More rape & violent sex crime in England & Wales but Sweden highest rate in EU
© Global Look Press
England and Wales has the highest number of violent rapes in Europe, according to official statistics published Thursday. Almost a third of sex crimes in the EU were recorded by police forces in the two countries, the figures show.
Data from Eurostat, the official statistics organization of the EU, show that 64,500 violent sex crimes, including 35,800 rapes were recorded in 2015 in England and Wales – the highest in the bloc in absolute terms. That was followed by Germany (34,300, of which 7,000 were rapes), France (32,900, of which 13,000 were rapes) and Sweden (17,300, of which 5,500 were rapes).
Relative to the population in each European country, Sweden recorded the highest number, with 178 violent sexual crimes per 100,000 inhabitants, ahead of Scotland at 163 and Northern Ireland at 156.
“It should be borne in mind that the figures do not necessarily reflect the actual number of violent sex crimes,” Eurostat cautioned. “Rather than show to what extent such crimes are reported to and recorded by police. Therefore the variation between countries is also influenced by general awareness and attitudes to sexual violence offenders.”
The figures were released as the Office for National Statistics (ONS) published a study that shows 1.2 million women and 700,000 men in the year to March 2017 reported being the victims of some form of domestic abuse in England and Wales.
There were 454 homicides linked to domestic abuse recorded by police between April 2013 and March 2016 with 319 victims being women and 135 men. Over three quarters, or 242 of female victims were killed by a male partner or ex-partner and two thirds of male victims were killed by another man.
While the estimated number of incidents of domestic abuse was 1.9 million, only 1.1 million reports of abuse were reported to police, indicating that many victims never go to the authorities.
Suzanne Jacob of the SafeLives domestic abuse charity told the Guardian, “Looking at this latest data from ONS we can see significant gaps in the response still exist for people experiencing abuse.
“Victims are not ‘hidden’ – they’re coming forward in increasing numbers – we’re simply not doing enough yet to see them and respond. We hope this new evidence will encourage agencies to work together to see the whole picture, putting in place the best response, at the earliest stage, for all members of the family.”
child sexual abuse charges
Rugby league "immortal" Graeme Langlands has been charged with child sexual abuse offences.
Police prosecutors allege the offences took place on the Gold Coast in the 1980s.
Langlands was charged on November 3 and was not present when the matter was heard in the Brisbane Magistrates Court this morning. The matter was adjourned until Monday.
Langlands, nicknamed Changa, was capped 45 times for Australia and played more than 200 games for Sydney club St George.
He is widely regarded as one of the game's greats and is listed as a league "immortal".
Langlands now lives at a nursing home in Sutherland Shire in New South Wales.
During a newspaper interview in April, the former league star was said to be suffering from Alzheimer's disease.
His neurologist said repeated concussions during his playing career contributed to his condition.
Teen groomer tricked boys into performing
sex acts on webcam
A man who posed as girls online in order to dupe boys into performing sex acts on camera has been sentenced.
Harry Johnson, 19, pretended to be called Melissa, Amie or Becca as he groomed seven children aged between 11 and 16.
He was caught after one victim's parents checked their son's tablet use.
Johnson, who admitted 22 child sex abuse charges, was sentenced to six years detention by a judge at St Albans Crown Court.
At sentencing, the court heard details of how Johnson, of Hunter's Lane, Watford, exchanged explicit messages with his victims and sent them images of girls.
'Duped and misled'
In one instance, he convinced two brothers to perform a sex act on each other.
In another, he made a boy attempt a sexual act on the family dog, the court heard.
Simon Wilshire, prosecuting, said: "Not only had he duped and misled young boys to commit sex acts at the end of a web cam, he recorded videos and stored them."
Franco Tizzano, mitigating for Johnson, said his client was himself a victim of abuse.
In a note read to the court Johnson said he was "truly sorry to the people I targeted and the people I hurt".
