Child Sex Abuse Stories from Cambodia, Trinidad, Israel, Wales, N Ireland, Canada, Save The Children, on Today's Global PnP List

Two Brits charged with sexual abuse of minors

in Cambodia

Khy Sovuthy / Khmer Times    

David Brock, One of the men accused of sexually assaulting minors. Supplied

Siem Reap Provincial Court has charged two British nationals with indecent acts against minors after they allegedly sexually abused several boys aged 13 to 15.

According to a statement from child-protection NGO Action Pour Les Enfants (APLE) on Tuesday, the court charged two Britons, aged 63 and 69, with indecent acts against minors under 15 years of age.

Duong Thavary, deputy provincial police chief in charge of the anti-human trafficking and juvenile protection department, said the suspects were arrested on February 21 after a months-long investigation. ​They were sent to the provincial court for questioning after being questioned by police, she added.

“After we questioned them, we learned one suspect committed the crime and the other one was an accomplice,” said Ms Thavary. “The provincial court charged them with indecent acts against eight minors and already sent them to pretrial detention at the provincial prison.”

Police also confiscated numerous media devices for examination.

Ms Thavary said this was the first case in 2018 involving foreign paedophiles in Siem Reap province, adding police cracked down on three cases last year.

According to a statement from APLE, one of the men confessed to having sexually molested some of the boys and paid for each encounter.

Samleang Seila, country director of APLE, said the organisation and its partners would provide support to the affected children and their families if such services were requested during the rehabilitation process.

Mr Seila said police and NGOs find it difficult to uncover crimes involving foreigners and children because the foreigners have changed their tactics to avoid detection.

“Now foreign suspects commit the crime but they are more careful than before,” Mr Seila said. “In general, crime cases involving foreigners sexually abusing children is lower than before.”​

Over 500 charged for sexual offences, other crimes against children since 2015 in T&T

Even so, the numbers are still rising

LOOP NEWS  

Police in Trinidad and Tobago have continued in their fight in crimes perpetrated against children, with 552 people being arrested and charged since May 2015 to present under the Children’s Act.

Speaking at Wednesday’s Weekly Police Media Briefing, W/Sgt. Michelle Lewis of the Child Protection Unit, Port of Spain Division said that of the 552 persons charged, 73 were charged in 2015, 184 in 2016, 289 in 2017 and six persons in 2018, for various offences against children under the Act.

The figures represent a worrying increase in the number of offences committed against persons under the age of 18, with a high percentage involving sexual penetration of a child and sexual touching of a child.

Of the 98 offences committed in 2015, 61 involved sexual penetration of a child and 28, sexual touching.

In the following year, 370 offences were committed of which 199 involved sexual penetration and 69 sexual touching.

For 2017, 406 offences were committed of which 244 involved sexual penetration and 78 sexual touching.

Fifty reports of crimes against children have been reported for the year thus far, 30 of which involved sexual penetration and 19 sexual touching.

W/Sgt. Lewis urged parents and guardians to remember that they have a duty of care over the children under their charge and an obligation to ensure the rights of the child are protected.

She also pointed to an unsettling trend emerging in custody disputes, whereby children are being coached to make unfounded allegations against one of the parties to the dispute.

The CPU is then required to divert limited resources to investigate these allegations, instead of focusing on genuine cases of abuse against children, she said.

W/Sgt. Lewis also pointed to cases of teenaged girls finding themselves pregnant without any recollection of a sexual encounter, leading investigators to conclude they were drugged, then raped.

Save the Children official fired for historical
child safeguarding concerns

Charity admits major failings in hiring practices after
employing worker for two decades

Sarah Marsh and Rebecca Ratcliffe

Rudolph von Bernuth, former director of international programmes at Save the Children. Photograph: Youtube / Maxwell School of Syracuse University

Save the Children has admitted to major failings in its employment procedures after it emerged that a senior official worked at the charity for more than two decades before he was fired over historical child safeguarding concerns.

Rudolph von Bernuth, who held senior posts including that of international programmes director, was at Save the Children from 1992-96 and 1997-2014 before he was sacked for serious misconduct linked to past behaviour. He has since been a university guest lecturer in the US.

Save the Children said that the allegations concerned Von Bernuth’s behaviour before and during his employment by the charity, but would not give any details of the specific complaints that led to his departure other than to say “serious concerns were raised about him”.

The UK Charity Commission told the Guardian that his dismissal was linked to “historic child safeguarding concerns”.

Save the Children also said that as a result of the case it would investigate how it dealt with claims of sexual misconduct and harassment. However, it would not clarify whether there were allegations of this nature made against Von Bernuth.

The charity said it was “appalled at and denounce his behaviour prior to and during his employment”, adding: “We are heartbroken at the pain he caused.”

Save the Children admitted it was “deeply concerned” at how it handled hiring procedures, but would not say whether it had asked for a reference before hiring Von Bernuth.

The Guardian asked Save the Children to elaborate on any knowledge of wrongdoing in other jobs but the charity refused. Von Bernuth did not respond to repeated attempts to contact him for comment.

The revelations add to significant problems for the charity, with staff demanding the removal of Sir Alan Parker as its international chairman over complaints of inappropriate behaviour by former executives. They believe he should step down because of failures to deal with the complaints from staff against the charity’s former chief executive, and the former policy director Brendan Cox, the widower of murdered MP Jo Cox.

Based on how Von Bernuth’s employment was handled, the charity said it would order a review of all prior investigations, adding that there would be a thorough inspection of how it looks at claims of sexual misconduct.

In a statement, the US arm of the charity said that “in an effort to take a fresh look at these issues” it had asked the former chairman of the US securities and exchange commission, Mary Jo White, to investigate. It said the investigation would look at “the organisation’s current procedures for hiring and related employment practices and for addressing claims of sexual misconduct and harassment”.

Von Bernuth worked for Care International for two decades before joining Save the Children, where he was most recently the international programme director based in London.

Care International told the Guardian that Von Bernuth resigned in May 1992 and that it had no records of formal sexual misconduct complaints. “More than 25 years have passed, and our records don’t indicate whether or not a reference was given [to Save the Children] at that time,” it said.

