Islington Council said it was “shocked and concerned” and promised to set up an inquiry led by a “top” lawyer to examine new evidence relating to a former mayor, Sandy Marks, pro-paedophile past.
Yet they have chosen a lawyer James Goudie [5] who is acting for Lambeth Council over its own child rape scandal see Islington Council takes step toward reopening kids’ abuse investigation…but survivors’ groups aren’t happy [6]
James Goudie QC
If that was not bad enough, child abuse campaigners have long thought that the networks in the two boroughs were connected eg 2013 Were Islington and Lambeth paedophile rings connected? [2]
How can a lawyer possibly investigate the abuse network on one hand and yet also have acted for a culpable party of the abuse network on the other? How can he be seen to be impartial and fair or independent?
Further to that, in this case he is acting for both simultaneously. It is a cut and dried conflict of interest. Goudie should choose to resign. He cannot possibly continue with this conflict of interest. Victims and survivors will not be able to trust him knowing the job he is doing now.
On the offchance that even with his insider knowledge of Lambeth abuse, Goudie does not realise this conflict of interest, I have sent this article to him.
How can the Council leader Watts possibly pretend Goudie is “independent”? He promised “we will appoint an independent QC to examine the evidence…” [4] He is not independent. Simple, choose again.
The terms of reference – what a mess. Everyone knows that Inquiries have many times in the past been deliberately limited by their terms of reference.
The Council appears to be trying to pass off as the parameters of the investigation “to advise the council whether or not this newspaper’s investigation “could reasonably be said to call in question the integrity of the White Report”” [6]
This is not only far too narrow, but is actually absurd. Setting up an inquiry into whether a relatively quick and small but revealing investigation, essentially about 1 person, could reasonably be said to question the integrity of an already discredited Report?
What if the answer is Yes, which already is quite clear, what then? What a waste of time, but perhaps that is the intention?
The terms of reference of the inquiry should be to find out the truth of what happened, to find out the facts.
Sandy Marks was Mayor and Social Services Committee Chair but she also chaired the London Boroughs Regional Planning Committee between 1991-5 which made decisions about putting children into secure units.
However Sandy Marks is just one person who was politically influential at the time. There are many others that need to be looked at.
John Rea Price for example was the Director of Social Services for a long time, 1972-92. He must have some comment to make about this scandal which took place during his time in Islington. Surely he can be helpful to survivors now and reveal what he knows?
There was abuse in 22 Islington homes and foster placements over 40 years with many abusers and facilitators. To have an inquiry into one mayor would appear to be not only failing the children for which Islington Council had a Duty of Care, but also negligent.
It is surely time that the Inquiries of the 1990’s must be revisited as part of a police led investigation.
This decision has been botched by Islington in an arrogant, ignorant and crass manner.
Councillor Watts “stressed the council today is a “very different organisation” and said child protection is a top priority.”
It does not seem to be.
–
Islington Survivors Network website [13] twitter @IslingtonSN email islingtonsn@gmail.com
NEW
To help people in their investigation of Islington abuse, Daedalus of Operation Greenlight [12] has just now kindly made the White Report searchable. It is quite large pdf download at 7Mb Report of the Inquiry into the Management of Childcare in the Borough of Islington orginally dated May 1995 [10] Also webcitation [14] pdf download
Also now searchable is 1995 Jul 24 Care Review Sub committee discussion of White Report searchable [11]
HT Daedalus
On a personal note the White Report was the first report I got released via FOI, 4 years ago. I have improved a bit at blogging since the posts below!
See also
- The White Report Child Abuse in Islington 1995 [7]
- Discussion by Islington Council Committee of White Report [8]
- Other Islington documents and posts on this blog [9]
Appendix 1
Richard Watts
What Richard Watts said
Council leader Cllr Richard Watts this week condemned support for paedophilia as “abhorrent” and said: “I’m shocked and concerned at the information as presented by the Gazette.
“This raises new questions about the council’s response to the allegations in the 1990s.
“I have instructed that we will appoint an independent QC to examine the evidence, and provide advice on the best action to take.
“They will be free to pursue any line of inquiry, and we will be bound by their recommendations.”
The report will be passed to the Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse.
“On behalf of Islington Council, I’m extremely sorry for the council’s past failure to protect vulnerable children,” Cllr Watts added.
“I know those who were abused continue to suffer.”
He said new evidence would be treated “extremely seriously” and encouraged survivors to talk to police so “those responsible can be brought to justice”.
He stressed the council today is a “very different organisation” and said child protection is a top priority. [4]
Please note that victims of abuse may be triggered by reading this information. These links are generally UK based.
