Everyday thousands of children are being sexually abused. You can stop the abuse of at least one child by simply praying. You can possibly stop the abuse of thousands of children by forwarding the link in First Time Visitor? by email, Twitter or Facebook to every Christian you know. Save a child or lots of children!!!! Do Something, please!

3:15 PM prayer in brief:
Pray for God to stop 1 child from being molested today.
Pray for God to stop 1 child molestation happening now.
Pray for God to rescue 1 child from sexual slavery.
Pray for God to save 1 girl from genital circumcision.
Pray for God to stop 1 girl from becoming a child-bride.
If you have the faith pray for 100 children rather than one.
Give Thanks. There is more to this prayer here

Please note: All my writings and comments appear in bold italics in this colour

Thursday 31 May 2018

Outrageous Deal for Rich, White Guy; Caregivers Lead Child Sex Abusers on Today's USA PnP List

Outrage After Man Gets 90 Days House Arrest For Sexual Assault Of 5-Year-Old Girl
By David Lohr

Lyle Burgess got a sweetheart of a plea deal, according to an attorney.

A retired California businessman has accepted a controversial plea deal that spares him prison time for sexually assaulting a 5-year-old girl.

Lyle Burgess, 79, of Stockton pleaded no contest to unlawful sexual intercourse with a minor on May 23, for which he received 90 days in jail and five years of probation. According to the terms of sentencing, he isn’t required to register as a sex offender and may serve his sentence under house arrest. His home is in an upscale gated community.

It's gated to keep criminals out, not in! Will his meals be brought to him 3 times a day? Will he have internet access so he can molest children online? Is there anything else the California justice system can do to make your stay more comfortable, Mr. Burgess?

“The sentence is absurd,” Kenneth Meleyco, a lawyer for the victim’s family, told HuffPost. “The man pled guilty to statutory rape, which normally involves someone older than a 15-year-old girl. A minor can’t consent, but in this case the district attorney amended the complaint and allowed him to plead guilty to a charge that has no factual basis. He should be in state prison and should have to register as a sex offender so people know who he is.”

If convicted at trial of felony sex with a child under age 10, Burgess could have faced significant prison time. State sentencing guidelines call for a prison term of 25 years to life.

The way it was presented to them was, ‘This is what’s going to happen,’ and they gave the parents no option as to what to do.

Kenneth Meleyco, attorney for the victim’s family

Burgess was arrested on Nov. 23, 2016, and initially charged with four counts of lewd acts upon a child, according to the district attorney’s office. The arrest was made after the child’s mother reported seeing Burgess put his hand down her daughter’s pants.

His attorney, Gregory Davenport, told The Associated Press that his client denies molesting the child and accepted the plea deal because he is in frail health and wants to put the allegations behind him.

“The whole case was based upon some minor touching,” Davenport said.

It may have been minor touching to Burgess, an even to Davenport, but is assure you it was not minor touching to the child. It may well affect her the rest of her life.

In a Friday press release, the district attorney’s office said the allegations would have been difficult to prove in court, adding that the child was not sexually penetrated.

Meleyco disagrees.

“It wasn’t weak,” he said. “The little girl told police what he did. She told the police therapist what he did, and she testified to what he did. The mother also saw one of the [incidents], and when he was confronted with all this, he asked for a lawyer, so we never knew his position on all of this.”

The district attorney’s press release says the plea deal was “agreed upon by all parties, including the parents of the child victim.”

According to Meleyco, the parents were not given a choice.

“The way it was presented to them was, ‘This is what’s going to happen,’ and they gave the parents no option as to what to do,” he said.

The victim’s mother condemned the deal while testifying at the sentencing hearing, saying Burgess was “getting off so easy. I want other kids to be protected by possible future abuse by this man,” she said.

The child’s father said in court, “I don’t have too many prized possessions in this world other than my family. [My daughter] will remember this the rest of her life. She sleeps on the floor outside our room.”

Meleyco is representing the child’s family in a civil suit against Burgess seeking unspecified damages for sexual abuse and intentional infliction of emotional distress.

According to Sacramento’s Fox 40 News, Burgess is the founder of Rare Parts Inc., a Stockton automotive parts manufacturing and distribution company.

“She’ll get some adequate compensation for this,” Meleyco said of the victim, who is now 7 years old.

Burgess’ attorney said he believes the allegations are motivated by greed. “They are using this instance to try to gain financially,” Davenport told The Record.

Meleyco said Burgess’ status and wealth are what got him off easy.

“He’s white and wealthy,” Meleyco said. “That’s what I think. The district attorney’s office handled it that way, when it’s supposed to be up to the district attorney’s office to ensure justice is done.”

I think there needs to be an investigation, an inquiry into this. This is so far from justice as to be silly. A poor black man, or Hispanic, would spend the rest of their life in prison for what Burgess did.





Ex-Idaho police officer sentenced for child sex abuse
TWIN FALLS, Idaho -
(AP) - A former Twin Falls police officer has been sentenced to up to 15 years in prison for sexually abusing young girls.
  
The Times-News reports William Jansen was sentenced Wednesday after pleading guilty in March to two counts of sexual abuse of a child under 16.
  
Jansen will serve at least two years in prison for each count, but his sentences will run concurrently.

So, he could possibly be out in 4 years? Less time already served. Wow! That's a real plea bargain! 

A teenager had told police last year that Jansen had sexually abused her about a decade ago when she was between the ages of 7 and 9. Allegations also surfaced from two other girls.
  
Jansen apologized to the victims and their families in court, saying he's "trying to make things right at this point."





