Stories from the USA (4); Canada (1); UK (2);
The Netherlands (1); Africa (1)
Pushmataha County man arrested on charges of
child sex abuse
Anthony David Williams
By KXII-TV
ANTLERS, Okla. -- Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation special agents arrested a Pushmataha County man on Wednesday for several counts of child sexual abuse.
In July 2016, OSBI special agents began an investigation into allegation of abuse by Anthony David Williams, 37.
Agents interviewed several children between 7 and 11 years old when they lived with Williams when their mother dated him several years ago. During forensic interviews, the children disclosed Williams had touched them inappropriately.
Williams was booked into the Pushmataha County Jail.
Pushmataha Co., OK
Philip Chicoine pleads guilty to 40 charges for helping live stream overseas child sex abuse
Bre McAdam, Saskatoon StarPhoenix
A Saskatoon, Saskatchewan man has pleaded guilty to 40 child pornography charges related to live streaming the sexual abuse of children in Romania and the Philippines, and then sharing the images with others.
Philip Michael Chicoine, 27, entered guilty pleas Friday to 14 counts of distributing child porn, five counts of arranging to commit a sexual offence against a person under 18, seven counts of luring a person under 18, five counts of making sexually explicit material available to a person under 18 and six counts of conspiracy to commit an indictable offence.
He also pleaded guilty to possessing, accessing and making child porn. The Crown indicated it expects to withdraw 23 of the 63 charges against him at the conclusion of sentencing.
The facts of the case were not read out in Saskatoon provincial court, but police have said Chicoine offered women in Romania and the Philippines money to show him live streamed and previously-recorded videos of child pornography.
The offences happened between 2011 and 2017, according to the RCMP Internet Child Exploitation (ICE) unit. Police discovered evidence of the live streaming during a search of Chicoine’s home after he uploaded child porn to a social media account.
According to the ICE unit, three Romanian women have been sentenced in connection to the case and the child victims are now safe. However, police are still looking for victims in the Philippines as they pursue suspects in that country.
Chicoine’s sentencing hearing is scheduled for June 19.
Jackanory presenter jailed for child sex abuse as victim recalls horror of being assaulted by star
John Earle, 87, was boarding school teacher when he targeted the then
nine-year-old Iain Peters
By Carl Stroud
A FORMER Jackanory storyteller has been jailed for a series of sexual assaults on a young boy who was left with a “terrible burden of shame” for nearly 60 years.
John Earle, 87, who presented TV programmes for youngsters in the 1960s and 1970s, was deputy headteacher at a school in Okehampton, Devon, when he carried out the attacks on Iain Peters, who was just nine when his ordeal began.
Now 69, Peters has waived his right to anonymity to describe the lifetime of fear, shame and insecurity he has suffered since his school days.
His comments came after Earle, of Upton Lyne, Devon, was sentenced to four years in prison at Exeter Crown Court, having pleaded guilty to six counts of indecent assault between 1957 and 1961 at an earlier hearing.
The court heard how Peters, who lived with his parents in Kenya, was sent to Upcott House Preparatory School because his grandparents lived nearby.
Prosecutor Richard Crabb said the abuse started one night when Earle, who was the son of the school’s headmaster, came into Peters’ dormitory and picked him up out of his bed and carried him to his own room in the school before abusing him.
Afterwards he gave him some buttered toast which was seen as a “treat”. After he ate it, Earle told him it was “their little secret”.
Peters told police the abuse occurred regularly, at least once a week during term-time.
In a victim statement which was read out in court by Mr Crabb, he said: “As a result of the crimes John Earle committed against me, I have felt extreme fear, shame and insecurity for 50 years.
“I put on an outward facade of bravado.”
Victim Iain Peters waived his right to anonymity to tell of the ‘burden of shame’ he has been troubled by for nearly 60 years CHANNEL 4 NEWS
Peters said the offences had affected his education and his job prospects, adding that he had always carried out dangerous and low-paid jobs.
Earle, who started his television career on a show called Treasure House before working on the BBC children’s science programme Tom Tom, entered court using two walking sticks and used a hearing loop to listen to the case against him.