Von Bernuth is understood to have worked in the London office on secondment from the US branch of the charity and to have left suddenly in 2014. One former staff member who asked to remain anonymous said: “When he left, no one was told anything. He just ... disappeared.”

His case was reported to the UK Charity Commission and he was not provided with a reference upon leaving. He was investigated, with details passed on to authorities in the US and the UK.

A spokesperson for the Charity Commission said: “Our records from 2014 indicate that the charity Save the Children International made a serious incident report to us in March 2014, relating to a staff member and historic child safeguarding concerns ... we established that the individual in question was suspended and later had his employment terminated by the charity.”

Since 2016, Von Bernuth has been the president of the board of directors for Hospice and Palliative Care of Oneida, Herkimer and Madison counties, New York. He has also been a guest lecturer on humanitarian issues at Syracuse University’s Maxwell School. Neither organisation responded to requests for comment.

His public profile also says that he retired from Save the Children in 2015 and that the Canterbury School, a boarding and day school he attended in Connecticut, awarded him a distinguished alumni award last year.

Save the Children is one of a number of charities to be affected by a crisis that has swept the sector since Oxfam staff were accused of sexual misconduct in Haiti in 2011. Last week, the heads of 22 aid organisations took the unprecedented step of apologising for the sector’s failure to tackle sexual abuse. They vowed to toughen safeguards against misconduct.

The letter, signed by the heads of ActionAid UK, Christian Aid, Cafod, Care International UK, as well as Oxfam, Save the Children and others, said: “We are truly sorry.”

Jerusalem Ultra-Orthodox Elementary School
Accused Of Physical, Sexual Abuse

By JTA

Schoolboys of the ultra-Orthodox Jewish Hasidim of Toldot Aharon group stand in their synagogue during the ‘Homesh’ ceremony in Jerusalem. The ceremony is attended by five-year-old children starting to study the Torah for their first time in their lives.

MENAHEM KAHANA/AFP/Getty Images

JERUSALEM (JTA) — A lawsuit filed against a venerated haredi Orthodox elementary school in Jerusalem alleges physical and sexual abuse within the institution.

The lawsuit was filed last week in Jerusalem Magistrates Court against Talmud Torah Kaminetz by a former student who is now an adult. He was assisted in preparing and filing the lawsuit by Din Ve’Cheshbon, a haredi organization that is fighting against sexual abuse cases and institutional coverups within the haredi sector.

Talmud Torah Kaminetz is held up as a standard-bearer in the Lithuanian stream of the haredi education system.

The lawsuit names a teacher, the principal and the institution as defendants. The incidents began about 18 years ago when the alleged victim was 9 years old and in the third grade.

A teacher who tested the students privately in Torah and other religious subjects allegedly repeatedly pinched the student’s private areas during the testing sessions. When the student started to skip the sessions, the principal allegedly called him to his office, where he would hit the boy, sometimes with a stick. On one occasion, according to the documents, it was with such force that the stick snapped in two.

In sixth grade, the student told a rabbi at the school about the incidents. The following day his mother received a call from the school accusing the child of spreading lies about the rabbis in the school. The mother said she was also told that she should be grateful that her son was accepted to the prestigious institution, even though the family is of Sephardic descent, and that if they continued to complain the boy and his brothers would be expelled from the school.

Woman reveals abuse hell at hands of parents and praises centre for helping turn her life around

The Rape and Sexual Abuse Centre has helped more than 600 victims through counselling and providing emotional support

By Hywel Trewyn

A woman has bravely told how she was sexually abused by her father and his friends which her mother did nothing to prevent.

The woman, now in her 50s, spoke about her horrific experience as a guest at the opening of new offices of the Rape and Sexual Abuse Centre (RASASC) for North Wales which has helped her deal with the devastating trauma that’s affected her life.

Police Crime Commissioner Arfon Jones officially opens the new Rape & Sexual Abuse Support Centre in Bangor. Also pictures are MP Hywel Williams, AM Sian Gwenllian and deputy chair for RASASC Nonn Williams

The woman, whose identity is being protected, said her mother was present and aided and abetted the abusers from when she was a toddler until she left home at 16.

The offices in Parc Menai, Bangor officially opened by North Wales Police and Crime Commissioner Arfon Jones provide a service across North Wales’ six counties and last year 600 people were referred to them for support.

The woman said: “My father was abusing me and my mother was part of what was happening. I can’t remember a time that it wasn’t happening."

More people are coming forward to report rapes, with North Wales having the highest rate of rapes against children in England and Wales

“There were other people involved. It was absolutely terrifying and painful for a child, but I think the emotional hurt and betrayal of trust is what does more damage. I needed professional help, and I came to the wonderful Rape and Sexual Abuse Support Centre in North Wales."

“I had counselling that meant for the first time I was able to tell someone exactly what had happened. It was like this big secret that was on my shoulders the whole time. It meant so much to actually have someone say to me that they believed me and that it wasn’t my fault. It had a big emotional impact on me, I cried a lot at that time."

“It took a lot of hard work and commitment, but I started to rebuild my life. I’ve gone from someone who was on benefits and so depressed I wasn’t really doing anything to someone who is working."

“I’ve got a really good wide circle of friends. I’ve got a lovely life. I go on holiday. All of the things that I felt had been written off for me because of what other people had done to me. There are long term effects from what I experienced, I don’t have any children of my own. I never got married, but I try to focus on what I have got rather than what I’ve lost.”

“It’s a consequence of what has happened to me but compared to sitting in a cupboard feeling miserable about it, I do have a life and I didn’t before I came to RASASC North Wales.”

RASASC director Jane Ruthe said: “We help men, women, anyone of any gender. We work with people who have experienced recent rape. We work with people who have experienced childhood abuse, and perhaps not told anyone for many years."

“We work with people whenever they experienced sexual violence, whether it happened recently or a long time ago, whether they have ever told anyone before, whether they are going through a court case. We do also have a children’s service."

“One lady in her 80s who said that she’d actually been raped when she was in her late teens. She’d never been able to hug her children. She never phoned again and she never came in but she said she didn’t want to die without having told anyone.”