Police officer jailed for historic child abuse
Dan Bean DBPress
A YORK police officer has been jailed for more than two years over historic child sex abuse.
A jury convicted Detective Constable Christopher Alfred Paul Hogg, 49, today of three counts of indecent assault on a child aged between 14 and 16, and two counts of gross indecency with a child aged under 14.
None of the offences occurred when Hogg was a serving police officer, and he was suspended from duty in 2016 when the victims first came forward.
He is now serving a prison sentence of two-and-a-half years.
A trial at Sheffield Crown Court heard Hogg was a teenager when he inappropriately touched an eight-year-old boy he was babysitting in a village near Scarborough. A second male, who was 14 at the time, said he was assaulted at Hogg’s home between 1985 and 1986.
So it occurred before Hogg became a police officer.
The first victim, now 44, said he remembered Hogg because “he looked like Fonzie from Happy Days”.
He said: “The incident has stayed with me since I was eight and has never left. There are a lot of incidents in my life which I have forgotten over the years, but this was not one of them.
Parent guide - How not to handle an admission of abuse
“He told me he’d kill me if I told anyone and gave me some money - about £5. A few days later I told my mum while we were out walking the dogs, I didn’t go into details, but said he touched my private areas. She took the £5 from me and said she would deal with it - we never spoke about the incident again.”
Hogg joined North Yorkshire Police in 1988 and worked in the York Investigation Hub prior to his suspension. He was charged with the offences in January 2017, and police said his position with the force was now “subject to a formal process”.
Deputy Chief Constable Lisa Winward said: “On behalf of North Yorkshire Police, I praise the two victims for having the courage to come forward and report the incidents more than three decades on knowing the perpetrator is now a police officer. I fully appreciate how challenging this must have been and I sincerely hope they can now begin to rebuild their lives.”
A spokeswoman for the NSPCC said: “Hogg’s disturbing crimes have finally caught up with him and it is right that he is now behind bars.
“Child sexual abuse can have a devastating impact on lives and this case underlines why it is so important that victims have the confidence to come forward.”
It also underlines the vastly improved response by police and prosecutors to survivors reporting abuse by police. This enables more survivors to come forward and begin to get their lives in order.
*Anyone with concerns about a child can phone the NSPCC Helpline on 0808 8005000, and children seeking advice or support can phone Childline on 0800 1111.
GMP officer denies possessing and distributing
1,500 child sex abuse images
By Pat Hurst
A Greater Manchester Police constable has denied possessing and distributing around 1,500 child sex abuse images.
Pc Lee Vincent Kelly, 49, pleaded not guilty to seven charges concerning extreme pornography and indecent images of children.
The officer, who is suspended from duty, denies three counts of making of indecent images of children including 249 category A images, 146 category B images and 1,091 category C images and the possession of 1,486 indecent images.
He also pleaded not guilty at Preston Crown Court on Thursday to the distribution of indecent images and the possession of 55 prohibited images of a child and possession of two extreme pornographic images portraying rape.
All the charges span April 2009 to December 19, 2016.
Lisa Roberts QC, defending, applied for an order banning the press from publishing the defendant’s address and photograph, which was opposed by a submission from the Press Association.
The order was granted by Judge Mark Brown, the Recorder of Preston.
Kelly, a serving officer suspended from duty by GMP, was given unconditional bail to appear for a further hearing on March 16, next year, ahead of a five-day trial starting on April 16.
There has been a huge increase in reports of
historic child sexual abuse in Surrey
By Craig Simpson
The number of child sexual abuse allegations in Surrey has more than doubled in recent years as more people speak out about historic crimes.
Figures obtained by the NSPCC have revealed a huge increase in the number of cases being reported in the last four years.
In 2013/14 there were 156 reports of non-recent cases – allegations of abuse that took place more than a year before being reported – which were brought to the attention of Surrey Police.
Astoundingly in 2016/17 there were 376 reports of non-recent child sexual abuse – an increase of more than 140 per cent in those four years.
