation. The law takes the criminal's part, but what of the victims family?
While my Son was lying in the mortuary this long time, a series of incidents occurred that only increased my sense of despair and helplessness. There was no way that I could continue to live in the house where my son had died. I was lucky to have good friends who agreed to exchange houses with me.
As soon as they moved in, my friends husband, whilst shaving in the bathroom every morning, would hear the noise of someone going downstairs and into the living room. The first time this happened , he thought that it was his own young son, but on checking he found that his son was fast asleep in bed. The stereo would be switched on and off, always playing the same song. A light bulb would burst and the smoke alarm would sound without warning.
After this had been going on for several weeks, my friends called in a Priest, the same Priest who had christened Ryan and was later to conduct his funeral service. Father Rice said that because Ryan had not been buried, he was very confused and he was hanging around the house, so prayers would be needed to lay his spirit to rest. After prayers were said, and Holy water sprinkled, no more unexplained noises were heard.
This event strengthened my resolve to get the law changed, so that no other Mother, on the loss of her child, should suffer further agony because of the actions of smart alec defence lawyers who should be ashamed of themselves. The defence requested a hearing before the Judge and asked that the burial be delayed until after the trial, and for some unknown reason the Judge granted this request. You would think that I would have been informed of this hearing so that I could have been given the chance to have my say on the matter, or arrange to have legal representation to give my side of the case. But no. The information that the release of Ryan's body would be indefinitely delayed was given to me by a visit from one of the policeman involved with the case.
Ryan died at Southampton General Hospital and was retained in the mortuary there. A little later we discovered that he had been moved to Dorchester. How did I find this out? By a chance remark from the funeral director when we were discussing future plans for Ryan. Would it have been too much trouble to inform his Mother that he was being moved? When I was informed that the defence would make a post mortem of their own, I was led to believe that once that had taken place, I would be able to bury Ryan. How did I keep check as to if this 2nd post mortem had taken place? By asking the funeral director to phone the mortuary at Dorchester on a regular basis and make enquiries. Why should I have to rely on the enquiries of a very helpful funeral director to keep me informed of actions being taken on the body of my dead son? It turned out that no 2nd post mortem ever took place, so why did the defence block all efforts by me to have my son buried? It took 18 months before I could bury my son. The indescribable prolonged agony of myself and family was caused by the smart talking defence lawyers. And the final blow came when 3 days after the trial, I discovered that they were releasing Ryan for burial. How did I find that out? By a phone call from the funeral director. So they could inform him but not me direct. That just about sums up the way Ryan and I have been treated.
And how could I possibly forget about the many letters exchanged between me and the Office for the Supervision of Solicitors. Silly me thought that these people would help me to get my Son released. What a shower they turned out to be. How can the legal profession monitor the legal profession? They twisted and turned and used every word in the dictionary to justify the refusal to allow me to bury my son. They twisted and turned so much that I had to appeal to the Ombudsman to try and sort it out. He sorted it out all right by informing me with words to the effect that I was not a "legal" person, so therefore could not understand the need to retain my sons body. Does any lay person know the reason? Come to think of it, I doubt if many legal eagles would either.
Please show your support to make certain no other families suffer the prolonged anguish mine did. The campaign has now ended, but we still need to keep pressure on the government to bring forward the measures that they have tentatively promised to put in place. We are doing this mainly via the media. What follows on these pages is an indication of how we have achieved the position we are in now. We have had some feedback that some visitors to this site are doing just that and mailing their MPs. It does not matter which party your MP belongs to, as this is a completely non political campaign. It is purely at the whim of the defence barrister as to whether a burial can be indefinitely delayed , in this case for 18 months, for no apparent reason other than that they can! Lets put a stop to this nonsense.