Mr Jones said: “The number of rapes and other serious sexual assaults, often committed by partners or people known to their victims, reported to the police are high."

“However, they remain under-reported and more needs to be done to encourage victims to come forward, regardless of when the crime was committed.”

Mr Jones hit out at the UK Government for failing to provide centres like RASASC North Wales.

He said: “While I very much welcome the fact that there is an ongoing Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse, I feel that the Westminster Government was incredibly short-sighted in refusing to fund support centres such as this one in order to support the brave people who gave evidence to the inquiry. The need for such support is greater than ever.”

Survivors benefit greatly from counselling/support centres. For many it can turn their lives around completely. But many who never get that support suffer miserably all their lives and often fail to be the person they might have been. 

Governments all over the world need to budget for dramatic increases in counselling services for the hundreds of millions of victims of child sex abuse.

Child-abuse survivor of Kincora residential home dies

Compensation for victims recommended last year but collapse of powersharing halted this

Clint Massey, a former resident of Kincora Boys’ Home, outside Banbridge Courthouse in May 2016 as a public inquiry examined allegations of abuse at the notorious facility in east Belfast. File photograph: Lesley-Anne McKeown/PA Wire

Kincora child abuse survivor Clint Massey has died.

Mr Massey spent eight months in the notorious East Belfast residential home at age 16.

The facility opened on Belfast’s Upper Newtownards Road, close to Stormont’s Parliament Buildings, in May 1958 and closed in October 1980 following the sex abuse scandal.

Survivors’ campaigner Margaret McGuckin said: “So saddened to hear early today of Kincora child abuse survivor Clint Massey passing. RIP. Clint was a very shy insecure timid man when we first met.”

Clint and the other victims of Historical  Institutional Abuse deserving of redress, continue to die rather than receive the help they so patently deserve.

‘Sadly missed’

She said the group had helped to support Mr Massey. “Sadly missed Clint by all your friends in Savia and further afield. God bless,” she added.

In 1981, three senior care workers at Kincora were imprisoned.

The chairman of a public inquiry into the abuse, Sir Anthony Hart, dismissed allegations of security force or state collusion in the abuse.

No credible evidence was found of complicity in exploitation of sex abuse at Kincora, or that prominent individuals within the establishment were involved.

Of course, if you are careful not to dig too deep...

Instead, failings by the health authorities and Royal Ulster Constabulary were blamed after dozens of residents complained of being targeted.

Following the public inquiry, recommendations were made in January last year to the Northern Ireland Assembly to award compensation to victims and survivors.

However, just days after the report, powersharing collapsed at Stormont, meaning no government has been in place to approve the release of funds. – Press Association

Victimized again by the government!

Charges laid against 8 Ontario residents by OPP's

child sexual exploitation unit

by Mike Wilson  Orangeville Banner

ORILLIA — Eight southwestern Ontario residents have been arrested following the execution of 10 search warrants across the province by the Ontario Provincial Police's child sexual exploitation unit.

The OPP said in a release on March 1 that the execution of these warrants, which were executed in collaboration with their municipal law enforcement partners, led to the arrest of eight individuals.

The individuals reside in Stratford, Fordwich, Formosa, Walkerton, Orangeville, Owen Sound and Kintore.

A total of 36 charges were laid ranging from child pornography charges to possession of marijuana.

"Our most fundamental responsibility as a society is to protect our children from those who would do them harm," said OPP commissioner Vince Hawkes. "The OPP will continue to aggressively identify and pursue individuals who use technology to exploit children. These investigations highlight the many OPP, municipal and First Nations officers who are working diligently to keep our children safe."

Summary of Search Warrants Executed and Charges Laid

OPP say that there are no connections between the following cases, and that they are all independent investigations. None of the charges against any of the accused have been proven in court.

Fordwich

On Feb. 6, 2018, members of the OPP's child sexual exploitation unit, OPP digital forensics unit and the Huron County OPP detachment executed a search warrant at a residence in Fordwich after receiving a report from a social media outlet that an unknown person had uploaded an image of child sexual abuse to the internet.

As a result of the search, police claim that computers were seized that contained images of child sexual abuse. On Feb. 6 police arrested 49-year-old David Harold Banks of Fordwich and charged him with two counts of possession of child pornography, one count of accessing child pornography, and one count of making child pornography available.

Police also allege that they located a quantity of stolen property and illegal drugs during the search. As a result police arrested 23-year-old Justin Horrigan of Fordwich and charged him with two counts of possession of property obtained by crime over $5,000, one count of possession of marijuana, one count of possession of cannabis resin, and one count of failure to comply with recognizance.

Formosa

On Feb. 7 members of OPP's child sexual exploitation unit, OPP's digital forensics unit and the Walkerton OPP detachment executed a search warrant at a Formosa residence following an online, undercover investigation.

Police claim that they seized computers that contained images of child sexual abuse. On Feb. 7 police arrested 47-year-old Daniel Bruce Davidson of Formosa and charged him with one count of possession of child pornography, one count of accessing child pornography, and one count of making child pornography available.

Walkerton

On Feb. 7 members of OPP's child sexual exploitation unit, OPP's digital forensics unit and the Walkerton OPP detachment executed a search warrant at a Walkerton residence following an online, undercover investigation.

Police claim that as a result computers were seized that allegedly contained images of child sexual abuse. On Feb. 13, 2018, police arrested 31-year-old Justin A. Campbell of Walkerton and charged him with three counts of possession of child pornography, and two counts of making child pornography available.

Stratford

On Feb. 5, 2018, members of OPP's child sexual exploitation unit, OPP's digital forensics unit and Stratford police executed a search warrant at a Stratford residence following an online, undercover investigation.

Police say that as a result of their search, computers were seized that contained images of child sexual abuse. On Feb. 5 police arrested 35-year-old Ernest Jordan Hesse of Stratford and charged him with one count of possession of child pornography, one count of accessing child pornography, and one count of making child pornography available.

Orangeville

In January 2018, during the course of an online, undercover investigation, the Sûreté du Québec identified an offender seeking to have sexual relations with two girls, ages six and eight.

