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A grandmother whose lone fight against people who use library computers to access pornography has finally won her
battle.
More than three years after librarian Ceri Randall spotted a man discussing his sexual fantasies
in an internet chat room, Bridgend council has approved a policy allowing libraries to permanently ban those who abuse public
computers.
Previously, users could only be issued with a temporary ban and Mrs Randall, 52, of Pyle,
near Bridgend, ran into trouble when she refused to serve the man even after his exclusion expired.
The
council formally apologised to him and managers said Mrs Randall's actions would be 'further investigated'.
No formal action was taken against Mrs Randall, a mother-of-five, but the strain took its toll and she has only recently
returned to work after a year off sick with stress. She has also had to have counselling.
Today,
Bridgend MP Madeleine Moon said the public should thank Mrs Randall.
'She has made every child who
uses the internet in libraries safer. But the tragedy is that this lady was made the victim.
'She
was placed under incredible pressure, her job was threatened, her integrity was threatened and the person who carried out
the wrongdoing received an apology.'
The incident in January 2003, when Mrs Randall spotted the man
discussing his sexual fantasies about library staff on a public computer in Pyle Library, only came to light last year.
The man received a three-month ban and it emerged he had previously been banned from another library
for accessing pornographic websites.
When Mrs Randall refused to serve him after his three-month
ban from Pyle Library expired, he made a formal complaint.
The new library bye-laws and internet
acceptable use policy, which was approved by Bridgend council's cabinet yesterday, finally gives libraries the power to issue
a permanent ban.
But the new rules cannot be implemented until they are approved by the National
Assembly.
Mrs Moon said: 'It is ridiculous that it has taken so long to bring this in. I'm appalled.'
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