Authorities have welcomed the increased reporting and have urged anyone who suffered abuse to come forward.
Peter Wanless, chief executive of the NSPCC, said: “It doesn't matter whether the sexual abuse happened a year ago or 50 years ago, it is never too late to report it.
"It's clear that for far too long, many people who suffered horrendously as children felt they could not speak up, were not believed or did not know who to turn to.
“Although these rising figures paint a worrying picture of widespread abuse, it is encouraging that so many are finally finding their voice in a climate today where they know they will be listened to and supported.”
“What's important now is survivors of abuse receive the support they need and that the people who carried out these vile offences are identified and finally brought to justice.”
Nationally, there have been more than 60,000 cases of non-recent sexual abuse against children recorded over the last four years.
Surrey, UK
British teacher arrested for alleged
child sexual abuse on Costa del Sol
By Laurence Dollimore (News Editor)
A BRITISH teacher has been arrested on the Costa del Sol for alleged child sexual abuse.
The 64-year-old English teacher has been detained by Policia Nacional in Estepona.
He is accused of abusing two seven-year-old girls at a local academy.
The investigation began after the childrens' mothers reported the alleged abuse to the police.
The Brit would allegedly give the students private English lessons on Friday afternoons, when there would be less people around.
During the investigation, two searches were carried out, one at the academy and the other at the home of the arrested person, where different media and computer materials with pedophile contents were analyzed.
The detainee has been brought before the courts today, according to the police.
Costa del Sol, Spain
Teacher who confessed to abusing boys in US
found working in Essex school
Robert Booth
A teacher who has faced multiple allegations of child sexual abuse in the US and confessed to molesting schoolboys has been uncovered working in a secondary school in Essex, the Guardian can reveal.
Stephen Jackson, 72, taught English to 11- to 13-year-olds at Tendring technology college this term despite previously confessing to police in California that he engaged in sexual acts with children.
It has also emerged that he previously worked for two years at a school in south London without being discovered.
Jackson joined the staff of the 2,000-pupil Tendring college, in Frinton-on-Sea, in June this year. However, he was fired after a fortnight of lessons this term after Essex police raised concerns, having received “intelligence concerning a teacher working in the Tendring area”.
He is believed to have left the country, possibly travelling to Venezuela.
Haberdasher's Ask's Academy, Bromley
From 2009-2011 Jackson also taught 11- to 14-year-old boys at the Knights academy in Bromley, run by the Haberdashers’ Aske’s Federation. The school told the Guardian it had carried out “all the legally required checks”.
In 2012, Jackson changed his name from Stephen Myers, which is how he was known at Knights.
Police reports from Santa Cruz, California, seen by the Guardian reveal that in 1996 Jackson admitted being attracted to 14- to 16-year-old boys, that he touched a boy’s penis on a camping trip, molested a pupil aged 15 or 16, and slept in the same bed as one of his students.
Furthermore, California police received evidence suggesting he sexually assaulted his four-year-old adopted son who was subsequently removed from his care.
The Guardian has also spoken to three men who say they were abused by Jackson when they were children.
“He liked to do back massages and then he had me turn around and said ‘I’m going to give you a different kind of massage’,” said Jon Warner, 52, who complained to police about the alleged molestation in a hotel room in 1977 when he was 12. “I hadn’t hit puberty yet and wasn’t into it and he knew that and it was really uncomfortable. He didn’t care. He asked me to massage him. He wanted me to touch him there.”
Tendring college dismissed Jackson on 27 September but said it had not told parents about his past because it had no child protection issues with him while he was there.
Knights said it had no record of any concerns being raised about Jackson before or during his time at the academy. The school declined to comment when asked if it had informed parents.
Jackson was never prosecuted in the US, partly because complaints came after the statute of limitations had expired and also because some of the alleged crimes happened across state borders or abroad, police in Santa Cruz said.