A Georgia woman faces child abuse and sexual battery charges
By: Zac Carlisle

LEE COUNTY, Miss. (WTVA) - A Georgia woman faces child abuse and sexual battery charges in Lee County.

Elizabeth Naomi Taylor, 34, of Eaton, Ga. was arrested on May 29 in Summerville, Ga. by Chattooga County investigators.

In Lee County, she faces nine counts of felony child abuse and two counts of sexual battery. These counts involved more than one child, said the Lee County Sheriff's Department.

Her arrest stems from the continued investigation into Jamey Burrage. He was arrested earlier this spring by Lee County deputies for child molestation.

In late April, Lee County investigators charged him with more child sex crimes.

The Lee County Sheriff's Department says Burrage was the live-in boyfriend of Taylor.

More charges could come forth from other counties in Mississippi.

Lee Co., Miss



Man sentenced in child sex abuse of 9 y/o in Iowa
      
MUSCATINE, Iowa (KWQC) - An Iowa City man has been sentenced to up to 25 years in prison after being convicted of sexually abusing a little girl.

According to the Muscatine County Attorney, 40-year-old Carlos Augusto Ramirez Lopez performed a sex act on the 9-year-old girl in West Liberty, Iowa in September of 2011. A jury convicted him of second degree sexual abuse in March, 2018.

Ramierz Lopez will be required to serve 17.5 years of the sentence before being eligible for parole. Once released, he will be on lifetime supervised release. He will also be required to register as a sex offender.

Too bad he's not rich and white, he might have been sent to his room for a few days.





Sex abuse allegation leads to child pornography charges for former Louisiana man

By Michelle Hunter mhunter@nola.com,
NOLA.com | The Times-Picayune

A former Terrytown man accused of inappropriately touching a 7-year-old girl and taking photos of the encounter in 2012 has been arrested and booked with possession of child pornography in an investigation that stemmed from the complaint, according to the Jefferson Parish Sheriff's Office.

Joshua Sullivan, 38, was booked May 15 with eight counts of possession of pornography involving a juvenile, according to Lt. Jason Rivarde, spokesman for the department. Thus far, detectives have found 1,100 explicit images of children, some infants, on computer devices seized for Sullivan's former home in the 600 block of East Niagara Circle in Terrytown, an arrest report said.

Investigators still have 2 terabytes of seized data to review, the equivalent of 620,000 photographs or 1,000 hours of movies. No information was available Thursday (May 31) about why so much time passed between the original complaint, made Oct. 22, 2012, and Sullivan's arrest.

According to the incident report, relatives of a Terrytown girl took her to Ochsner Medical Center West Bank on that date after she revealed that Sullivan, an acquaintance, had done "nasty things" to her during a visit to his residence. She also told investigators he took photos of her, the report said. 

Sheriff's Office investigators seized a computer and several other devices from Sullivan's home, according to Rivarde.

It does not appear that authorities searched the devices until April 2018 when Detective Nick Vega was assigned to the case. Forensic examiners analyzed the devices and found thousands of child pornography images, Rivarde said.

Good grief! They sat on it for 5.5 years? Are you serious? Is that justice?

Vega obtained a warrant for Sullivan's arrest on May 1, and discovered he was living in Talladega, Ala. Authorities there took him into custody.

Sullivan waived extradition and was brought back to Jefferson Parish on May 15. He was still being held Thursday at the Jefferson Parish Correctional Center in Gretna in lieu of a $200,000 bond.

The case is still under investigation, and Sullivan could face more charges, Rivarde said.





Wyoming man charged with raping a 13 y/o girl

A Paradise Valley man was charged with five sex crimes involving a minor three years ago during his initial appearance in Natrona County Circuit Court on Thursday.

James Sanders, 28, was charged with two counts of first-degree sexual assault (rape) of a minor, two counts of second-degree sexual abuse of a minor, and one count of third-degree sexual abuse of a minor.

If convicted, each count of first-degree sexual assault of a minor is punishable by a minimum of five years to a maximum of 50 years imprisonment; each count of second-degree sexual abuse of a minor is punishable by not more than 20 years in prison; and the count of third-degree sexual abuse of a minor is punishable by not more than 15 years imprisonment.

Assistant District Attorney Mike Schafer said Sanders also is facing three additional charges of child abuse.

Circuit Court Judge Brian Christensen set Sanders bond at $100,000 cash only because of the potential punishments, the additional charges, and Sanders unemployment.

The case began on April 20, 2015, when a Mills Police officer was dispatched to a residence in Mills for a report of a sexual assault of a 13-year-old girl, according to an affidavit filed with Circuit Court

The girl and her sisters were with her at home, and their mother was not at home, the girl told the officer. There was a knock at the front door, one of the sisters opened it, and Sanders entered. The alleged victim and one sister went into the bathroom while the other sister talked with Sanders. After a while, Sanders entered the bathroom, told one sister to leave and "proceeded to 'rape'" the alleged victim. When finished, he told the girl he would kill her if she told anyone, according to the affidavit.

The 13-year-old girl was taken to the Wyoming Medical Center for an exam and collection of biological evidence.

While at the hospital, the girl's mother told the officer she returned home and heard the story. The mother didn't know Sanders well, but believed he had a twin brother, according to the affidavit.

On April 21, 2015, a forensic interview of the alleged victim was conducted at the Children's Advocacy Project. She recounted the incidents that included forcible kissing, intercourse and oral sex, according to the affidavit.

The biological evidence from the alleged victim was sent to he Wyoming State Crime Laboratory for examination. DNA samples also were collected from Sanders and his brother.

