Abused as a boy. PA Photo posed by model. Tuesday, May 6, 2014
11:41 AM
Murmurings of a paedophile network operating in Suffolk from the 1970s to the 1990s have grown louder over the last five years.
Over the
last decade there have been a number of investigations in the county
into claims of children being abused many years ago.
Earlier
this month two men – a 62-year-old care worker and 65-year-old teacher
at the former Kesgrave Hall school – were arrested on suspicion of child
sex offences between the 1970s and 1990s.
As
a result the 62-year-old man from Barnsley, was also arrested as part
of the National Crime Agency’s inquiry into abuse at care homes in north
Wales.
Until
now the national focus has been on the likes of Jimmy Savile, Liberal
MP Cyril Smith, North Wales care homes, care facilities in Islington,
and the Elm Guest House in south London.
However
one man has now alleged he was abused around the country as a child
while in the Suffolk care system. He also said he was assaulted in the
county by Peter Righton, one of the founders of the now notorious
Paedophile Information Exchange.
Towards the end of his life Righton lived in a property near Eye.
Michael
– not his real name – also said he was trafficked around the country by
his male foster carer to be molested by strangers.
These
‘trips’ included being taken to north Wales where the large-scale
inquiry is currently going on into mass child abuse in care homes, as
well as being driven down to London.
Michael
has been in contact with officers from the National Crime Agency’s
Operation Pallial, who are investigating the abuse allegations in Wales.
He has also contacted the Metropolitan Police’s Operation Fernbridge
which is investigating various allegations relating to London.
The
man who Michael was placed with was in a position of trust
professionally and had links to other abuse inquiries and voluntary
organisations.
The
foster carer was jailed by Ipswich Crown Court for sexually molesting a
boy in his care and was subsequently ordered to pay compensation to
Michael for abusing him.
Michael is adamant there was a paedophile ring operating in Suffolk with national links to people in positions of power.
Due
to his past as a wild, vulnerable child followed by an early adulthood
submerged in drink, drugs and criminality, he says it is often difficult
for some to believe him.
It
is the sort of background many complainants have. However, now with
overwhelming numbers coming forward to validate others’ claims they are
finally being taken seriously.
Michael, who is now in his 30s, said he was taken into Suffolk’s care system as a child after suffering abuse at home.
He said: “I was moved from one particular method of abuse to another one throughout the care system.”
While at one of the homes he said he was taken to north London to be abused.
“You would almost hope to see somebody you knew and scream out.
“You would be taken to places and rooms where you would have to do things to either be abused or play dress up for people.
“When
they took us down there (London) it would be ‘you’re going to have a
day trip out, see a museum’. You would actually believe them.
“You
kind of get all geared up. You would be washed and in your best gear
and be like – ‘yeah, yeah, what’s happened happened and we’ll have a
nice day out’.
“Then
you would pull into somewhere and it would be very much like you were
controlled. There was not a chance of you kicking-off.
“There were only two different places I ever saw with them in London and certainly I never saw them again after that.
“Certainly the links were there. It kind of came out of Suffolk, into London, and right back up again.”
Michael was then sent to live with the male foster carer in mid-Suffolk for eight months.
“I
moved from one particular style of abuse with one particular set of
people to another particular style of abuse with another set of people
and it moved like that. And the zenith of it all was being with my
foster carer.
“He
was a nasty man, violent man – certainly connected to Islington. Under
the guise of a children’s holiday fund for deprived children, we would
travel.
“You are kind of made for abuse and by that point I was a pretty compliant guy.”
Michael said they travelled together to Plymouth, Sussex, Islington, Wales, Birmingham, Leeds and Cromer.
“It
was like an exchange of kids. We certainly visited north Wales on two
occasions. I was taken to Wrexham. There was a hotel there, which I have
since become aware that there may have been an investigation into.
“I
believe there was an investigation into it because I’ve read about it.
I’ve seen a photograph of the hotel, which looks very, very much like
the one I was in.”
“At
times you would certainly feel you were cared for by some of them (the
abusers). Had I run away would I have seen them again, on the circuit as
it were?
“From a very young age they had been filming things. They knew who I was. I was probably popular to abuse.”
Michael said between his foster carer and an intermediary it was arranged he would be taken to see Peter Righton.
The disgraced child care guru has since been unmasked as a paedophile who had access to all echelons of society.
A founding member of the Paedophile Information Exchange he was staying in Suffolk.
Righton’s name has been connected to some of the national abuse scandals currently being investigated.
Michael said he and others were taken to where he was staying near Eye and was abused on around a dozen occasions by Righton.
He
said: “We would be made to fill up Righton’s wood store. Outside his
front door on the right was a wood store where all his firewood would be
stored. When I did that you were always told that would be a whole day
job.
“You would take three maybe four barrows in and then he would invite you in.
“When you were in his presence, you could actually feel the evil.
“This was the worst I had ever come across.
Source
Lord Janner
