To buy or not to buy ...

[Flosshilde]

I seem to remember there was some dispute about the name - the King's Consort - of which Robert King claimed the 'copyright'. So the remaining members who wanted to continue under Matthew Halls had to change their name which they did, from the K's C to the Retrospect Ensemble..

Which all seems perfectly sensible & reasonable if RK wasn't going to be involved in it.

[ferneyhoughgeliebte]

they appear to be quite happy to be associated with him & continue to work with him? & if they are, who are we to say that he (&, by association, they) should be boycotted?

Well, we are "we", Floss; and we can choose whomsoever we wish to boycott (or, of course, support) for whatever reasons we find motivated by our individual consciences and sense of justice. The support of an individual's friends and colleagues is irrelevant ('tho' no doubt gratifying to the individual concerned) - just as their decision to support that individual should have nothing to do with anybody else's choosing to boycott their concerts, broadcasts and recordings.

[Flosshilde]

Absolutely, I agree that as individuals we can decide to boycott whoever & whatever we like, for whatever reason. But in this particular case, if those people closely associated with RK professionally are happy to work with him then I think (& it is, obviously, just my opinion) that any call for a general boycott or ban is a bit misplaced.

[Barbirollians]

A fair point, in my view. It is also worth recalling that, as reported by Matthew Westphal, "Judge Hezlett Colgan sentenced King to three years and nine months in prison, beginning immediately, and the conductor will have to register as a sex offender for the rest of his life. The judge did not bar King from working with children in the future, however, citing the "radical change" in King's life (marriage and fatherhood) since the time of the offenses". A more recent ruling means that his 'lifetime' sex offenders registration may be reviewed in 2022.

Those sentencing remarks are extraordinary if quoted correctly - many child sex offenders are married and have children of their own . The idea that they are "cured" by marrying a good woman is something from the 1950s . Many who sexually abuse boys are in heterosexual relationships .

I do hope sincerely that the risk of King re-offending has been greatly reduced whether by his change in circumstances or otherwise but I find somehow his return to high profile classical music recording and his writing to the music press about his work brazen and offensive especially in the light of his lack of repentance . I accept that may simply be an instinctive and not a rational reaction to his offending but it is how I feel .

[amateur51]

Those sentencing remarks are extraordinary if quoted correctly - many child sex offenders are married and have children of their own . The idea that they are "cured" by marrying a good woman is something from the 1950s . Many who sexually abuse boys are in heterosexual relationships .

I do hope sincerely that the risk of King re-offending has been greatly reduced whether by his change in circumstances or otherwise but I find somehow his return to high profile classical music recording and his writing to the music press about his work brazen and offensive especially in the light of his lack of repentance . I accept that may simply be an instinctive and not a rational reaction to his offending but it is how I feel .

I think I'm right in saying that King will have received close supervision in the early days of his release from prison. He will have to inform the police every time he wishes to leave the country. If anyone alerts the authorities (police, probation, social workers) that he is likely to have been put/put himself in a positiion where he might re-offend, he will be required to meet up with his supervisory group so that the situation can be explored.

Additionally he will most likely be out on licence, meaning that at the first sign of trouble he can be whisked straight back to prison while his danger to the community is assesssed.

Being at liberty does not mean that he is free to do what he chooses, unnoticed and unsupervised..

[Barbirollians]

I think I'm right in saying that King will have received close supervision in the early days of his release from prison. He will have to inform the police every time he wishes to leave the country. If anyone alerts the authorities (police, probation, social workers) that he is likely to have been put/put himself in a positiion where he might re-offend, he will be required to meet up with his supervisory group so that the situation can be explored.

Additionally he will most likely be out on licence, meaning that at the first sign of trouble he can be whisked straight back to prison while his danger to the community is assesssed.

Being at liberty does not mean that he is free to do what he chooses, unnoticed and unsupervised..

He was sentenced to 3 years and 9 months - his licence will have expired and obviously one should take that as a good sign .

It still really sticks in my craw and I think teamsaint probably has a point about the double standards applied to him and sex offenders from the pop world .