Last Friday, a Mills officer received the DNA analysis report from the state crime lab that stated the overwhelming probability that the assaults by Sanders had occurred.

An interview was conducted with the twin brother who said his wife is a long-time family friend with the girls. On April 20, 2015, he was at home when he received a call from one of the sisters, drove to Mills and the alleged victim told him of the assault.

A search of police records indicated Sanders had been involved in two unrelated incidents in Mills that same night -- property damage and a Family Violence Protection Act order violation. During the investigation of those incidents, an officer made contact with Sanders who admitted to being at the girls' residence that night.

The affidavit does not explain the three-year gap between the time the biological evidence was submitted to the State Crime Lab and when its report was received last Friday.

Good grief! Another example of justice delayed! (See story directly above). Child sex abuse needs to be a much higher priority in the American justice system. This is just not good enough. You are contributing to the abuse and making recovery more difficult and less likely.





Man convicted in Maryland child sex abuse
of a girl under 10 y/o
By:  Tahja Cropper 

SALISBURY, Md. - A Maryland man was convicted for his role in the sexual abuse of a child under the age of ten.

The Wicomico County State's Attorney Office says on Tuesday, a jury convicted 58-year-old Alonzo Briddell on charges of sex abuse of a minor as a family member, sex abuse of a minor as a temporary custodian, sex offense in the second degree, sex offense in the third degree, sex offense in the fourth degree and assault in the second degree. The charges stem form an August 2017 incident.

Wow! Less than a year from the event and he's convicted. That's justice! Well done Maryland! But why was the girl spending the night alone with a 58 y/o man, even if he was related?

At that time, a female victim went to stay at the Salisbury man's residence for the weekend. Authorities say the victim, who was under the age of 10 at the time of the incident, reported that Briddell sexually abused her.

Sentencing has been continued pending a pre-sentence investigation.




Additional charges brought against S. Carolina man in
case of sex abuse against infant
Michael Lemley  

CHARLESTON — New charges have been filed against a man accused of involvement in the sexual abuse and filming of an infant girl.


Richard Wilson Smith II, who was originally arrested on charges related to possession of child pornography, has now also been charged with first-degree sexual assault, first-degree sexual abuse and exploitation and filming of a minor.

Smith was arrested after West Virginia State Police troopers served a search warrant at his home in in Mason County.

Troopers said in the search, they found CDs with a total of five videos depicting Smith and his ex-girlfriend, Roseanna Thompson, 45, of Charleston, molesting an infant girl, according to a complaint.

The two had custody of the child in 2015 in their home in South Charleston, according to the complaint. Troopers said the child is a relative of Thompson. Possibly her granddaughter.

Following the search, Smith was arrested on numerous charges, including eight counts of possession of child pornography.

On Wednesday, Thompson was arrested on charges including first-degree sexual abuse, first-degree sexual assault and incest.

Smith is being held in Western Regional Jail and Thompson is being held in South Central Regional Jail.





69-year-old deacon charged in alleged sex abuse of Alabama children

IRONDALE — A church deacon from McElwain Baptist Church in Birmingham has been charged with several counts of child sex abuse but has not been brought into custody yet, according to Carol Robinson. The investigation of the deacon has been ongoing since November of 2017.

Collin Galletly Jr., 69, faces two counts of sexual abuse in the first degree, two counts of sexual abuse of a child less than 12 years-old and sex abuse in the second degree. The allegations were made by the legal guardian of two girls from Irondale in November last year, prompting an investigation by the police department.

The girls are ages 9 and 12. Galletly was tutoring them in math and reading when the abuse allegedly happened.

According to the report, Galletly is expected to turn himself in and his bond will be set at $30,000.





Reno man gets life sentence for sexual assault
of several children
By Staff/WCDA 
          
RENO, Nev. (KOLO) - A Reno man has been sentenced to life in prison for a child sex case.

48-year-old Richard Kisner was sentenced on one count of Sexual Assault, one count of Lewdness with a Child Under Age 16 and two counts of Possession of Child Pornography.

He had been indicted on many more counts, but a plea deal was made to guarantee the life sentence, according to the Washoe County District Attorney's Office.

October 4, 2016, RPD patrol officers responded to a report of sexual assault involving several young girls at the Keno Motel. A relative of one of the girls had reported the victims had spent the night with a neighbor, Kisner, who supplied alcohol to the girls and sexually assaulted one of them.

Detectives with the RPD Family Crimes Unit were called to investigate, and determined Kisner had victimized several girls living in the area on multiple occasions. The girls were as young as 11 years old. A search warrant also led to the discovery of child pornography on several of Kisner’s electronic devices.

Kisner pleaded guilty in January 2018. The sentence ensures he serves about 19 years in prison before parole eligibility begins.





Alabama police arrest man on charge of
child sex abuse of 8 y/o
The Associated Press 
     
TUSCALOOSA, Ala. (AP) — A man has been accused of sexually abusing a child in Alabama.

Tuscaloosa police tell news outlets in a statement that 67-year-old James Don Edwards was arrested and charged with sexual abuse of a child younger than 12 years old. Police spokeswoman Lt. Teena Richardson says officers had been told Tuesday about a possible sexual abuse case involving an 8-year-old.

Investigators interviewed both Edwards and the child before determining there was probable cause to arrest him. Edwards was taken into custody shortly after the accusation against him was reported to police.

Edwards was being held in county jail Tuesday night with bond set at $30,000. It is unclear if he has a lawyer.




Longtime NY state priest suspended over
child sex abuse allegation

BUFFALO, N.Y. (WKBW) - A longtime priest in the Buffalo Diocese has been suspended over an allegation of child sex abuse.