Further investigation was conducted by the OPP and on Feb. 7, 2018, the child sexual exploitation unit, accompanied by Orangeville police executed a search warrant at an Orangeville residence.

In addition to evidence of this offence, police claim that they located computers containing images of child sexual abuse. On Feb. 7 police arrested 40-year-old Christopher M. Robinson of Orangeville and charged him with two counts of agreement to commit a sexual offence against a person under 16 years of age, two counts of invitation to sexual touching a person under 16 years of age, one count of possession of child pornography, one count of accessing child pornography, and one count of making child pornography available.

Owen Sound

In January 2018 the OPP child sexual exploitation unit received an investigation from the Department of Homeland Security in Buffalo, New York, after an agent identified a group of individuals exchanging videos and images over the internet of children being sexually abused.

Further investigation by the child sexual exploitation unit resulted in OPP investigators, accompanied by Owen Sound police, executing a search warrant on Feb. 15, 2018 at an Owen Sound residence.

During the execution of the search warrant, police claim to have located computer equipment containing images of child sexual abuse. On Feb. 15 police arrested 29-year-old Jacob Robert Baker of Owen Sound and charged him with two counts of possession of child pornography, and one count of distribution of child pornography.

Kintore

On Feb. 22, 2018, members of the child sexual exploitation unit, St. Thomas Police, OPP's digital forensics and Oxford County OPP detachment executed a search warrant at a residence in Kintore after receiving information that an unknown person using the internet was in possession of images of child sexual abuse.


Police claim that two computer devices were seized that contained images of child sexual abuse. On Feb. 22, 2018, police arrested 36-year-old Lee David James Hughes of Kintore and charged him with two counts of possession of child pornography, one count of accessing child pornography, one count of breaching probation, one count of breaching court order, and one count of possession of cannabis marijuana.

Fordwich, ON

2 School Principals, an Indie Band Member, Lead Today's Global PnP List

Cambodia charges 2 Canadians, 7 Europeans, 1 N.Z., accused of pornographic dance

The Associated Press

In this photo dated Jan. 25, 2018, a group of unidentified foreigners are seen at the party police raided in Siem Reap. (Cambodian National Police via AP)

Cambodian prosecutors charged 10 foreigners, including two Canadians, Sunday with producing pornographic pictures after they were arrested at a party in Siem Reap town, near the country's famed Angkor Wat temple complex.

Police said they raided a rented villa on Thursday where the foreigners were taking part in what organizers billed as a pub crawl and found people "dancing pornographically." While almost 90 foreigners were detained, all but 10 were released.

The 10 arrested are five British nationals, two Canadians, one Norwegian, one New Zealander and one from the Netherlands. A statement on the arrests posted on the National Police website Sunday included photos showing clothed young adults rolling around together on a dance floor.

So, is that the extent of it, or were there more images with less clothing? The photos above are hardly what passes for pornography these days and in most countries pornography is legal anyway. That's unfortunate, because pornography is frequently used by paedophiles to soften-up children they are about to sexually abuse.

Nevertheless, international travellers need to be aware of decency standards in countries they visit. These countries do not appreciate westerners bringing their sorry levels of morality with them and then displaying them for the world to see. 

One would think that between 10 people the cumulative IQ would be sufficient to know better, but apparently not. I hope they enjoy the rest of their stay in Cambodia.

In this photo dated Jan. 27, 2018, the 10 foreigners stand after they were arrested for 'dancing pornographically' at a party in Siem Reap, Cambodia. (Cambodian National Police via AP)

The prosecutor of the Siem Reap provincial court, Samrith Sokhon, told The Associated Press by phone that those charged face up to a year in prison if convicted.

He said, after producing the photos, the foreigners shared them on social media.

'Contrary to Cambodia's traditions'

"Any people producing pornography is contrary to Cambodia's traditions," he said.

Global Affairs Canada has confirmed it's aware of the arrests.

"Consular services are being provided to the Canadian citizens who have been detained in Cambodia. Consular officials are in contact with local authorities to gather additional information," the department said in a statement.

"To protect the privacy of the individuals concerned, further details on this case cannot be released," it said.

The United Kingdom's Foreign Office also confirmed it was in contact with the British nationals in Cambodia.

"We are assisting five British men arrested in Cambodia and are providing support to their families," the office said in an emailed response to AP.

Man held for attempted sexual assault of minor in Kasur, Pakistan results in riots against police

KASUR: Police arrested a man accused of attempting to sexually assault a minor girl in Kot Radha Kishan tehsil of Kasur on Sunday.

The incident took place in Baghel Singh village on the outskirts of tehsil Kot Radha Kishan, where locals alleged that a shopkeeper attempted to sexually assault an eight-year-old girl.

The villagers claimed that the accused got scared and let the minor girl go when she started shouting. They took hold of the suspect and subsequently beat him up before handing him over to the police. 

The residents of the village accused the police of trying to help the suspect go into hiding on the orders of local member of the National Assembly (MNA). At which, raged individuals attacked the police vehicle and tortured policemen. The law enforcers, however, whisked the injured suspect to police station.

According to protesters, district police officer (DPO) Kasur has suspended two policemen.

On the other hand, local MNA Salman Hanif said that he had nothing to do with the matter. "We were told [by the protesters] that 'police were taking the suspect back to his home, due to which we blocked the road'. This is the matter; rest we do not know what has been going on there."

Taking notice of the incident, Inspector General (IG) Punjab Arif Nawaz has sought a report from DPO Kasur.

The incident comes amid a countrywide outpour of anger over brutal rape and murder of a seven-year-old girl, Zainab, in Kasur. Zainab was kidnapped on January 4 in Kasur and found five days later from a garbage pile. The post-mortem revealed Zainab had been raped and murdered.

Later, the authorities succeeded in nabbing the suspect, Imran, said to be a serial killer involved in several similar cases in Kasur.

With the suspect arrested after days of efforts, the father of the victim Sunday demanded legislation to allow the suspect's public hanging. Amin Ansari, Zainab's father, said, "If the Parliament can make laws to allow a disqualified person to head a political party, why can't it do this."

