Fear of child abuse cover up secret dossier at the heart of establishment
THE grim catalogue of sexual depravity by celebrities continues. This week's conviction of Rolf Harris follows the jailing of presenter Stuart Hall and publicist Max Cliffford for serial abuse of under-age girls.
By: Leo McKinstry Thu, July 3, 2014
In addition there has been a stream of appalling revelations about the perverted activities of those two paedophile knights: sinister entertainer Sir Jimmy Savile and gargantuan Liberal politician Sir Cyril Smith, both of whom went to their graves without being brought to justice.
In all these cases what is so shocking is not just the scale of abuse but also the fact that these dangerous predators were allowed to get away with their crimes for so long.
Inevitably the failure by the state to take any action against these high-profile abusers has prompted concerns about a major cover-up within the establishment, reflecting the desire of officials and politicians to protect their own....
In one fascinating illustration of this apparent complacency he said that in 1984 Tory MP Geoffrey Dickens had presented the home secretary of the time, Leon Brittan, with a comprehensive dossier about a paedophile network operating within Westminster.
It's not clear what happened to the dossier or if any serious investigations were pursued. Dickens complained that his stance against child abuse meant that he was subjected to a brutal campaign of harassment including two break-ins and the appearance of his name on the hit list of a notorious contract killer.
In the early 1980s Dickens was regarded as something of a crank. Today, given what we know about abuse, he could be seen as a moral visionary. Yesterday, in response to Danczuk's intervention, Lord Brittan issued a statement in which he said he had asked his office "to look carefully" at the dossier he had been handed.
But Brittan did not explain what ultimately happened to it. As a result his declaration will do little to lessen suspicions about complacency. This is not just about a few individual cases it is about a culture that appeared to allow entire institutions to be exploited by paedophiles, with the political class providing a shield to hide abuse....
http://www.express.co.uk/comment/columnists/leo-mckinstry/486431/Fear-of-child-abuse-cover-up-at-the-heart-of-establishment
Showing posts with label Sir Cyril Smith. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Sir Cyril Smith. Show all posts
Wednesday, July 2, 2014
Sunday, April 27, 2014
Sir Cyril Smith abuse 'cover-up' claims probed by police, Downloading child abuse 'manuals' to be made illegal
Sir Cyril Smith abuse 'cover-up' claims probed by police
27 April 2014
Police are examining whether there is evidence of a criminal cover-up over claims of sexual abuse at a Rochdale school linked to the late Liberal MP Sir Cyril Smith.
Officers are already investigating claims of abuse at Knowl View school but are reviewing whether any evidence points to a cover-up by the council.
Rochdale Council is also set to widen its own inquiry into the allegations.
Sir Cyril's family has said he always denied such accusations.
The development comes after police launched an investigation into allegations Sir Cyril, who died in 2010 aged 82, sexually abused boys at Knowl View residential school, in Rochdale.
The school closed in 1992.
Officers are also looking into claims he abused boys at the privately run Cambridge House children's care home, which closed in 1965....
Allegations about Sir Cyril's conduct were first published in 1979 and also been made in a new book by the current Labour MP for Rochdale, Mr Danczuk.
He claimed Sir Cyril used his position of power to sexually abuse young boys and then escape prosecution.
Mr Danczuk previously said he asked police to re-examine the case after "a number of victims came to see me and raised concerns".
An independent review into the way Knowl View was run is due to report to Rochdale Council next month.... http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-27183369
Downloading child abuse 'manuals' to be made illegal
27 April 2014
Downloading manuals containing guidance about how to groom children for sexual abuse is to become a criminal offence, the government has said.
It is unclear how many documents meant to assist paedophiles exist online or how often they are downloaded.
But the National Crime Agency has found examples during its investigations, which have included advice on grooming victims and evading capture....
Prime Minister David Cameron told the Sunday Times: "It's completely unacceptable that there is a loophole in the law which allows paedophiles to write and distribute these disgusting documents.
"I want to ensure we do everything we can to protect children - and that's why I am making them illegal."
The move came as it emerged that a paedophile teacher drugged and abused up to 60 boys as young as 10 at a private school in London.