In 2011, shortly after he stopped teaching in south London, Jackson emailed a friend to confess that earlier in his life he had “feared I was a paedophile”, that he had been sexually attracted to a 13-year-old boy, and that he had sought help from “an expert in sexual deviation issues”.
Jackson said in the email that after three years of therapy “I discovered I was not a paedophile”.
The ease with which he found teaching work in the UK shocked a US-based support group for his suspected victims.
“It is mind-boggling that a teacher with multiple allegations of molesting his students, a confession to police detectives that he molested boys, and a legal name change in 2012, continues to find jobs working with children,” said Connie Durant, a former colleague of Jackson’s. The support group she runs has spoken to 13 men who allege Jackson (then known as Myers) assaulted them when they were children.
“Despite these allegations, he has evaded charges and convictions primarily because of issues of jurisdiction and statutes of limitations,” Durant said.
The case is likely to alarm UK child protection experts, coming one year after a serious case review into how the American teacher William Vahey found work at the private Southbank international school in London, despite having been convicted for child molestation in California. Vahey went on to abuse at least 60 boys at Southbank.
Vahey preyed on his victims during school trips. Earlier in his career, Jackson ran a “traveling school” that involved taking pupils on summer-long trips around the US and abroad, during which he is alleged to have molested boys.
Michael Muldoon, the principal at Tendring college, said the school had been “monitoring [Jackson] very closely” because his marking, timekeeping and teaching ability seemed poor. Essex police contacted the local authority “in regard to previous child protection issues” and he was fired.
“Mr Jackson’s details and references were supplied to us by Red (Recruitment for Education) in June 2017,” said Muldoon. “The references were very positive and covered teaching roles in the USA and the UK from 1984. We take our safeguarding responsibilities extremely seriously at Tendring technology college and have revisited all of our safer recruitment practices. We are confident that these were, and continue to be, robust.”
Jackson’s teaching references were provided by Knights and from Yeshiva Toras Chaim, a Jewish boys school in Denver, Colorado. Toras Chaim was told about Jackson’s previous molestation admissions by Durant in January, and informed about the 1996 police report. The yeshiva did not respond to the Guardian’s inquiries.
Siân Shrimpton-Davies, director of Red, said: “Mr Jackson’s references were taken up directly with the referees and shared with the school; none expressed any concerns about him working with children. We also received police clearances from the FBI and Colorado Bureau of Investigation showing that Mr Jackson had no criminal record.”
In 1995 Jackson adopted a four-year-old Romanian boy, who was removed from his care in January 1996 as a result of investigations into Jackson’s behaviour. A July 1996 police report said that the boy had made several references about Jackson touching him sexually to his new adoptive parents.
In around 2000, Jackson adopted another son, this time from Ukraine, who was removed from his care in 2002. This came after Jackson resigned from a school in Massachusetts following an allegation he asked a male pupil to show him his nipples and invited him to his house, where he had a hot-tub. Though Jackson denied the allegation, Massachusetts social services told reporters it only removed children “when we feel their immediate safety is in danger”.
Jackson did not respond to the Guardian’s attempts to contact him via email or phone.
Caldey Island: police investigate second man
over sexual abuse claims
Priory Bay on Caldey Island. The man is said to have been visiting the island off Tenby in south-west Wales. Photograph: Alamy
Detectives are investigating a second man over accusations of sexual abuse on Caldey Island after it was revealed that a Cistercian monk allegedly abused at least 11 girls in the 1970s and 80s.
Police said the alleged assault took place at about the same time, and the accused was visiting the island off Tenby in Pembrokeshire, south-west Wales.
Officers refused to give further details because they said it would jeopardise the investigation, but said he was not a member of the abbey or abbey staff.
The Guardian reported on Friday that six women claimed they were abused as children by Father Thaddeus Kotik.
Since then, it has emerged that five others allegedly suffered abuse, and earlier this week, the head of Caldey Abbey issued an apology acknowledging that allegations of serious child sexual abuse made against Kotik should have been passed on to police.
