Child Psychiatrist Continued to Work After 2 CSA Convictions

Doctor ‘allowed to work’ after child sex abuse

Calls have been made for an investigation into the case of a child psychiatrist linked to Kincora Boys’ Home who was allowed to keep working as a doctor even after being convicted of child sexual abuse

Dr Morris Fraser. ©Pacemaker

Dr Morris Fraser was a senior psychiatric registrar at the Royal Victoria Hospital in Belfast in the 1960s and 70s.

A new report has shown that he was allowed to remain on the British medical register for more than two decades after being convicted on sex abuse charges in both London and New York.

Its author Dr Niall Meehan also cites sources linking Fraser to abuse at Kincora, which has long been at the centre of allegations about a paedophile ring involving high-profile political and military figures.

Director of services for NSPCC NI Neil Anderson has said that the case shows how “absolutely vital” it is that information about individuals who pose a risk to children is shared by authorities.

“There must be a full investigation into the circumstances of this case,” he said.

“But it appears that the authorities knew about Dr Morris Fraser's previous convictions for child sexual abuse in both New York and London and did not share this information with his employers in Belfast. 

“To have allowed him to continue to have contact with children in this way is inexcusable.”

“THIS CASE SHOWS THAT IN THE PAST, SOME IN AUTHORITY 

WERE MORE WORRIED ABOUT KEEPING ABUSERS OUT OF 

THE COURTS THAN IN ACHIEVING JUSTICE FOR THE 

VICTIMS OF ABUSE.”

Neil Anderson, NSPCC NI

Amnesty International has expressed shock over the revelations and again called for a full public inquiry into Kincora.

“These are deeply shocking revelations,” Amnesty’s NI Programme Director Patrick Corrigan said.

“How could the authorities, here and in London, allow a convicted serial child abuser to continue to have trusted access to vulnerable children for over two decades?

“Public fears of a long-running establishment cover-up of child abuse in Northern Ireland will only be further heightened by the fact that, as recently as last year, the PSNI was refusing - on ‘national security’ grounds - to release information about Fraser’s activities.”

The Independent on Sunday reported last year that a Freedom of Information request to the PSNI about Fraser’s activities in Northern Ireland was turned down over “national security”.

Mr Corrigan added: “The only way to restore public confidence around Kincora is for its inclusion within the Goddard Inquiry, the only investigation with powers to compel files and witnesses.

“Nothing less than a full public inquiry – with all the powers of compulsion which that brings - can finally reveal what happened at Kincora."

“IT’S TOO LATE TO SAVE THE CHILDREN ABUSED BY FRASER. 

IT’S NOT TOO LATE FOR THE TRUTH TO COME OUT.”

Patrick Corrigan, Amnesty NI

Three senior Kincora staff were jailed in 1981 for abusing boys at the east Belfast home in the 70s.

But it has been alleged that security services blocked police investigations into the extent of the abuse.

The Westminster Government has also decided not to include Kincora in a UK-wide abuse inquiry headed by Justice Lowell Goddard.

Instead, the allegations will be examined in the ongoing Stormont-commissioned Historical Institutional Abuse Inquiry led by Sir Anthony Hart.

One victim, Gary Hoy, has started legal proceedings in an attempt to challenge that decision.