US national William Vahey, 64, who taught history and geography at Southbank International School between 2009 and 2013, committed suicide last month as FBI agents closed in.... http://www.bbc.com/news/uk-politics-27177040
27 April 2014
Police are examining whether there is evidence of a criminal cover-up over claims of sexual abuse at a Rochdale school linked to the late Liberal MP Sir Cyril Smith.
Officers are already investigating claims of abuse at Knowl View school but are reviewing whether any evidence points to a cover-up by the council.
Rochdale Council is also set to widen its own inquiry into the allegations.
Sir Cyril's family has said he always denied such accusations.
The development comes after police launched an investigation into allegations Sir Cyril, who died in 2010 aged 82, sexually abused boys at Knowl View residential school, in Rochdale.
The school closed in 1992.
Officers are also looking into claims he abused boys at the privately run Cambridge House children's care home, which closed in 1965....
Allegations about Sir Cyril's conduct were first published in 1979 and also been made in a new book by the current Labour MP for Rochdale, Mr Danczuk.
He claimed Sir Cyril used his position of power to sexually abuse young boys and then escape prosecution.
Mr Danczuk previously said he asked police to re-examine the case after "a number of victims came to see me and raised concerns".
An independent review into the way Knowl View was run is due to report to Rochdale Council next month.... http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-27183369
Downloading child abuse 'manuals' to be made illegal
27 April 2014
Downloading manuals containing guidance about how to groom children for sexual abuse is to become a criminal offence, the government has said.
It is unclear how many documents meant to assist paedophiles exist online or how often they are downloaded.
But the National Crime Agency has found examples during its investigations, which have included advice on grooming victims and evading capture....
Prime Minister David Cameron told the Sunday Times: "It's completely unacceptable that there is a loophole in the law which allows paedophiles to write and distribute these disgusting documents.
"I want to ensure we do everything we can to protect children - and that's why I am making them illegal."
The move came as it emerged that a paedophile teacher drugged and abused up to 60 boys as young as 10 at a private school in London.
US national William Vahey, 64, who taught history and geography at Southbank International School between 2009 and 2013, committed suicide last month as FBI agents closed in.... http://www.bbc.com/news/uk-politics-27177040
Wednesday, November 28, 2012
Eyewitness 'saw Thatcher aide take boys to abuse', Cyril Smith 'sexually and physically abused young boys'
Cyril Smith 'sexually and physically abused young boys'
Simon Israel Home Affairs Correspondent
Tuesday 27 November 2012 UK
Greater Manchester police have concluded that the former Liberal MP, Sir Cyril Smith, was guilty of physical and sexual abuse of young boys over a period of many years.
Allegations came from eight young men back in 1970. They alleged that Cyril Smith subjected them to various forms of abuse in the early sixties.
All were living were living at the privately run children's home Cambridge House hostel, in Rochdale, at the time, or were dependent on Cyril Smith for employment, money or welfare.
Lancashire Police opened a file and sent that off to the director of public prosecutions with 80 pages of evidence and a one-page letter from the then chief constable of Lancashire. He wrote -
"Any charges of indecent assault founded on these allegations, as well as being stale, would be , in my view, completely without corroboration. Further, the characters of some of these men young men would be likely to render their evidence suspect."
Outdated way of thinking
Today the Crown Prosecution Service says that way of thinking has gone and that, given the same today, Sir Cyril Smith would have been prosecuted
Nazir Afzal, chief crown prosecutor, said: "Prosecutors and police now recognise such crimes normally occur in private and that victims are often targeted because the offender doubts they will be believed.
http://www.channel4.com/news/cyril-smith-sexually-and-physically-abuse-young-boys
Exclusive: Eyewitness 'saw Thatcher aide take boys to abuse'
Tuesday 06 November 2012 UK
A former resident of the Wrexham care home at the centre of abuse allegations tells Channel 4 News that he saw evidence of abuse, and remembers seeing Sir Peter Morrison at the care home five times.
The former resident told Channel 4 News that although he did not recognise Sir Peter at the time, he later realised it was him.
Sir Peter, who died in 1995, was Margaret Thatcher's parliamentary private secretary and was at the heart of the Tory establishment during the 1980s. Recently, he has been publicly linked to abuse at the care home.