Dyfed-Powys police are aware of allegations by eight women – the six original complainants and two more who have since come forward. A spokesperson said: “Following the recent media reporting of sexual abuse at Caldey Island, police received two further reports of non-recent sexual abuse.
“They relate to offences committed during the same time period (between 1977 and 1987) and with the same named perpetrator, Thaddeus Kotik. These crimes have been recorded and officers are in contact with the victims during the investigation and to offer specialist support.
“Police have also received one further report of a sexual assault by another male at Caldey Island around the same time-frame. The report has been made by one of the original six victims.
“This is being investigated separately to the Caldey Island abuse and concerns a man who was visiting Caldey Island at the time and no longer lives there. No further information can be released at present as it would jeopardise the investigation.”
Simon Thomas, a Plaid Cymru AM, said: “What is most troubling about this case is that the victims of sexual assault felt that they were not able to make a complaint at the time, and that complaints made were not dealt with properly. As a result the perpetrator was never brought to justice and children grew up bearing the weight of being a victim of these terrible crimes.
“Caldey Island is a landmark on the Welsh coast, and children and tourists visit there every day to learn about the abbey’s history. It’s important that people can visit there with confidence. ”
A Welsh Government spokesperson said: “We would encourage anyone who has suffered abuse to come forward and report it to the police by calling 101.”
Caldey Island, UK
Child killer Jon Venables 'back in prison after being found with child sex abuse images'
Child murderer Jon Venables has been returned to prison for a second time after he was caught with child abuse images again, it has been reported.
Venables, who along with Robert Thompson tortured and killed toddler James Bulger in 1993, was arrested last week, according to The Sun.
Officials are said to have found indecent material on a computer during a routine check at his home.
James Bulger
Now 35, Venables is subject to life-long licence conditions for his role in the murder of two-year-old James when he and Thompson were just 10 years old.
A source close to the investigation told The Sun: "It's all about protecting the public.
"We have these systems so those who could be a risk to the public are picked up.
"That's what happened here."
Jon Venables
As reports emerged on Wednesday night, James's mother Denise Fergus tweeted: "Here we go again."
After serving eight-year sentences for James's murder, Venables and Thompson were granted life-long anonymity that saw them released under new identities in 2001.
Venables went on to offend again, including arrests for affray and possession of cocaine in 2008.
In 2010, he was jailed for two years after pleading guilty to downloading images of child abuse.
Venables, who was reportedly given a second new identity after his first alias was revealed, was granted parole in 2013.
In response to his latest reported offending, a Ministry of Justice spokeswoman said: "We do not comment on individuals."
I do! If his identity is revealed again, that should be his problem. He can either go clean from here on in, or risk living with the consequences of his childhood evils.
Merseyside, UK
St Albans priest posthumously accused of
child sex abuse by two victims
Fraser Whieldon
A dead Catholic priest has been accused of historic sexual abuse by two victims in St Albans.
Father Thomas Heley came to the Parish of St Albans in 1977, and stayed there until his death in 1986, during which time it was alleged he abused young boys.
One victim said: “I have been seriously affected by the childhood sexual abuse I experienced. It’s had a crippling impact on my ability to sustain relationships, as I feel I cannot trust people or let people get too close."
“It has had a major impact on my relationship with my son, I have been unable to be the father I could have been. I have turned to alcohol as a coping strategy in order to block out the abuse, which in turn has led to me losing jobs and exhibiting destructive behaviours which has had a negative impact on those around me."
“It’s only recently I have felt able to disclose this abuse and I am currently struggling to process the emotions that this has bought to the forefront on my mind. I feel I have not been able to lead the life that I could have had, which deeply saddens me and my family.”
After contacting the parish, the victims were told several allegations had been against Fr Heley at his previous posting in Cork from 1999 onwards.
A St Albans clergyman also said he had been told by superiors to watch Heley near altar boys.
