Cyril Smith - 'Boys were abused'

**bb1** Tue Nov 27, 2012 6:19 pm

http://news.sky.com/story/1017323/sir-cyril-smith-young-boys-were-abused

Sir Cyril Smith: 'Young Boys Were Abused'
Late Rochdale MP Sir Cyril Smith did sexually abuse young boys in the 1960s, police have said.

Smith's political career was dogged by rumours

Police have acknowledged for the first time that the late politician Sir Cyril Smith sexually and physically abused young boys in the 1960s.

Smith, who was elected to Parliament in 1972, was dogged by rumours of abuse throughout his career but charges were never brought.

Both Greater Manchester Police and the Crown Prosecution Service said if Smith had been accused today he would be charged and prosecuted.

Assistant Chief Constable Steve Heywood said: "We are now in a position to say that on three separate occasions, files were passed to first the Director of Public Prosecutions and then the CPS containing details of abuse committed by Smith, but on each occasion no prosecution was pursued.

"Having now reviewed those decisions, we believe that if the same evidence was presented to the CPS today there would have been a very realistic prospect that Smith would have been charged with a number of indecent assaults, and that the case would have been brought to trial.

"Clearly that is a bold statement to make but it is absolutely important for those victims who were abused by Smith that we publicly acknowledge the suffering they endured."

An investigation was carried out by Lancashire Police in the late 1960s into Smith's actions at the Cambridge House Hostel, a privately-run care home in Rochdale.

The investigating officer presented details of allegations made by eight youths to the DPP, and concluded Smith had indecently assaulted young boys, but the DPP recommended no prosecution be pursued.

More follows...

**bb1** Tue Nov 27, 2012 6:23 pm

I don't think that will come as a surprise to anyone. He was revolting, and the rumours were widespread long before he died.

I suppose it's too late for Justice for Rinka?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jeremy_Thorpe

Persistent rumours about Thorpe's sexuality dogged his political career. Norman Scott, a former male model, met Thorpe in 1961 while working as a stable lad. He later claimed that he and Thorpe had had a homosexual relationship between 1961 and 1963, when homosexual acts were illegal in Britain. Scott's airing of these claims led to an inquiry within the Liberal Party in 1971, which exonerated Thorpe. Scott, however, continued to make the allegations.These allegations were published in great detail in a book called 'Rinkagate-The Rise and Fall of Jeremy Thorpe by Simon Freeman and Barrie Penrose (Bloomsbury 1996).
In October 1975, Andrew 'Gino' Newton, a former airline pilot, collected Norman Scott from where he was living in Combe Martin, North Devon, and drove him to Exmoor; Newton drove Scott onto Porlock Hill, where they stopped and got out of the car. Newton then shot Scott's dog Rinka, a Great Dane, before turning the gun on Scott. When the case came before Exeter Crown court, in March 1976, Scott said that the gun jammed and that Newton then drove off, leaving him alone beside the dead dog. Newton always maintained that his intention was only to frighten Scott, who, he alleged, possessed incriminating photographs of Newton. Newton was convicted for the illegal possession of a firearm and an intent to endanger life.'
During his court appearance, Scott repeated his claims of a relationship with Thorpe, and alleged that Thorpe had threatened to kill him if he spoke about their affair. Scott also sold letters to the press which he claimed to be love letters from Thorpe. One of these included the memorable line "Bunnies can and will go to France", which supposedly showed Thorpe using his 'pet-name' for Scott in connection with a promise to find Scott a well-paid job in France.

It's hard to imagine Clegg going on trial for attempted murder....

Cyril Smith - 'Boys were abused'

Cyril Smith - 'Boys were abused'

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