The Rev. Mark Wolski most recently served at SS. Peter and Paul Church in Hamburg. He was also a longtime priest at St. John the Evangelist in South Buffalo.

"After receiving an abuse complaint against Rev. Mark J. Wolski, Bishop Richard J. Malone has placed Father Wolski on administrative leave as an investigation continues," the diocese said in a statement this morning. "Please note that this administrative leave is for the purpose of investigation and does not imply any determination as to the truth or falsity of the complaint."

Rev. Wolski is the 68th former or current clergy member in the Buffalo Diocese to face credible allegations of sexual misconduct. 

In Jan. 2003, then-Bishop Henry Mansell named Rev. Wolski to the Diocese of Buffalo's diocesan review board, which is charged with making decisions about sexual abuse allegations and helping to decide settlement amounts. Rev. Wolski no longer appears to be a member of that board. 

The 7 Eyewitness News I-Team has spent months looking into dozens of claims of abuse and uncovered internal diocesan documents that point to a pattern of covering up claims at the very top

You can read more of I-Team Chief Investigator Charlie Specht's in-depth reporting here





Texas man gets 42 year prison sentence for
sexual abuse of a child

By Hardy Meredith; Brazos County District Attorney's Office
          
BRYAN, Tex. (KBTX) - A man convicted of sexually abusing an underage child will spend up to four decades in prison.

Jose Manuel Gonzales III was sentenced to 42 years in prison Wednesday by the 361st District Court in Brazos County.

Records show that in 2012, the victim disclosed that Gonzales sexually abused the victim multiple times in 2007, when the victim was 12 and Gonzales was 19.

The victim kept the abuse a secret for five years before disclosing it to the mother. Once the victim’s mother became aware of Gonzales’s actions, she notified the Bryan Police Department which began an investigation, according to the Brazos County District Attorney's Office.

An investigation which apparently took another 5 years. Arrrrgh!

During the punishment hearing, prosecutors presented evidence that Gonzales has previously been convicted of Aggravated Assault, Assault, Theft, and Criminal Trespass.

Gonzales elected to have District Judge Steve Smith assess his punishment.





Alabama man wanted on child sex abuse charges

By Alex Jones, Digital Content Producer

(WTVM) -

East Alabama authorities are searching for a wanted man this morning and they need your help.

29-year-old Cornelius Bowen is being sought by Tuskegee police.

They say the Macon County man is wanted on child sex abuse charges.

Authorities think Bowen may still be in the Macon County area or in the Brownville community in Tuscaloosa.

Anyone with information on this man’s whereabouts is asked to call Tuskegee police.

They say your tip may lead to a cash reward.





Child molester determined to be sexually violent offender and a risk to upstate NY
By SCOTT DESMIT

BATAVIA — Patrick E. Sewar says that while in prison, he has learned a variety of ways to suppress his sexual urges, specifically the urges that caused him to molest children.

These include methods such as snapping a rubber band on his wrist, smelling something foul or taking a cold shower, techniques typically discussed in sex offender treatment programs.

Sewar, 26, was in Genesee County Court Wednesday morning for a hearing to determine his level as a registered sex offender.

He is scheduled to be released from Wyoming Correctional Facility in July. Sewar, formerly of Knowlesville Road in Shelby, has served nearly four years of a five-year term imposed in both Orleans and Genesee counties for molesting two children under age 11.

First, a little background on Sewar:

When he was 15, he sexually assaulted a 6-year-old child in 2006. He wasn’t convicted until Nov. 4, 2013, in Ridgeway Town Court. The conviction was a misdemeanor, a deal that came given Sewar’s age and the time that had elapsed since the abuse.

Still, Sewar was sentenced to 90 days in jail and was given a Level 2 sex offender status.

Two weeks after his misdemeanor conviction, Sewar was indicted by a Genesee County grand jury and accused of molesting a child under 11 while in Darien in July 2013.

Then, in December, about a week after he was indicted in Genesee, he molested another girl, this time in Shelby.

Both counties now had felony charges against Sewar, then 22, which eventually led to the five-year prison term.

Now, since he is scheduled for release, he must undergo a Sex Offender Registration Act hearing to determine his level. Sewar is already a Level 2.

In court Wednesday, it was revealed the state Board of Examiners suggested that Sewar remain a Level 2 offender. The registry issued levels 1, 2 and 3 to sex offenders, with 3 being the most severe determination.

Assistant District Attorney Robert Zickl, however, disagreed with the state board’s recommendation.

He said Sewar’s history is a “compelling cause for an upward departure.” He said at the time of Sewar’s arrests, his deviant behavior had been “escalating in severity,” showing a lack of control, particularly since he molested a child while under indictment.

Did I mention, sin is progressive?

Sewar, Zickl said, is “a significant risk to re-offend” and asked Judge Charles Zambito to label Sewar a Level 3 offender.

Sewar’s assigned attorney, Michael O’Keefe, disagreed. “We ask that you don’t departure from the recommendation as a Level 2,” O’Keefe said. He said Sewar has made gains in prison through treatment and will abide by all the rules as a Level 2 offender.

Sewar read a letter he wrote, detailing some of what he learned while in sex offender and alcohol treatment in prison. “I overcame my guilt and shame and learned about myself,” he said. “I have learned to take responsibility and move on with my life. I learned about my offense cycle.”

Sewar then mentioned the methods he learned to suppress his urges, such as snapping a rubber band on his wrist. “I can never change my past and the people I hurt and disappointed. I feel sad and hurt because of that,” he said. “I made bad choices in my life. I’m not a bad person.”