His appearances as a Jackanory storyteller marked the end of his television career and in the intervening years he has written books about Dartmoor and ran an expedition centre there, becoming an expert on trekking on the moors.
The frail 87 y/o being helped into court
Nicolas Gerasimidis, for the defence, said the offences were an “aberration” for Earle as a man and that he had had access to a “vast number of young people” in the years since the offences but there had been no repetition.”
Speaking after the hearing, investigating officer Detective Constable Martin Pearse read out a statement on behalf of Mr Peters, who said the “terrible burden of shame” that had blighted his life had now been lifted.
Devon, UK
Stevensville man sentenced to 100 years for
child sex abuse
By Don Fisher
An 82-year-old Stevensville man will likely spend the rest of his life in prison for repeatedly sexually assaulting a young girl.
Gary Gene Dowdle admitted guilt to three charges, including sexual assault and sexual abuse of children. Prosecutors say the girl reported to Colorado authorities that she was assaulted by Dowdle several times between the ages of 4 and 6.
At his sentencing hearing, Ravalli District Court Judge James Haynes followed the state's recommendation of a 100-year sentence in the Montana State Prison with no possibility for parole until he serves 25 years, when he'd be 107-years-old.
Stevensville, MT
Second Old-Catholic Priest Suspended on
Child Sex Abuse Claims
By Janene Pieters
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The Netherlands - The Old Catholic Bishop of Haarlem Dirk-Jan Schoon suspended another priest on child sex abuse charges. This priest has been retired for 13 years, but is still involved in celebrations in the Amsterdam parish and was used in emergencies, NOS reports.
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| Bishop Schoon |
Last week the Old Catholic Church suspended another priest, Nico S., after he was arrested in Cambodia. The Cambodian authorities found a large number of nude photos of boys under the age of 15 in his possession. It is believed he paid the boys to pose naked for him. After his arrest the Church admitted that they knew about S.'s sexual preferences for young boys.
After that arrest a 58-year-old social worker from Amsterdam told the Volkskrant that he was abused by another Old Catholic Church priest in 1973. The priest took nude photos of the then boy and made him perform sexual acts. The victim reported this to the church and an independent complaints committee in 2014. The complaint was ruled well-grounded, but the priest was not suspended. He was only banned from working with young people.
The victim was not satisfied by that measure, but according to him, Bishop Schoon convinced him not to start a legal procedure. The Church denies this. But the bishop acknowledges that more should have been done with the victim's complaint and therefore decided to suspend the priest after all.
The Old Catholic Church calls on any other victims to come forward.
Conway man jailed for alleged sexual abuse of child
By Jo Brown
CONWAY, SC (WBTW) – A Conway man was jailed after a teenager in his care told a counselor she had been sexually abused over the course of a number of years, according to an incident report from Horry County Police.
The report details how on March 9 an Horry County Police officer accompanied an employee with the Department of Social Service to a home on Copperhead Road in Conway. The DSS worker explained they received a report of alleged sexual abuse of a 17-year-old girl living in the home.
According to the police report, a counselor reported that the victim was repeatedly abused by 41-year-old Henry Lawson III while she was in 7th and 8th grade. The victim told the counselor that the abuse happened “every few months” until the victim told Lawson she would tell her mom if he didn’t stop. The victim said the abuse stopped until her junior year of high school, the report states.
The victim told the counselor she laid on the couch to go to sleep and when she woke, “she felt funny.” The victim’s legs were laid over Lawson’s lap when she woke and she asked why he touched her, the report states. The victim stated Lawson replied because he wanted “to see how many fingers would fit.” Lawson then reportedly told the victim to not tell anyone, or he would have to leave the home, according to the report.
On March 9, police and DSS went to the Conway home where a safety plan was developed by the DSS worker to keep Lawson away from the victim and only have supervised visits with the two other children who live in the home.
Lawson was arrested Thursday on one count of criminal sexual conduct third degree and one count of criminal sexual conduct second degree. Lawson was booked into J. Reuben Long Detention Center at 8:05 a.m. Thursday, and released hours later on a $5,000 bond.
