UK - Prime Minister orders probe into care home paedophile ring

Seemingly off the back of the child abuse allegations made about the late Jimmy Savile, the British Prime Minister David Cameron has ordered two major enquiries into the allegations of abuse that occurred in children's homes in North Wales.

The Home Secretary, Teresa May, has stated she intends to investigate:

• The new allegations of abuse between 1994 and 2000 in north Wales care homes, to be undertaken by Keith Bristow - head of the new National Crime Agency
• A review of the Waterhouse Inquiry - 1996-2000 - which was supposed to investigate the above, but has been widely criticised for it's narrow remit.
• The handling of complaints against Jimmy Savile through the years, which will be investigated by the police watchdog, Her Majesty's Inspectorate of Constabulary (HMIC)
• A further six enquiries into allegations against Jimmy Saville

In addition to the above, Steven Messham, a victim of child abuse in the Welsh care homes, has claimed the members of the paedophile ring included prominent members of the public including a Conservative MP and 28 others, all of which he claims were covered up in the Waterhouse Inquiry.

There are many links for this but I have tried to just include a few for now.

David Cameron orders investigation into claims a paedophile ring - said to include a former prominent Conservative MP - operated in North Wales for more than a decade

Theresa May calls extent of paedophile activity across Britain 'absolutely horrific'

Waterhouse Inquiry

Steve Messham 'fairly optimistic' his child abuse claims will be taken seriously

This is the broadcast of the lunchtime Radio 2 current affairs show from today. It makes interesting listening from 1:10 minutes in as Steve Messham tells his experiences, however it becomes very harrowing as a 54 (?) year old man recounts for the first time ever the abuse he suffered in a children's home, years before the period covered by the Waterhouse Inquiry. I was driving on my way to work and had to pull over in tears. Please be aware before you listen to it.

Radio 2 - Jane Garvey for Jeremy Vine

Websleuths Jimmy Savile thread


This is a blog written by a British Labour MP, Tom Watson. I hope it is permitted as there is some very important information on there, including his own letter to the Prime Minister.

Tom Watson, MP

Yes Bravo David.

While you're feeling all brave and vote-buyey, why don't you launch an independant and transparent enquiry into the Madeleine McCann debacle as well?

:cheers:

SapphireSteel said:

Yes Bravo David.

While you're feeling all brave and vote-buyey, why don't you launch an independant and transparent enquiry into the Madeleine McCann debacle as well?

:cheers:

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Possibly because this has affected hundreds of children over decades, a good number of whom have taken their own lives, many more still suffering varying degrees of mental health issues and still have a chance of being helped.

I don't always agree with our leader's moves, but I would have been mighty pissed if he had prioritised poor Maddy over this far more difficult and complex issue.

There is no Madeleine McCann debacle in any sense that demands a public enquiry. There's a missing child and an open police investigation, that's not something that needs the Prime Minister to launch an enquiry. Its also off topic.

There has been speculation that an MP may use Parliamentary privilege to name the Conservative politician. Mark Stephens, the lawyer who represented a number of children at the Waterhouse Inquiry, said: “I am convinced parliamentary privilege will be used to ask a question as to why this high-ranking politician who was named by a victim in the north Wales child abuse inquiry has been afforded protection.”

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I hope at least one MP has the guts to do this at the earliest opportunity.

Amber34 said:

Possibly because this has affected hundreds of children over decades, a good number of whom have taken their own lives, many more still suffering varying degrees of mental health issues and still have a chance of being helped.

I don't always agree with our leader's moves, but I would have been mighty pissed if he had prioritised poor Maddy over this far more difficult and complex issue.

Click to expand...

Which is why I said "as well" not "instead of" or "first".

:cow:

I also saw this news story on BBC website last night. I was fuming when I read that the initial report mentioned 28 alleged perpetrators, these 28 people where never identified to the public, and were left out of the final report. Why? The reason became clear further down in the news story. The alleged perpetrators were MPs, Solicitors, Judges, Factory Directors, Shopkeepers and Serving Police Officers! The report mentioned that they were only interested in the Care Workers and Staff of Bryn Estyn. I can't explain how mad I felt after reading the article. A sexual abuser is a sexual abuser, a persons job shouldn't interfere with the punishment that is due to them. How many more damaged children have been affected by not naming, shaming and sentencing these animals.

SapphireSteel said:

Yes Bravo David.