He told Zambito he did not want to be judged the rest of his life and that he wanted to get a job.

Zambito cited numerous reasons to label Sewar a Level 3 offender. “I do find he is a sexually violent offender,” Zambito said.

He cited Sewar’s history of assaulting children, his history of drug and alcohol abuse —that one victim was a stranger and that the state board’s examination “did not fully capture the extent off that history.”

“His use of sex as a coping mechanism is very concerning,” Zambito said.

It was not determined where Sewar will be living once he is released from prison.



Wednesday 30 May 2018

Shocking, Horrifying CSA Stories from Around the World on Today's Global PnP List

Rapist Briton had tried to adopt Kenyan children he later abused 
By Maureen Ongala 

Convicted paedophile Keith Morris tried to legally adopt some of the children he sexually molested, according to court documents The Standard has unearthed. 

Morris and his alleged wife Julie Sharp lodged a Motion seeking legal custody of eight children from Maweni village after they reportedly reached an agreement with the minors’ parents. 

During his trial in a UK court, which ended in conviction last week, the prosecution demonstrated that the 72-year-old pensioner befriended parents of the children he was later charged with molesting. 

Legal guardianship Records at a court in Kilifi show that Morris’ effort to secure legal guardianship of these children were thwarted by Kenyan officials, who doubted his marriage to Julie and also his motivation of seeking to take over the big number of children. The doubts were worsened by the fact Morris could not demonstrate whether he and Julie intended to transfer the children to England or live with them in Kenya. 

There was also suspicion that the consent by parents to free their children for adoption was procured through duress or money inducement. 

The Standard has established that Morris lost the application at the Kilifi Law Courts on July 21 2016. On the day of the ruling, Morris told court he required a fast process because he was about to leave Kenya. “I have booked a return ticket and unless the court hears the application, I will not be around,” said Morris in the supposed urgent application. Although the application was characterised as urgent, and lodged while Morris was armed with an air ticket, records show the convict did not leave Kenya until December 15, 2016. 

Morris only left Kilifi after being tipped by some officials in the police department that an investigation had been launched against him and that he was about to be indicted for sexually abusing the children. He was arrested on arrival in England. British and Kenyan police officers had been after him. 

Kilifi Resident Magistrate Leah Juma declined this application in a ruling made on July, 21, 2016. This was after a report by Ganze sub-county officer Daniel Mbogo showed there was no proof of marriage between the applicant and the woman accompanying him. 

The report dated March 17, 2016, also showed the targeted children were not vulnerable and in need of guardianship as alleged by the applicant, who had come to court armed with consent letters from parents. The applicant, according to the report, had not proved he could take care of these children and where he intended to live with them after adoption. 

Records show Morris and Julie Sharp filed the application on February 11, 2016 through a lawyer, setting in motion a series of investigations by State agencies as required by law in adoption cases. “The families show need of stability and are vulnerable because the conditions they live in are poor,” Morris said in his application, which also shows him alleging that most of the children had single parents, who were poor or earned low wages. 

In the application, Morris and Julie claim they had lived in Kenya for about 25 years. “During the 25 years, my family and I have been to Kenya at least three to four times a year, not as tourists, but to see our family. We have been assisting the families financially and paid their hospital bills. We have had a good relationship with the local chief and a local school,” he said in the application. 

The Standard has established that during his visit to Kenya, the parents allowed Morris to leave with their children in exchange for food, school fees and clothes. Child rights groups and detectives showed during trial that most parents were paid to hush up molestation of their children. The police also ignored reports of sexual abuse presented to them.

The magistrate said notwithstanding the fact that the white couple had no biological links with the children, the court was under obligation to consider the religious, cultural and customary persuasion of the children before allowing adoption. The magistrate also said the court was constrained to consider what harm would befall the children if the application was dismissed. 

The magistrate ruled: “There was no evidence by the applicant as to the wishes of the relatives of the children, wishes of the children themselves, customs of the community from which the children come from, their religious affiliation and the harm the child will suffer in the event the orders are not granted. It was up to the applicant to adduce this in court,” said Juma, adding: “The couple admitted that they are from UK. It was not clear where the children would reside if the orders were granted.”




Sexual abuse rampant in Kenyan mining sites

By SOLOMON MUINGI @mfalmesoloo

KNCHR vice chairman George Morara  speaking while launching the inquiry report on mining in Taita Taveta and its impact on the enjoyment of human rights, in Mwatate on May 30, 2019. 

Sexual abuse and harassment among women and children are rampant in the Taita Taveta mining sites, a report by KNCHR has revealed.

The Kenya National Commission on Human Rights said cases of sodomy were also cited during a public inquiry conducted by the commission in 2016.

Further, it was reported that there was a violation of the rights of children to quality education, sound nurturing, sound care and respectful treatment. Witnesses who appeared before the commission said children dropped out of school to work in the mines especially in Kamtonga areas of Mwatate constituency.

Children were also lured by money and sexually abused by mine workers in various social places.

The commission proposes regular and enhanced monitoring of children rights violation and administration of justice to protect children against sexual abuse and harassment.

It further recommends banning of all forms of child labour in the mines and closing social joints that entertain the abuse of children within their premises.

KNCHR vice chairman George Morara said women bear the blunt of sexual abuse with extreme cases of assault being reported where women were subjected to indecent searches. “It was noted that mine owners harassed women by searching their private parts in search for stolen gemstones,” Morara said.