Apparently, he didn't do a very good job.
The mother of one of the St Albans victims said: “That man was allowed into our community and our homes, he gained our trust, there was no indication that he was a paedophile.
“If we had been given some warning or there had been controls in place to prevent him from having access to children then we could have protected our innocent child from enduring the abuse and the ongoing, debilitating effects associated with child abuse.
“Learning of this abuse has devastated us. We are heartbroken.”
The victims have reported Heley to Herts police, but because the priest is now dead he cannot be investigated.
A police spokesperson said: “Hertfordshire Constabulary has received a third party report regarding allegations of sexual offences in St Albans during the late 1970s and early 1980s. Unfortunately, due to the suspect being deceased there are no lawful lines of enquiry that we can pursue.
“We understand how distressing this must be for the victim as these types of crimes live with people all their lives and cause so much damage. We have signposted the reporting party to an independent support network for victims of sexual abuse.
“If you are subjected to sexual abuse, we urge you to make contact with us as soon as possible. Your report will always be taken seriously and you will be put in touch with specially-trained officers who will support you throughout the process.”
Fr Heley was originally sent to St Albans by Catholic charity The Missionaries of the Sacred Heart (MSC).
MSC are a charity of priests who minister within the catholic church. Charity representatives recently enjoyed a private audience with the Pope.
In response to the abuse allegations, the charity said: “We have received historic allegations one of our priests based at St Albans sexually abused some young people.
“MSC fully accept and acknowledge the immense pain, harm and distress suffered by persons who have been abused as well as their families - and we encourage any person who has been abused to report it. We want to assure everyone MSC rigorously implement our child protection guidelines.”
Former Catholic priest accused of child sex offences against Marist Brothers' school students in 1980s
By Mazoe Ford
The victims of an alleged paedophile priest who was extradited to Sydney from New Zealand, are disappointed he has been granted bail but say they are looking forward to the case finally proceeding through the courts.
Former Catholic priest James Joseph Cunneen is accused of sex offences against seven teenage boys from a Marist Brothers school in Sydney's west in the late 1980s.
NSW Police extradited the 58-year-old from Hamilton yesterday, after investigating information from the Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sex Abuse in 2014.
Mr Cunneen faced Sydney's Central Local Court via video link from a police cell on 11 charges of sexual and indecent assault between 1987 and 1989.
In opposing bail, police prosecutor Ben Rutzou told the court these were "serious sexual offences that carry terms of imprisonment from two to eight years".
"All of the victims knew the defendant and were part of the church where he was the priest," Mr Rutzou said.
"These were predatory offences committed against people who were vulnerable and of a young age … the defendant was in a position of trust and authority."
'We thank the royal commission': victims
Two of Mr Cunneen's alleged victims, who cannot be identified for legal reasons, were in the courtroom during the proceedings.
Outside court they told ABC News they were glad to see the former priest facing court.
"We are happy and relieved that Cunneen is back on Australian soil and in police custody … and for that we thank the royal commission into sexual abuse," one of the men said.
"We are really disappointed he got bail, police have got a strong case."
A second victim said he and the other men Mr Cunneen allegedly abused were looking forward to the matter proceeding through the courts, even if it took some time.
"We have taken 28 years to get here so if we have to wait a couple more we will do so," he said.
Passport surrendered
Defence solicitor James Payten told the court Mr Cunneen joined the religious order in 1979 and was ordained as a priest in 1988.
He left Sydney for his native New Zealand in 1997, where he worked for the Department of Education for the next three years.
Since then he has been running betting agencies across the north island.
He was arrested in July but could not be extradited until this week due to health problems.
Magistrate Beverly Schurr granted Mr Cunneen bail on the basis that he lives with a friend in Sydney's west, reports to police daily, surrenders his passport, does not go near children, and does not approach his alleged victims.
The friend was also in court and offered $30,000 cash and a $600,000 house to secure Mr Cunneen's bail.
He will return to court next year.
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