The remarks were made during hearing of the Zainab rape and murder suo motu case by the Supreme Court of Pakistan at its Lahore Registry. The court also barred Zainab's father and his counsel from speaking to the media.

As many as 11 cases of child sexual abuse are reported from across Pakistan every day, according to data compiled by a non-governmental organization, Sahil, which works on child protection.

And, as you know, if you've been reading this blog for awhile, that is just a drop in the bucket of the actual child sex abuses that occur in Pakistan - probably a very small, single digit, percentage.

In the first six months of 2017 alone, 1,764 cases of child sexual abuse were reported from across the country, according to Sahil.

In 2016, the total number of reported child abuse cases stood at a staggering 4,139, bringing the total number of children being abused in Pakistan per day to 11.

The shocking numbers bring to attention the failure of law enforcement agencies in Pakistan, particularly Punjab province, in apprehending criminals and curbing the menace of child sexual abuse.

The thing is, if the police in Pakistan were even moderately competent and not so utterly corrupt, the number of cases of CSA would increase dramatically. Most cases are not reported because of police incompetence, indifference, and corruption, and also from the stigma of dishonour and the consequences of that in a medieval, Muslim society. 

Court indicts school principal in Pakistan on

sexual abuse charges

By Hidayat Khan

PESHAWAR: A court in Peshawar on Saturday indicted a private school principal on charges of sexual abuse and making of objectionable videos of a student.

Attaullah Marwat, a private school principal, was arrested last year on charges of sexual abuse of a women, making objectionable videos and child abuse. He was also charged with rape, making pornography, inviting sexual workers to the school premises and making their videos.

Marwat was accused of making secret videos of women and students through cameras installed on the school premises. He was also accused of blackmailing the victims. The police said they recovered more than two dozens of such videos, aphrodisiacs and a weapon from Marwat’s possession.

Marwat was arrested by the Hayatabad police in July, last year on the complaints of the students, who had informed the police that the principal was sexually exploiting the schoolchildren.

The accused had confessed to his crime before a local magistrate but pleaded not guilty on all counts in the court. The court has fixed February 3 as the next date of hearing of the case.

Inquiry needed into sex abuse in S African schools as videos of Principal having sex with students hits the internet

The DA (Democratic Alliance) strongly condemns the disgusting behaviour displayed by the Reiger Park High School Principal after videos and photos went viral on social media of him allegedly having sex with learners in his office.

Khume Ramulifho 

It is an absolute disgrace that a principal who is supposed to be a true leader, a guardian and a shield to protect these learners from abuse within and outside the school premises is engaged in this type of behaviour.

We welcome this sex-pest (I hate that word - it's like saying child sex abuse is an annoyance; CSA is flat-out evil) principal's immediate resignation from his post. However, he must not go unpunished for stripping these learners of their innocence and needs to face the full might of the law.

This principal must be named and shamed for destroying the future and the dignity of our learners and should be be registered as a sexual offender.

He must also be banned from ever working with children again.

For far too long, the Gauteng Premier, David Makhura and the Gauteng Department of Education MEC, Panyaza Lesufi have ignored the DA’s call to establish a Commission of Inquiry to probe the extent of sexual abuse in Gauteng schools and to establish a toll-free line for learners to report sexual abuse in schools.

Perhaps the Premier and Education minister are satisfied that South Africa has the highest rape rate in the world by a considerable margin.

The DA made this call last year after more than 87 learners were allegedly sexually abused by patrollers in Soweto schools.

This problem is clearly far bigger than what we initially thought and requires greater intervention than the Premier's task team. There is no time line and no communication with regards to the findings of this task team and when its investigations will be completed.

Sexual abuse in Gauteng schools goes beyond allegations against the patrollers as it also involves principals and educators. The scourge of violence against our learners has infiltrated every level of our education system.

A Commission of Inquiry is the only way to deal with this pandemic.

The DA also condemns those who are circulating the videos and pictures of the principal having sex with these learners as it violates the rights of these children. Possession of child pornography, as well as distributing it, is a criminal offence and charges should be laid against those who are breaking this law.

Psychological counselling must be provided to the victims and their families.

The DA will continue to put pressure on both the Premier and MEC to ensure that the Commission of Inquiry and a sexual abuse toll-free line is established as a matter of urgency.

Our learners are the future leaders of this country and it is within their rights as guaranteed by the constitution to be protected against any sexual abuse, sexual exploitation and child pornography.

Gauteng, South Africa

Judge in charge of Scottish child abuse inquiry calls for New Zealand victims to come forward

Andrea Vance 

1 NEWS Political Reporter

The head of a powerful child abuse inquiry is searching for Kiwi child migrants.

Lady Smith is investigating abuse in state care in Scotland and as part of that high-profile inquiry, she's asking Kiwis who were part of a forced migration scheme to come forward.

"Our investigations include the abuse of children whose departure from Scotland was as part of the child migrant programmes that operated during the 20th century," she told 1 NEWS.

"Wherever that abuse happened, we want to know about it."

Thousands of children were sent to Australia, Canada, South Africa and New Zealand between the 1920s and 1970s.

Professor Lynn Abrams of Glasgow University says 2000 children were sent here in 1946, and 1000 in the following year. "After that, we don’t quite know," she says.

And that's the problem facing Lady Smith's inquiry – very little is known about the children sent here to New Zealand. Professor Abrams says it’s likely they were placed in foster care homes, not religious institutions like children sent to Australia.

"They were separated from siblings and any remaining family members and often didn't really understand why they had been sent there," she said.

The inquiry – plus a similar inquiry held in England and Wales – has heard from some Australian migrants. One of them was David Hill – who wrote Forgotten Children – about the experiences of children like him who were sent to Fairbridge Farm School.

"A lot went wrong with these schemes - they were regarded as well-intentioned but some terrible things happened," he says. "The emotional deprivation, the physical abuse and we learned much later the sexual abuse which was endemic."

And while the experience has been positive for some witnesses, coming forward may also be traumatic. "I know there are still many who are not ready and will probably never be ready to talk about it," he said

Lady Smith acknowledges that it’s "not easy" to speak to an inquiry, but says there are an expert team in place.