While you're feeling all brave and vote-buyey, why don't you launch an independant and transparent enquiry into the Madeleine McCann debacle as well?

:cheers:

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I agree.

This is another case of a cover up by the people at the top.

Who or what did the mccanns know which gave them help and protection from the government.

Bravo Amber34! Great initial thread post.

<modsnip>

Yes sadly i think the next enquiry will be the same. Tax payers money used to cover up yet again.. We only have to look at the expenses claims to realize this!

knt42 said:

Yes sadly i think the next enquiry will be the same. Tax payers money used to cover up yet again.. We only have to look at the expenses claims to realize this!

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I'm not convinced they will be able to get away with a cover up this time. I believe that victims of this abuse who haven't previously spoken out will be far more interested in reporting their own experiences, particularly since the Waterhouse Inquiry, and will be determined to speak out this time. As an example, listen to that harrowing radio interview with the chap named 'Billy' in the first post. Steve Messham's courage and unintentional leadership will (I hope) spur on those who have previously chosen to remain silent.

If you want to use the expenses claims as a comparison, that also went on for years undetected but when it came to light, appropriate action was taken in most cases.

Do I think the whole thing can be swept under the carpet? No, this is too big and too public. It has the added factor of being historical and Cameron can only gain respect by doing a thorough job, whilst the expenses scandal was contemporary and the perpetrators were still in office. It was far more embarrassing and much shuffling and sidestepping was done. There should be no sidestepping or shuffling this time, despite some are allegedly still peers.

Do I think every single perpetrator will be prosecuted and sentenced appropriately? Sadly, no. There will always be some who get away through lack of evidence or sufficient funds to hire the best brief, and there are others who are already dead. The shame will of course land on the family, the majority of whom probably have no idea.

I may be placing a little too much faith in the wrong places, and although I am prepared to be let down, I am willing it to be a positive outcome.

JMO

David Cameron was handed a list of names of alleged Conservative party paedophiles on live TV this morning! The list was compiled by the show's presenter after a "3 minute cursory glance on the internet".

Allegedly, two of the names were visible to the cameras and the PM retorted that this could cause a gay witch-hunt.

It's a stunt more worthy of Jeremy Kyle than of Philip Schofield! There is a clip of Cameron's follow up at the BBC link below, but they don't have the actual handover being shown. Quelle surprise!

Presenter Phillip Schofield told the prime minister that there were lots of allegations circulating online about people who might have carried out abuse.

You may be able to watch again on ITV player, but isn't yet available so I don't know whether it has been edited out. I have a feeling it might be.

ITV Player

ITV and Philip might do well to read the Websleuths rules and abide by the 'not spreading unfounded rumours' part, as well as ensuring they are quoting a reliable source.

I am hoping that you are right Amber34, and justice for the victims will be done.

'Mistaken identity' led to top Tory abuse claim (Guardian)
Local councillor who was victim of abuse at Welsh care
home says he does not believe Lord McAlpine was involved

wfgodot said:

Bravo Amber34! Great initial thread post.

<modsnip>)

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No, it is a thread about the British PM opening an enquiry into a child abuse crime that has been covered up at a very high level.

This means that the thread is relevant to Madeleine's case, which is also a child abuse case that has been covered up at a very high level.

This thread is about governmental enquiries into murky investigations by the UK police and unusual interference by certain high level politicians, so I say the McCann case is extremely relevant.

It also appears as it's own thread under "crimes - spotlight on children", not under the Jersey Homes thread.

:waitasec:

<modsnip>.

:cow:

SapphireSteel said:

No, it is a thread about the British PM opening an enquiry into a child abuse crime that has been covered up at a very high level.

This means that the thread is relevant to Madeleine's case, which is also a child abuse case that has been covered up at a very high level.

This thread is about governmental enquiries into murky investigations by the UK police and unusual interference by certain high level politicians, so I say the McCann case is extremely relevant.

It also appears as it's own thread under "crimes - spotlight on children", not under the Jersey Homes thread.

:waitasec:

<modsnip>.

:cow:

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Be that as it may, let's leave the McCann case out of this thread. If you want to open a thread in Madeliene's forum to track what happens in this case, that's fine for discussing how this case is similar/or impacts Maddie's case. BUT case discussion belongs here for this case.

Also - thanks for the heads up and I will merge the two threads.

Thanks guys!

Salem