The former resident, who was not abused himself, said: "Going through some stuff recently and I saw his face. I know now he was the MP for Chester at the time. Morrison. Red, wavy hair. I recognised him straight away.
"I saw him at Bryn Estyn, he turned up in a car, boy went off in his car, don't know if he was in it. It was definitely his car, I saw him arrive in it then we went to bed and we saw it drive off....
David Cameron ordered an urgent investigation into whether the north Wales child abuse inquiry "properly did its job" after fresh allegations of abuse at Bryn Estyn emerged. It is alleged that a senior Thatcher-era politician, who has not been named, was involved....
Describing allegations of abuse from other residents, the former resident told Channel 4 News: "They said there was more than one, they said they were made to drink, there was a lot of people there, there was a party almost....
The resident said he did inform police: "I made a statement to South Wales Police with regard to some alleged offences in SW area - a statement was taken but didn't hear anything else about it."
However, describing the effect the events had had on him, he said: "I've been carrying this around for 35 years. It's destroyed every relationship in my life. I don't trust anybody. http://www.channel4.com/news/exclusive-eyewitness-saw-thatcher-aide-take-boys-to-abuse
Simon Israel Home Affairs Correspondent
Tuesday 27 November 2012 UK
Greater Manchester police have concluded that the former Liberal MP, Sir Cyril Smith, was guilty of physical and sexual abuse of young boys over a period of many years.
Allegations came from eight young men back in 1970. They alleged that Cyril Smith subjected them to various forms of abuse in the early sixties.
All were living were living at the privately run children's home Cambridge House hostel, in Rochdale, at the time, or were dependent on Cyril Smith for employment, money or welfare.
Lancashire Police opened a file and sent that off to the director of public prosecutions with 80 pages of evidence and a one-page letter from the then chief constable of Lancashire. He wrote -
"Any charges of indecent assault founded on these allegations, as well as being stale, would be , in my view, completely without corroboration. Further, the characters of some of these men young men would be likely to render their evidence suspect."
Outdated way of thinking
Today the Crown Prosecution Service says that way of thinking has gone and that, given the same today, Sir Cyril Smith would have been prosecuted
Nazir Afzal, chief crown prosecutor, said: "Prosecutors and police now recognise such crimes normally occur in private and that victims are often targeted because the offender doubts they will be believed.
http://www.channel4.com/news/cyril-smith-sexually-and-physically-abuse-young-boys
Exclusive: Eyewitness 'saw Thatcher aide take boys to abuse'
Tuesday 06 November 2012 UK
A former resident of the Wrexham care home at the centre of abuse allegations tells Channel 4 News that he saw evidence of abuse, and remembers seeing Sir Peter Morrison at the care home five times.
The former resident told Channel 4 News that although he did not recognise Sir Peter at the time, he later realised it was him.
Sir Peter, who died in 1995, was Margaret Thatcher's parliamentary private secretary and was at the heart of the Tory establishment during the 1980s. Recently, he has been publicly linked to abuse at the care home.
The former resident, who was not abused himself, said: "Going through some stuff recently and I saw his face. I know now he was the MP for Chester at the time. Morrison. Red, wavy hair. I recognised him straight away.
"I saw him at Bryn Estyn, he turned up in a car, boy went off in his car, don't know if he was in it. It was definitely his car, I saw him arrive in it then we went to bed and we saw it drive off....
David Cameron ordered an urgent investigation into whether the north Wales child abuse inquiry "properly did its job" after fresh allegations of abuse at Bryn Estyn emerged. It is alleged that a senior Thatcher-era politician, who has not been named, was involved....
Describing allegations of abuse from other residents, the former resident told Channel 4 News: "They said there was more than one, they said they were made to drink, there was a lot of people there, there was a party almost....
The resident said he did inform police: "I made a statement to South Wales Police with regard to some alleged offences in SW area - a statement was taken but didn't hear anything else about it."
However, describing the effect the events had had on him, he said: "I've been carrying this around for 35 years. It's destroyed every relationship in my life. I don't trust anybody. http://www.channel4.com/news/exclusive-eyewitness-saw-thatcher-aide-take-boys-to-abuse
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