Santa Maria man convicted of child sex abuse charges sentenced to probation
Gina Kim
A Santa Maria man accused of multiple counts of child sex abuse and forced lewd acts upon two children was sentenced to five years probation Thursday at the Santa Maria Superior Court.
Gerald Francis Gault, 68, also must register as a sex offender for the rest of his life and stay away from any locations where children may be present, including parks, schools and playgrounds. He cannot have any contact with children without prior approval from the Probation Department, must participate in sex offender treatment and periodically undergo a polygraph examination to ensure that he is following probation rules.
The unnamed victims in the case, who were reportedly family members, were under the age of 9 and 16 when the incidents occurred. The crimes reportedly spanned the course of several years from spring 2013 to January 2016. Gault was arrested and booked into custody Jan. 5, 2016.
The prosecution reached its decision after speaking with the families of both victims, taking into consideration the further trauma both girls could potentially suffer through the jury trial process, according to Deputy District Attorney Jennifer Karapetian. They also weighed the evidence in the case, considered the defendant's criminal history, then accepted Gault's offer for an early disposition and admission of guilt.
Dry eyes were hard to find in the Santa Maria courtroom Wednesday when one of the young girls read her victim impact statement aloud.
"I never pictured myself in a courtroom for something like this, and although it is hard to talk about, a part of me is glad to be here today," she began.
"I thought Gerald Gault loved me, but I don't think so at all now," she continued. "I'm sorry that he's not getting the punishment I'd hope for, but I accept your decision."
For months, she cried alone in her bed at night, the girl recounted. She endured physical pain from the incident, and wanted to tell her mother but was afraid to do so for fear of Gault coming back to seek revenge.
"I'm learning to deal with what happened," she said. "When I look back, I hope this will just be a bump in my life, and I won't live in fear."
While the little girl stayed composed, her mother fought hard to speak articulately through sobs during her victim impact statements.
"Nothing in your life as a parent prepares you for having your innocent child be sexually abused," she began. "My daughter was only 9 years old when she shared [this] with me, and that was in January of 2016. Our family has been in a crisis ever since."
Her daughter had kept Gault's secret to herself due to fear and, also, because she loved him, her mother added.
"I wish I could say I'm at peace with the decision for the [prosecution] to allow a plea bargain, but the fact is Gerald has committed sexual acts to an innocent child, and she was less than 9 years old."
"I've been trying to teach my daughter to trust the law and judicial system," she said. "Instead, today I'm forced to explain how justice in this case has to mean 'good enough.'"
While she still feels anger and sadness, her mother also noted that she is filled with resolve, and will work to help her daughter regain her sense of self. Her mother also thanked Santa Maria Police officials who came to her daughter's rescue during the times she felt so vulnerable following the abuse.
As part of the deal, Gault, who was represented by defense attorney Addison Steele, pleaded to a count of lewd acts upon a child under the age of 10 by use of force, violence and fear, and another count of lewd acts upon a child under the age of 16.
The remaining counts were dismissed as part of the negotiated plea.
Gault has been in custody for a little over a year, and was released upon his sentencing Thursday morning. In addition to his sentence, he is not allowed to leave the county, maintain residence only approved by the Probation Department, submit to search and seizures, have no contact with any of the victims and stay at least 150 yards away from the victims. His probation expires April 27, 2022.
"The guilty plea to these charges ensured that Gerald Gault was held accountable for molesting his grandchildren," Karapetian said.
"It took tremendous courage for these two victims to come forward and report their abuser," she added. "Now they can move forward on their path of healing, knowing that their grandfather was held accountable for what he did to them."
Plea deals which allow a pedophile who molested his granddaughters, to walk after only a few months in jail, is not what I would call being held accountable.
Salford man jailed for 22 years for
child rape and sex abuse
By Crime Reporter
A Salford man who sexually abused and beat his victims to ensure their silence has today been jailed for 22 years.
David Glausiusz (47) of Leigh Road, Broughton Park, Salford has been jailed for three counts of rape of a child under the age of 13, six counts of sexual assault against a child under the age of 13, three counts of assault and three counts of child cruelty after being found guilty at an earlier hearing.