"For many it will be a painful process. But we ask you to do so because it is critically important that our community faces up to the fact that children in care were wronged in the past and that those responsible for their care failed them."

In 2010 child migrants received an apology from the then British Prime Minister Gordon Brown.

He said: "Today your pain is recognised, your suffering is understood your betrayal is acknowledged by the apology I make on behalf of our country."

Mr Hill said the apology was "very useful" but that the British Government needs to go further "and offer some recompense, some redress."

The Government is this week set to announce details of an inquiry into abuse in state care in New Zealand.

Those who want to contact the Edinburgh inquiry should visit the website: https://www.childabuseinquiry.scot

West Reading paedophile jailed for sharing indecent images of children in chatroom

By James Aldridge

A paedophile from Reading who shared indecent images of children in a chatroom has been jailed.

Raymond Taylor, 45, of Beecham Road, West Reading, Berkshire produced and distributed indecent images of children.

He was caught with 529 indecent images of children, some of them in the most serious category.

In an online paedophile chatroom, Taylor wrote "true pedos love boys and girls" and shared his sick fantasies with other users.

Detectives found the images hidden them in a mobile phone tucked away in a drainpipe outside his window, on three external hard drives and four computers. Some images were even stored on computers he used for work at a home security firm.

Taylor was brought to justice following an investigation by the National Crime Agency (NCA). He admitted 11 counts of making, and eight counts of distributing indecent images of children.

He was sentenced to four years in prison at Reading Crown Court on Friday, January 26. Taylor was also made subject to a sexual harm prevention order and placed on the sex offenders register for life.

He was an associate of Jon Page, 46, of Bridge Close, London, who was jailed for three-and-a-half years in November 2017 as part of the NCA investigation into an online paedophile chatroom.

Jon Page, a convicted paedophile. Credit: National Crime Agency

Taylor and Page streamed real-time footage to the chatroom of themselves engaged in sexual activity at the same time as Page streamed recordings of indecent images of children under the screen name 2 UK peds.

The NCA has identified the sharing and live streaming of child abuse on a variety of platforms is a growing threat, and as a result, UK law enforcement is responding to a significant increase in the reporting of child sexual exploitation.

Martin Ludlow, operations manager at the NCA, said: "Offenders who swap indecent images online prolong the abuse of the children in the pictures.

"Unfortunately with the rise of digital technology, sharing and broadcasting indecent images of children in real time has never been easier, whether on the dark web or more conventional forms of social media.

"The NCA and its partners in law enforcement are wholly committed to tackling this threat and at all times the safety of children is our priority.

"We and our partners in policing are trained and equipped with specialist capabilities with which to detect these offenders and bring them to justice."

Former member of popular Irish Indie band arrested in child grooming sting

The musician thought he was arranging to meet a 14 y/o boy for sex

By Trevor Quinn

A former member of an Irish band was arrested after allegedly going to meet what he thought was a child for sex.

Vigilante group, the Predator Catchers, claimed the musician had travelled from Dublin to Belfast for the meeting and said he had sent numerous lewd messages. However, it was an adult decoy communicating with the man who is believed to have used a false name.

The exchange started on Grindr, a gay dating app and progressed quickly with explicit messages being sent by him to what he believed was a 14-year-old boy. After he was trapped by Predator Catchers members he was held down until police arrived and arrested him.

A PSNI spokesman said: “Police arrested a 32-year-old male in the Glengall Street area of Belfast on Tuesday January, 16 on suspicion of attempting to meet a child following sexual grooming and attempted sexual communication with a child. The man was interviewed at Musgrave station before being released on bail pending further police inquiries.”

It is understood no charges have been brought but a file may be sent to the North’s Public Prosecution Service over the coming weeks.

The man can be heard constantly shouting “help” in the Predator Catchers’ live video, which was streamed online.

A spokeswoman for the group claimed the first question he asked the decoy on the app was about his age. She added: “He asked sexual questions including asking the size of his penis."

“He had mentioned previously they could do stuff in the car, which was his exact phrase.

“I think originally his plan was to go to the decoy’s house if his mum was out, but he had said if not they would drive around and do stuff.

“He also asked the decoy about his younger brother and they had said he was 12. He had asked about coming to the house and would the younger brother be free and would he want to join in. So it was two brothers he was talking about, not just one.”

Exasperating Stories from UK -3, Pretoria, Siem Reap, Malmo on Today's Global PnP List

Rape trials under threat in UK due to incompetence

Former Lord Chief Justice warns blunders by CPS

and police will help attackers walk free

It seems that if you reach the lofty heights of Lord Judge - you no longer require a name. This article in The Times (of London) by the Legal Editor and Chief Correspondent completely neglects to mention the Lord Judge by name, if he has one. But the Guardian and the BBC were no better as this article appeared in all three websites without the Lord Judge's name included. Perhaps if I were British I would understand?

Frances Gibb, Legal Editor | David Brown, Chief News Correspondent
The Times

Rapists will get away with their crimes because police and prosecution failings have undermined public confidence in the justice system, the former head of the judiciary has warned.

Juries could be deterred from convicting in future sexual assault trials because they would not have faith in evidence placed before the court, Lord Judge said. The former lord chief justice spoke out after The Times exposed how four rape trials had collapsed after crucial evidence was disclosed only at the last minute. He described the disclosure failings in all four cases as alarming and deeply troublesome.

Oliver Mears, 19, an Oxford student, was cleared of rape yesterday after spending two years on bail. The Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) and Surrey police, which handed over relevant evidence days before his trial was due, were criticised by the case judge and ordered to explain in writing the “completely unnecessary” delays.

From BBC

Two young men both had cases against them dropped in December, prompting Scotland Yard to review about 30 sex crime cases.

The trial of student Liam Allan, 22, collapsed three days into his trial when police were ordered to hand over phone records showing the alleged victim had pestered Mr Allan for casual sex.

Days later, the prosecution case collapsed against Isaac Itiary after police disclosed "relevant material" in response to his defence case statement as his trial was about to start.