- The Sanctuary for the Abused [A] has advice on how to prevent triggers.
- National Association for People Abused in Childhood [B] has a freephone helpline and has links to local support groups.
- One in Four [C]
- Havoca [D].
- Useful post on Triggers [E] from SurvivorsJustice [F] blog.
- Jim Hoppers pages on Mindfulness [G] and Meditation [H] may be useful.
- Hwaairfan blog An Indigenous Australian Approach to Healing Trauma [J]
- Survivors UK for victims and survivors of male rape or the sexual abuse of men [K]
- Voicing C
- SA group [L] helps arrange survivors meetings in your area
- A Prescription for me blog Various emotional support links [M]
- ShatterBoys -“Male Survivors Of Childhood Sexual Abuse Inspiring change, Through Shared Experience Whilst Building Connections…Together We Can Heal” [N]
Links
[1] 2017 Jul 25 cathy fox blog Judge Adrian Fulford – Can we trust him? https://cathyfox.wordpress.com/2017/07/25/judge-adrian-fulford-can-we-trust-him/
[2] 2013 Mar 23 Spotlight Were Islington and Lambeth paedophile rings connected? https://spotlightonabuse.wordpress.com/2013/03/23/were-islington-and-lambeth-paedophile-rings-connected/
[3] 2017 May 11 Islington Gazette Islington kids’ homes scandal: Shame of ex-mayor Sandy Marks’ pro-paedophile past http://www.islingtongazette.co.uk/news/politics/islington-kids-homes-scandal-shame-of-ex-mayor-sandy-marks-pro-paedophile-past-1-5012565
[4] 2017 May 11 Islington Gazette Islington kids’ homes scandal: Council promises lawyer-led inquiry into new evidence http://www.islingtongazette.co.uk/news/politics/islington-kids-homes-scandal-council-promises-lawyer-led-inquiry-into-new-evidence-1-5012583
[5] Chambers and partners James Goudie https://www.chambersandpartners.com/UK-Bar/person/225192/james-goudie
[6] 2017 Jul 27 Islington Gazette Islington Council takes step toward reopening kids’ abuse investigation…but survivors’ groups aren’t happy http://www.islingtongazette.co.uk/news/politics/kids-abuse-scandal-town-hall-takes-step-toward-reopening-investigation-but-survivors-groups-urge-caution-1-5124026?utm_source=Twitter&utm_medium=Social_Icon&utm_campaign=in_article_social_icons
[7] 2013 Jul 22 cathy fox blog The White Report Child Abuse in Islington 1995 https://cathyfox.wordpress.com/2013/07/22/the-white-report-redacted/
[8] 2013 Jul 22 cathy fox blog Discussion by Islington Council Committee of White Report https://cathyfox.wordpress.com/2013/07/22/discussion-by-islington-committee-of-white-report/
[9] cathyfox blog search islington https://cathyfox.wordpress.com/?s=islington
[10] 1995 May Report of the Inquiry into the Management of Childcare in the Borough of Islington orginally dated May 1995 ie The White Report redacted searchable-1 https://cathyfox.files.wordpress.com/2017/07/10mb-the-white-report-redacted-searchable-1.pdf
[11] 1995 Jul 24 Care Review Sub committee discussion of Whie Report searchable https://cathyfox.files.wordpress.com/2017/07/485362white-discussion-searchable.pdf
[12] Operation greenlight https://theneedleblog.wordpress.com/operation-greenlight/
[13] Islington Survivors Network website http://islingtonsurvivors.co.uk twitter @IslingtonSN email islingtonsn@gmail.com
[14] White, Ian ; Hart, Kate. REPORT OF THE INQUIRY INTO THE MANAGEMENT OF CHILD CARE IN THE LONDON BOROUGH OF ISLINGTO. . 2017-07-28. URL:https://cathyfox.files.wordpress.com/2017/07/10mb-the-white-report-redacted-searchable-1.pdf. Accessed: 2017-07-28. (Archived by WebCite® at http://www.webcitation.org/6sIbrOaDS)
[A] Sanctuary for the Abused http://abusesanctuary.blogspot.co.uk/2006/07/for-survivors-coping-with-triggers-if.html
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Islington Council appoints Sarah Morgan QC to look into ex-mayor Sandy Marks’ alleged pro-paedophile past http://www.islingtongazette.co.uk/news/crime-court/islington-council-appoints-sarah-morgan-qc-to-look-into-ex-mayor-sandy-marks-alleged-pro-paedophile-past-1-5365196?utm_source=Twitter&utm_medium=Social_Icon&utm_campaign=in_article_social_icons
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