Sentencing Glausiusz at Minshull Street Crown Court, Judge Rudland praised GMP’s investigation, telling the court: “there will be no place that the police light will not shine to protect the vulnerable.”
In April 2014, a referral was made to Salford Children’s Social Care raising concerns about a young boy.
Extensive enquiries by officers and staff from the Salford Borough, along with partners, established the boy had been sexually and physically abused by Glauciusz.
Months of further enquiries, both locally and internationally, identified a number of other victims, some of which had later made disclosures to police that Glauciusz had raped them, struck them with a piece of wood and stood on their stomach.
In court, it was proved that Glauciusz was guilty of a number of recent and non-recent abuse against his victims including children as young as seven.
While investigating, officers discovered his victims had been convinced by Glauciusz that they would not be believed if they reported his crimes. He had also tried to threaten them about potential repercussions in the community if they reported it.
Detective Chief Inspector Alan Clitherow of GMP’s Salford Borough, said: “The astounding bravery shown by those who suffered at the hands of Glauciusz has helped put a stop to his prolific and frankly evil actions.
Greater Manchester is nationally recognised as a model of good practice in terms of support services available to victims.
– If you or someone you know has been raped or sexually assaulted, we encourage you not to suffer in silence and report it to the police, or a support agency so you can get the help and support available.
– You can call Greater Manchester Police on 101, or alternatively people can refer themselves to St Mary’s Sexual Assault Referral Centre on 0161 276 6515, whether or not you want make a police report.
– St Mary’s Sexual Assault Referral Centre in Manchester provides a comprehensive and coordinated forensic, counselling and medical aftercare service to anyone in Greater Manchester who has experienced rape or sexual assault. Services are available on a 24-hour basis and people can access them via Greater Manchester Police, or as a self-referral.
– Manchester Rape Crisis is a confidential support service run by women for women and girls who have been raped or sexually abused. Confidential helpline: 0161 273 4500. Black and Minority Ethnic helpline: 0161 273 4514.
– Survivors Manchester offers support and counselling for adult male survivors of sexual abuse and rape, regardless of when the event happened. Contact 07919 246 267.
Salford, UK
DRC: Five UN peacekeepers suspended over fresh sexual abuse claims
Five peacekeepers are accused of acts of sexual abuse and exploitation in the first three months of 2017.
By Elsa Buchanan
UN peacekeeping mission in the DRC, Monusco (Reuters)
A UN peacekeeper in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) has been suspended over claims that he had a child with an underage girl.
Reports of alleged sexual exploitation and abuse by United Nations (UN) personnel of vulnerable people – often the very people that these UN workers were supposed to protect – have been surfacing for years.
The UN's mission to DRC (Monusco), the largest and most expensive peacekeeping mission in the world, is no exception. It has been hit by a series of child sex abuse scandals in recent years.
The military observer is among five peacekeepers accused of acts of sexual abuse and exploitation in the first three months of 2017, according to Adama Ndao, head of the conduct and discipline team for the Monusco, who was quoted by BBC on Friday (28 April).
Two South African soldiers and two non-military Monusco officials, from Burundi and Niger, are among the accused, Ndao said.
All the accused have been suspended pending the result of official investigations.
Under Congolese law, anyone under 18 is considered a minor, and the underage girl has been put under the care of the UN children's agency (Unicef), Ndao said.
All the other cases involve alleged victims over 18. Two women have demanded paternal recognition from the peacekeepers they had sex with. One of the complainants has already had her baby. The other is still pregnant.
Last month, the UN agreed to settle for a 7% reduction of Monusco personnel – from 19,815 to 18,316. This figure includes military personnel, military observers, police personnel and members of formed police units.
Scandals involving UN troops in recent years have included a DRC paedophile ring and prostitute trafficking in Kosovo and alleged sexual abuse cases by European troops against children in the conflict-ridden Central African Republic (CAR).
The head of an advocacy group that leaked a UN report revealing that a dozen French peacekeepers had been suspected of sexually abusing children in the CAR in 2015 accused the UN of attempting to "cover-up" its findings.
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