A third rape trial, against Samson Makele, collapsed after images emerged of the accused and his alleged victim "cuddling" in bed.

The photos had been discovered on his phone by a defence expert, but had not been disclosed by police or prosecutors.

The development came as:

• Surrey police followed Scotland Yard in reviewing all current rape cases.

• Police and prosecutors admitted failing to hand over vital digital evidence in a rape trial for the fourth time in a month.

• Alison Saunders, the director of public prosecutions, faced criticism over her handling of disclosure issues.

Lord Judge, who was the most senior judge in England and Wales in 2008-13 and remains an influential judicial figure in the House of Lords, said that the failings over disclosure of evidence were “deeply worrying” because of the possible impact on juries.

“The recent examples in cases involving alleged sexual crime are alarming, both for all the individuals concerned and for public confidence in the administration of criminal justice generally,” he told The Times. “It is at least possible that from time to time juries, alarmed as everyone else by these cases, may wonder, even in an apparently strong case, whether they have been provided with all the admissible evidence. These events may reduce the prospects of conviction even when the allegation is genuine.”

Delays in cases, with some suspects or defendants awaiting charge for nearly two years, were also unacceptable and caused “unnecessary suffering to all involved”, he said. Lord Judge called for a swift investigation into the failure to disclose evidence, and also into the delays in the charging of suspects by the CPS.

The criticisms will increase pressure on Ms Saunders, who was criticised after saying on Thursday that innocent men were not in jail, despite admitting “systemic issues” in disclosing evidence to defence lawyers. Anna Soubry, a former minister who described Ms Saunders as “part of the problem”, was supported by her fellow Tory MP Zac Goldsmith, who wrote: “The blundering CPS is responsible for a catalogue of appalling injustices.”

Ms Saunders had said that police need not check social media accounts fully when investigating allegations of rape. This is despite failures to hand over digital media being at the centre of three previous rape trial collapses, including that last month of the student Liam Allan, 22, which led to political and public concern about rape cases.

Jon Savell, Surrey police’s head of public protection, admitted yesterday that flaws in the Mears investigation included a detective failing to “examine the victim’s digital media during the initial stages of the investigation or follow what we would consider to be a reasonable line of inquiry”. He added that the review of all the force’s rape cases was to “ensure that investigations are thorough, timely, effective and compliant with policy and guidelines”.

Yesterday Judge Jonathan Black formally found Mr Mears, from Horley, Surrey, not guilty of rape and an indecent assault. The CPS had denied on Thursday that the case had collapsed because of a “disclosure issue” but the prosecutor ordered by the judge to attend Guildford crown court to explain the decision not to offer evidence admitted that key information had not been handed over by police until last week. Sarah Lindop, for the prosecution, told the judge: “This case is old and it was quite old when it came in to the hands of the CPS and I do not know the reason for that. Further material was obtained and was reviewed in a case that was finely balanced.”

Judge Black said: “It seems that if this was a case that was as finely balanced as you say it was, there have been unnecessary delays in investigating [and] what seems to be a completely unnecessary last-minute decision.

“Oliver Mears and the complainant have had this matter hanging over their heads for more than two years in circumstances that, if their investigation had been carried out properly in the first place, we would not have been in this position.”

FBI offer R120k reward for child molester
who could be living in South Africa

By Nic Andersen 

The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) are looking for something in South Africa and it has nothing to do with the Guptas or corruption in the private sector. Instead, it has everything to do with a global manhunt for a child molester who they believe could be living in South Africa.

The FBI posted on its website and social media pages offering a $10 000 (R121 000) reward for 42-year-old Barret Preston Busschau. The man disappeared from the US state of Oregon in 1993 after he was charged by a grand jury for sexual abuse of five girls under the age of 18. At the time, Busschau was also a minor.

The FBI lists the charges in full as follows:

1st degree sexual penetration with a foreign object

1st degree sex abuse

3rd degree sodomy

3rd degree rape

3rd degree sex abuse

The first picture is from 1993 the second is age-progressed to 2014

The bureau’s Facebook post emphasized how important it was for people to provide information, if they had any, wherever they may be in the world.

“The FBI is offering a reward of up to $10,000 for information leading to the arrest of 

Barrett Preston Busschau, who is wanted in connection for the alleged molestation

of young girls in Oregon. Busschau, now 42 years old, may be living in South Africa.

Anyone with information is asked to call the FBI at (503) 224-4181 or submit a tip to https://tips.fbi.gov. Anyone living elsewhere who has information about 

Busschau should contact the nearest FBI office or U.S. Embassy.

More information: http://ow.ly/HCnh30hQeeK”

Busschau was born in South Africa but had been living as a US permanent resident since 1984. He managed to escape as he fled before his next court appearance as his trial was pending.

The man has brown hair, blue eyes with scars on his left ankle, left arm and upper right arm.  Additionally, he has a green and purple yin-yang tattoo on his ankle.

You can report tip offs via the links above or call the US Embassy in Pretoria on 012 431 4000.

Nottinghamshire County council apologises to victims of ‘heinous’ historic child sex abuse

BY BRINKWIRE

The leader of Nottinghamshire County Council has issued a public apology to those who suffered ‘horrible and heinous’ child abuse while under its care.

Councillor  Kay Cutts said the incidents had left her feeling ‘deeply saddened and ashamed’ – and were a ‘dreadful stain’ on the history of the council.

Abuse which took place in foster care and in children’s homes run by the county and city councils is part of a major national investigation, the Independent Inquiry into Child Sex Abuse (IICSA).

Speaking at a meeting of the full council, Cllr Cutts said she was confident the organisation had changed and was giving children the best chances in life. She added: “Some children were entrusted to our care and we failed them."

“We now know that they were subjected to horrible and heinous abuse that has left many damaged and scarred for life. They suffered at the hands of devious people who had malice in mind. The fact that this happened is something that leaves me personally feeling deeply saddened and ashamed.”

A total of 350 people have come forward with allegations of sexual and/or physical abuse against 532 different suspects.

It is the second such statement made by the council, which previously apologised after former residential social worker Andris Logins was jailed for 20 years in March 2016.