The public inquiry sessions took place between August and September 2016 in the Taita Taveta mining sites. The commission visited mining areas including Kamtonga, Mkuki and Alia in Mwatate and Kishushe in Wundanyi. Other areas included Kasighau in Voi.

Speaking while launching the inquiry report on mining in Taita Taveta and its impact on the enjoyment of human rights, in Mwatate on Wednesday, Morara said the inquiry sought to promote the enjoyment of fundermental freedoms as envisioned in the constitution.

Mwatate legislator Andrew Mwadime said the government should force mine owner to create favourable working conditions and pay for their employees. Mr Mwadime said most workers were denied basic rights such as contract letters, leave days, statutory deductions among other necessities.

“Mine workers are mostly subjected to risky and unhygienic working environment and this should also be addressed.” The legislator said. Edith Kalo, National Environment Management Authority (NEMA) Taita Taveta County said open pits and weak support in underground mines risked lives of workers.

According to the KNHCR report, underground mines have claimed many lives and caused injuries to people and animals, with reported cases of collapsing mines, flood water entering the mines while the miners are inside.

Ms Kalo said that soil erosion from mining activities has also claimed farmlands and accelerated siltation of watercourses thereby affecting food production in mining areas.

“There is need to develop and implement appropriate Rehabilitation and Decommissioning Action Plans (RDAP), especially for rehabilitation of degraded areas. We shall cooperate with other agencies to ensure that miners comply with the Environment Management and Coordination Act, 2015 before mining licenses are issued.” She said.




CPS Loses Unencrypted DVDs Of Child Sex Abuse Victims’ Interviews


The Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) has been fined £325,000 for losing DVDs containing "intimate" police interviews with 15 child sex abuse victims.

The unencrypted DVDs were sent by tracked delivery from Guildford to Brighton in November 2016 for a trial.

But as delivery was made outside office hours, they were left in a reception area and it was more than a week before the loss was discovered.

Obviously, no signature was required. 

The CPS said it accepted the fine by the Information Commissioner's Office.

The DVDs also contained details of the victims, personal data of the accused, and some identifying information about others involved in the court case.

Steve Eckersley, ICO head of enforcement, said the victims had entrusted the CPS with highly sensitive personal data, adding: "A loss in trust could influence victims' willingness to report serious crimes.


"The CPS failed to take basic steps to protect the data."

Following news that the Crown Prosecution Service has been fined £325,000 by the ICO after losing unencrypted disks containing the recorded interviews of child sex abuse victims, Luke Brown, VP EMEA at WinMagic commented below.

Luke Brown, VP EMEA at WinMagic:

“Whilst all incidents involving the careless handling of sensitive data must be treated seriously, the nature of the content in this case simply ratchets up the severity of the CPS’ actions.  It defies belief that at a time when the issue of data privacy is uppermost in many people’s minds, organisations like the CPS are still seemingly playing fast and loose with our personal and sensitive information.  The irony is that preventing these incidents is simple.  The answer?  Encrypt the data so no matter where it is – on a DVD, endpoint, data-centre or in the cloud – only those who are meant to see the data, see the data.  Everyone else can take a hike.”




Top court prosecutor intervenes in Greece
child sex abuse case

Supreme Court prosecutor Xeni Dimitriou ordered on Tuesday the transfer of two children who were reportedly sexually and physically abused by their parents on the island of Leros to a specialized institution, where they can receive proper care. 

The case came to light after a family relative alerted police to the crime suffered by the couple's 13 year-old girl and her 8-year-old brother over several years.

Dimitriou ordered the local prosecutor in Kos to investigate whether a third child, a boy who is mentally disabled, has also been abused.

An older son, reportedly aged 25, moved out of the house a few years ago.

The children will also be examined by psychologists. 





Former Southampton FC youth coach trial begins

Bob Higgins is charged with 50 counts of indecent assault over 25 years
Steven Morris

Higgins was a coach in Southampton’s junior football system in the 1980s.
Photograph: Marc Atkins/Offside/Getty Images

The trial has begun of a former Southampton youth football coach accused of child sexual abuse.

Bob Higgins, 65, has denied 50 counts of indecent assault between 1971 and 1996 in relation to 24 boys.

Potential jurors were asked on day one of the trial if they had any close connections with either Southampton or Peterborough United football clubs.

They were also given a long list of complainants and witnesses connected to the case and asked if they recognised any of them. Higgins was told to sit while the list was read out.

The judge at Salisbury crown court, Jonathan Fuller QC, told the potential jurors they should not undertake their own research into the allegations because they could only try the case on the evidence heard in court.

“You must not research on the internet anything about this case: the witnesses, the defendant or anyone else associated with it,” he said.

They were asked to give any details about national media coverage they had seen of sexual abuse in football.

The jury is to be sworn in on Wednesday when the prosecution case is due to open. It is expected to last until Thursday and the first witness is likely to give evidence on Friday.

The trial is due to last six to eight weeks but could run for longer.

Higgins was a coach in Southampton’s junior system in the 1980s and worked as Peterborough United’s youth team manager from May 1995 until April 1996, as well as running his own soccer school.




Christians told not to confess sex abuse secrets to Church of England clergy because they will tell the police

Church of England sorts out how to solve a thorny issue

 Olivia Rudgard, religious affairs correspondent, The Telegraph

Christians have been told not to confess sex abuse secrets to Church of England clergy because they will tell the police.

Guidance from the diocese of Canterbury says clergy must tell penitents that if their confession "raises a concern about the wellbeing or safeguarding (of children?)", the priest will be "duty bound" to tell the "relevant agencies". 

Church of England canon law states that information divulged during confession must be kept secret. 

