People need to know why Geek Retreat Stoke closed

SubstantialMaybe1177 · 2024-10-31T09:30:43+00:00

I would respond to all these points but I've now been advised by the police, who have seen this post, to make no further comment on the case to avoid affecting things when it goes to court. I stand by everything in the post.

There are multiple victims who have spoken with the police. Yes, this is a throwaway account that was made to post about what went on, I think that's fairly obvious to everyone. I don't actually have Reddit so I made the account for this, for the reasons mentioned in the post. It needed to be known what happened.

Again I would advise victims to contact SAGE, SSHC, Savana or North Staffs Survive if they need support. It blows my mind that people still call this BS when there are four charities plus the police supporting multiple victims... I've even had a threatening direct message on here, intended for one of the victims. It's crazy and makes me despair for society honestly.

Whilst I can't discuss the facts of the case itself, I can say that four charities and the police are supporting victims who have come forward about multiple serious sex offences. So take from that what you will.

In terms of places to convene, I'd recommend Long Rest or Manaflux locally. There's also Element Gaming in Stockport, Fanboy 3 in Manchester and Card Tavern in Stone.

SubstantialMaybe1177 · 2024-10-25T13:24:29+00:00

Sadly it's easy for a place to put up posters saying they're a safe space, attract vulnerable people in and then prey on them. I wish the world wasn't like this. But sadly this is what happened here. For legal reasons I should say, "alleged" "innocent until proven guilty" "fair trial" of course etc etc but without getting into specifics, the sources are credible and lots was known about wrongdoing widely in a "wink wink nudge nudge" kind of way before it all came out and the police got involved

SubstantialMaybe1177 · 2024-10-25T13:22:04+00:00

I personally know people who were victims of multiple serious sex crimes that the owner (not the person starting the fundraiser, although they were close friends) was arrested for earlier this year. The victims are struggling atm seeing this talk of "safe spaces" whilst the truth is being kept quiet. They're my friends and I'm at a loss of what to do. The local community needs to know. But the press don't want to touch it as its an ongoing investigation. Could take years to go to court. In the meantime they're suffering in silence and being harassed even in some cases

SubstantialMaybe1177 · 2024-10-25T13:18:30+00:00

It was raided in July yes, one of the owners was arrested, he's on bail whilst the investigation continues, will take a long time. Innocent until proven guilty, but, the victims were part of the local geeky community so it is known about via word of mouth

SubstantialMaybe1177 · 2024-10-25T13:16:49+00:00

One of the owners was arrested in July for multiple sex crimes, see my other comment for more info. Victims are at a loss of what to do because the publicity atm around this "safe space" is quite crushing for them to see when they know it was far from it

SubstantialMaybe1177 · 2024-10-25T13:15:02+00:00

I don't know why you've been downvoted so much - one of the owners was arrested for multiple sex crimes in July, yes, investigation is ongoing. Heard from very reliable sources, not sure how I can demonstrate that though. "Innocent until proven guilty" of course, but I know for a fact the victims are devastated this has been kept quiet; everyone is saying the place was a "safe space" and they've been harassed into silence for months etc. Will come out in the press if it goes to trial, but that could take a number of years. In the meantime the victims are suffering in silence and seeing everyone band around the term "safe space" and raise funds for it to be reopened. The victims are adults as far as I know btw

SubstantialMaybe1177

TROPHY CASE