Following today’s statement Mandy Coupland, co-founder of Nottinghamshire Child Sexual Abuse Survivors Group, said: “I really welcome today’s apology. It’s another landmark day fighting child sexual abuse. What I would like now is for the city council to make an apology. That would be really welcomed by survivors.”

The IICSA is looking at allegations of abuse at children’s homes previously operated by the county and city councils, as well as other organisations, from the 1940s to 2000. It is one of 13 investigations being carried out by IICSA.

The hearing into Nottinghamshire councils will take place over three weeks in October.

American and Cambodian guilty of child sex abuse

Khy Sovuthy / Khmer Times   

According to an Action Pour Les Enfants (Aple) statement, on January 17, 2018, the Siem Reap provincial court sentenced John Paul Zollbrecht, 79, to one year in jail and his Cambodian accomplice, Nheb Sophorn, 23, to one-and-a-half years in jail for having sex with a 10-year-old boy.

In February 2017, Anti-Human Trafficking and Juvenile Protection Police in Siem Reap arrested the American on suspicion of the sexual abuse of a 10-year-old boy, while his Cambodian friend who had allegedly helped in the crime was also arrested.

Although both offenders were found guilty, the victim’s family who also attended the court hearing expressed their dissatisfaction with the verdict and asked to appeal the sentencing.

Makes one wonder if the family was complicit in the abuse of the child. That would not be unusual in Cambodia.

Aple will continue to work with the family and provide ongoing support to the boy during his rehabilitation process.

UKIP leader loses no confidence vote after girlfriend jokes about Meghan Markle & child sex abuse

By Greg Heffer, Political Reporter

UKIP's ruling body has passed a unanimous vote of no confidence in party leader Henry Bolton following a row over his 25-year-old girlfriend.

The party's National Executive Committee (NEC) held an emergency meeting on Sunday after married father-of-three Mr Bolton, 54, faced growing calls to quit over his relationship with model Jo Marney.

Mr Bolton ended the "romantic element" of their relationship last week, when it emerged party activist Ms Marney had sent offensive messages about Prince Harry's fiancee Meghan Markle.

She was also reported to have sent separate messages making jokes about child sexual abuse.

How can anyone make jokes about child sex abuse? Makes one question whether there is a functioning brain between the two of them.

UKIP members will now decide whether to endorse or reject the ruling body's assessment of Mr Bolton's leadership at an emergency meeting.

The news comes less than four months since he was elected.

Henry Bolton and Jo Marney

Earlier on Sunday, Mr Bolton had defiantly refused to stand down and insisted the party "cannot afford" a third leadership contest in the space of two years.

Telling UKIP bosses they would have to force him out, Mr Bolton told Sky News: "The party cannot afford the disruption of a change in leadership - so I'm not going anywhere."

The former British Army officer also suggested that, if UKIP's NEC acted against him, it could spell the party's end.

His assertion was backed up by former leader Nigel Farage, who admitted he was "concerned" about the future of the party and wondered whether UKIP would survive another leadership election.

Since Mr Farage stood down after the Brexit vote in 2016, UKIP has had three permanent leaders and two acting leaders, including a temporary return by Mr Farage himself.

Afghan asylum seeker flees to Sweden with new ID after being accused of sexually abusing girl, four, in Germany

By Alan Hall For Mailonline

An Afghan asylum seeker in Germany has fled to Sweden and registered under a new identity after being accused of sexually abusing the four-year-old daughter of the family caring for him.

The case of Ahmed M., who claimed to be just 12 when he entered Germany in 2016, is another sorry tale of abused trust and bureaucratic blunders that have left him free and the girl he allegedly abused in therapy.

He was taken in by a Catholic family in Berlin, along with several other Afghan minors, shortly after he arrived. 

In July last year he was left alone for the afternoon with the family's toddler daughter Emily.

Ahmen A, an Afghan asylum seeker in Germany is accused of sexually abusing the four-year-old daughter of the family that had taken him in

The next day the child told her mother she had spent the time playing 'doctor and nurse' with Ahmed. She was taken to see a specialist doctor at the clinic for Children's and Juvenile Medicine in nearby Buch.

The clinic stated in a report: 'Urgent suspicion of sexual abuse.' And the victim indicated it was not the first time she had been abused by the refugee who claimed to authorities he was born on January 1, 2004 in Kabul.

Other Afghan refugees in the home of the family reported they had seen him abuse her in the past and a police probe was opened.

Officers noted how tall he was, the fact that he had the beginnings of a moustache and seriously doubted his claim to be just 13 at the time of the alleged abuse of the girl.

Ahmed is believed to have fled to Malmo in Sweden where he has registered as a refugee using the name Ahmed M. - and claimed he was born in 2005

At 13 he was under the age of legal responsibility but prosecutor Corinna Gögge rejected a plea from Emily's father to force him to undergo a test to determine his age. Later, because he denied the allegations, the enquiry was dropped.

This is just insane? He's accused of multiple child sexual assaults and the prosecutor refuses to even have his age determined. She knows it will result in the charges being dropped and yet she protects the child abuser and sets him free to sexually abuse more children, which he surely will. 

Corinna Gögge should be fired, at the very least. But she won't be, because that seems to be German policy to protect criminals and throw innocent girls to the wolves.

What a joke the German (and Swedish) judicial systems must be among migrants - you can get away with rape and murder; they don't want to prosecute you; and if they have to, just tell them you're a minor and they'll believe you. 

In December last year Germany issued him with new temporary residency papers stating was born six months later than he originally stated.

So, they made him 6 months younger!!!!??? What kind of lunacy is that?

Soon after he fled to Malmo in Sweden where he has registered as a refugee using the name Ahmed M. - and claiming he was born in 2005.

The family in Germany who took him in have asked Sweden to investigate him. So far there has been no response from Swedish authorities. 

Sweden must examine his real age and if he is of age to be prosecuted in Germany, then he should be sent back. At the very least, he must be deported from Sweden before he assaults Swedish children.

Unfortunately, this is not likely to happen as Swedish authorities are far more protective of migrant rapists than Swedish girls.