Church of England canon law states that information divulged during confession must be kept secret.    CREDIT: LYNNE CAMERON /PA

The issue was raised during the Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse earlier this year, amid concerns that evidence of abuse could be kept from the authorities.

The national church is currently considering the issue after a review was launched in 2014, and a working group is due to discuss in December.

Julian Hills, Diocesan Secretary, said the guidance was formulated after a case where someone told a member of the clergy about abuse during the confessional.

A penitent "shared with a priest information about ongoing abuse. In this case, the legal and moral position of the priest was called into question," he said.

"It was therefore felt by the Diocesan Safeguarding Management Group that clergy must have clear guidance on how to manage situations where the seal of confession may be brought into conflict with their safeguarding responsibilities."

It is unclear whether a criminal court would favour the responsibility to protect someone from abuse or the requirement of a priest to maintain confidentiality
Julian Hills, Diocesan Secretary

Mr Hills said the situation could force a priest to "choose between their responsibility to protect someone from harm and the usual requirement of confidentiality".

He insisted that the arrangement did not "abolish the seal of the confessional" but was "intended to advise the penitent not to divulge in confession something which would legally compromise the position of the priest". 

“The guidance was drafted in early 2015, after seeking independent legal advice and in consultation with the then Acting Head of Delivery for the National Safeguarding Team," he added.

In other words, if you don't tell me, (hear no evil), than I don't have to tell anyone else (speak no evil). The problem with that is pretty obvious, the priest is closing his eyes to the abuse of children. Here the church is putting church tradition - the seal of confession - above the well-being of children. Jesus must be horrified! Have you not read the Gospels? Good grief!

I suspect that the practice of confession and of absolving sins of child abuse is a significant contributing factor in the practice of Bishops enabling paedophile priests to continue to rape and molest children while wearing the church's robes. By the time you become a Bishop, you've already heard many such confessions, never reporting a single one. Why would you suddenly start now? You wouldn't, of course, you would just continue to close your eyes, your ears, and your mouth.

But you will stand before God one day and if you think He will say, 'Well done thou good and faithful servant', you are certainly mistaken.





The horrors of a Perth hostel and the children
who were never heard - until now
By Joanna Menagh and Briana Shepherd

A man in a group shot from the 1970s or 80s with several children whose faces have been pixillated
Martin Cooper's victims were all wards of the state.

"You're not wanted. You're a welfare kid. No one will believe you."

These were the words spoken to silence young children by "hostel parent" Martin Cooper, who was supposed to care for the boys and girls at Warminda hostel in East Victoria Park in inner Perth but instead subjected them to horrendous physical and sexual abuse.

Now 40 years on, those eight children — now adults aged in their 50s — have finally been believed.

Cooper is facing a lengthy jail term after being found guilty by a Perth jury of 30 sex crimes.

Cooper (right) was found guilty of 43 charges including rape and indecent dealing.
(ABC News: Greg Pollock)

The abuse happened between 1978 and 1983 when Cooper was aged between 26 and 31. His victims — five girls and four boys — were between 11 and 16 years old.

All of them were wards of the state, placed under the guardianship of the State Government because their parents either could not, or would not, care for them properly.

Throughout their young lives most of them had cycled through different residential placements before ending up at Warminda, a hostel owned by the Government but sponsored and run by the Uniting Church.

Cooper and his wife, Nancy, were from the eastern states and came to WA in about May 1978 to become the hostel's "cottage parents".

According to a description of the hostel in the 1970s, it was a house with four bedrooms for the children, a swimming pool, a tennis court and a basketball court.

The Warminda hostel had a tennis court and a swimming pool. (Supplied)

It said the youngsters who lived there would go to the local schools by bus and the cottage parents would organise "recreational activities" for them, such as camping trips.

Warminda sounded like a place where the children would get all the care they needed. The reality was very different.

A culture of 'fear, intimidation and abuse'

The State Prosecutor at Cooper's District Court trial outlined a place of nightmares where:

"A culture prevailed in which the children were continually subjected to fear, intimidation, threats, physical and sexual abuse".

Cooper abused the children at Warminda in the 1970s and 1980s.

One by one the victims took the stand, telling the jury Cooper would drink regularly, give them beer and cigarettes and show them pornography.

They said he also subjected them to horrific sexual abuse that included the repeated rapes of the girls — the youngest from when she was aged just 11 — and the molestation of the boys, some of whom were made to engage in sexual activity with girls while Cooper watched on.

One of the female victims said she was about 15 when Cooper told her he would make life easier for her if she had sex with him.

"Before that night I was tormented by him. I was told I was ugly and looked like a pig," she testified. "For a brief moment I felt I was going to be treated special."

Another victim said she was 11 when she was first raped by Cooper in a loft area of the garage.

Martin James Cooper sexually abused eight children in his care at the Warminda hostel in Perth. (ABC News: West Matteeussen)

She said the abuse happened regularly, including one time when she was raped in what was called "the lock-up room" — a locked windowless storage area where the children were sent as punishment.

"I was trying to crawl to get away from him and I remember the concrete floor being cold.

"He said, 'this is going to be really [good] for you, you're going to like this,' and he proceeded to have sex with me. "I'm thinking to myself it didn't feel good. I didn't want to do it but I was trapped in the corner."

The victims also testified about constant physical abuse, with one man saying the atmosphere was "one of survival".

There was evidence from one witness who said the boys were sometimes encouraged to engage in "bare-knuckle fights" while one of the girls said she would be forced to have cold showers as punishment.

Another man, who was 14 in 1978, said Cooper had "belted" him so badly, he thought he was going to die.

Complaints met by silence

Some of the victims testified that Cooper always told them not to tell anyone what had happened, saying things like: "You're a ward of the state … nobody is going to believe you … no one wants you … I can make you disappear."

Cooper abused the children in the 1970s and 1980s.

Despite that, they said they did report the abuse to various people, including Cooper's wife Nancy, their government department welfare officers, their school principal and even to the police.

But they were not believed and instead said they were told off for being troublemakers, telling lies and making up stories.

One boy even claimed when he went to the local police station, a detective punched him in the stomach, told him "you're a welfare kid, stop causing trouble" and threw him out of the building.

It was not until the recent Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse that many victims were finally given an opportunity to be heard and Cooper, who had returned to the eastern states, was extradited to face trial.

The Royal Commission saw thousands of victims come forward in hundreds of different cases, their stories spanning decades and shining a spotlight onto some of the darkest corners of Australia's past.

An abuse that continues over time

While Cooper's guilty verdict may start to bring some closure for the eight complainants in this case, a child protection advocate has warned it would be unwise to think Warminda was merely an example of history.

Hetty Johnston founded child protection organisation Bravehearts in 1997 after her seven-year-old daughter told her she was being sexually abused by a family member.

Hetty Johnston says she has seen too many examples of children being ignored. (AAP: Samantha Manchee)

"The system is just broken, it's so terribly broken and the same thing is happening today," Ms Johnston said.

"The systemic dysfunction that causes incredible, catastrophic harm to children is still happening."

She said the harm for child abuse victims often continued well beyond the initial attack.

"It's not just the sexual offending that's doing the harm, although certainly that's doing harm," she said.

"But it's what happens next that defines the outcome for that person.

"If they're not believed the first time, if that interview isn't done properly, they'll be shut down and they'll believe what the offender has told them is true — 'no-one will believe you'.

"But it's very rare for children to lie about these things and if they do lie about them it's pretty easily unpicked."

While she said there has been some improvement in this area over the past two decades, she still heard and saw too many examples where children, like those at Warminda 40 years ago, were being ignored or not believed.

"At what point are we going to listen to these children? We just don't want to hear it, we don't want to believe it," she said.

"These people have been harmed and they'll be harmed for the rest of their lives and he (Cooper) did that to them. But so, in some ways, did the system."

Not just the 'system' but society in general is not listening even today, all over the world, children are still voiceless. It's beginning to change in some countries, but it is glacially slow while somewhere between 1 and 10 million children are being sexually abused every day.

One of Cooper's victims said she was forced to have cold showers as punishment. (Supplied)

Victims' credibility questioned in court

Cooper denied outright ever physically or sexually harming any of the children, claiming the evidence of the eight complainants was unreliable and not credible, nor believable.

In his testimony, he painted a picture of a hostel that was run as much as possible like a "normal family" home, where the children were subject to strict rosters for chores, homework, showering and bed time.

He described it a "busy place", saying there were regular visitors including the children's government-appointed welfare officers, a housekeeper and a tutor who would help them with their schoolwork.

Martin Cooper was supposed to care for the children at Warminda, but subjected them to sexual abuse instead. (Supplied)

Cooper also outlined a weekly meeting that would happen in the loungeroom where the children would sit in a semicircle around him and Nancy and air any grievances they had, so they could "deal with problems in a sensible way".

His lawyers also suggested the children had cared for him and Nancy, producing greeting cards given to them by some of the victims congratulating them on their anniversary and the birth of their daughter.

In the end the jury deliberated for almost five days before convicting Cooper of 30 offences.

One of the female victims was in court and wept quietly as the verdicts were delivered, knowing that four decades on she had finally been believed.





Sex abuser Scott Zirus wants transfer to WA
from Texas prison
Gabrielle Knowles The West Australian

A paedophile jailed for 40 years in Texas for sexually abusing children at a summer camp is pleading for a transfer to a WA prison, claiming it would prevent a “grave injustice” to Perth boys who have accused him of similar crimes.

Scott Zirus, originally from Pinjarra, was jailed in the US in 2010 after accepting a plea deal over allegations he assaulted three boys while working at the camp in Texas as part of an international exchange program.

He has to serve at least 20 years before he is eligible for parole.

Zirus has applied to the Australian Attorney-General’s Department and US leaders for an international prisoner transfer.

He claims his main reason is that it is “past due” that he faces 10 criminal charges in WA over allegations he molested four boys at camps he ran in the Peel region between 2006 and 2008.

“Not only does the passage of time hinder my defence, but it is extremely unfair on the children and their families to wait so long for any type of closure on the matter,” Zirus wrote.

He admitted he would like to serve his jail time closer to family and friends for a better chance of rehabilitation.

Zirus, 34, wrote to The West Australian asking the public to support his transfer bid, whether or not they “support my innocence”.

He was convicted of aggravated sexual assault of a child, sexual contact with a child, and continuous sexual abuse of a child younger than 14.

Child protection advocate Hetty Johnston, founder of Bravehearts, said anyone who thought the convicted paedophile cared about anyone else was dreaming. “This would be all about him,” she said. “He just doesn’t like where he is and I think that’s fabulous.

“Once he’s finished his sentence there, then extradite him back to Australia to face the charges here.”

To secure a transfer, a prisoner must gain the consent of the WA and Australian attorneys-general and US officials. Federal Attorney-General Christian Porter refused to say whether the Government was considering a transfer request, citing privacy reasons.

If Zirus was transferred to WA, he would not escape the jail term imposed by US authorities, with a sentencing country’s head sentence preserved in Australia.