27-11-2012, 08:33 PM
An abuser's charter:
The first file of evidence dates back to March 1970, some 16-years before the Crown Prosecution Service was formed.
The file, from Lancashire Constabulary, contained allegations made by eight men that they had been subjected to indecent assaults by Sir Cyril as teenagers.
The alleged abuses were conducted under the guise of medical examinations or punishment for misbehaviour, the report read.
All the boys were either living at Cambridge House Children's Home in Rochdale or were dependent on Smith for either employment, financial support or 'some sort of guardianship'.
Smith denied the allegations.
Although 80 pages of evidence were submitted to the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) office, the decision not to prosecute was written in a one page letter.
It read: 'Any charges of indecent assault founded on these allegations, as well as being somewhat stale, would be, in my view, completely without corroboration. Further, the characters of some of these young men would be likely to render their evidence suspect.
'In the circumstances, I do not consider that if proceedings for indecent assault were to be taken against Smith, there would be a reasonable prospect of a conviction. I do not, therefore, advise his prosecution.'
The second file contains evidence dating back to April 1997, when South Wales police began an investigation into sexual and physical abuse within care homes in Wales.
One man rang a helpline which had been appealing for potential victims to come forward, alleging he was abused by Sir Cyril at Cambridge House Children's Home between 1965 and 1968.
The allegation was passed to Greater Manchester Police, who submitted a file of evidence which also included the 1970 file, to the Crown Prosecution Service in May 1998.
A lawyer who reviewed the case said there was enough evidence to charge but that prosecution should not proceed.
The main reason was that Sir Smith had been told he would not be charged for the alleged offences 28 years previously and that charging decisions could only be reversed in 'very limited circumstances', namely 'new evidence coming to light'.
The first file of evidence dates back to March 1970, some 16-years before the Crown Prosecution Service was formed.
The file, from Lancashire Constabulary, contained allegations made by eight men that they had been subjected to indecent assaults by Sir Cyril as teenagers.
The alleged abuses were conducted under the guise of medical examinations or punishment for misbehaviour, the report read.
All the boys were either living at Cambridge House Children's Home in Rochdale or were dependent on Smith for either employment, financial support or 'some sort of guardianship'.
Smith denied the allegations.
Although 80 pages of evidence were submitted to the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) office, the decision not to prosecute was written in a one page letter.
It read: 'Any charges of indecent assault founded on these allegations, as well as being somewhat stale, would be, in my view, completely without corroboration. Further, the characters of some of these young men would be likely to render their evidence suspect.
'In the circumstances, I do not consider that if proceedings for indecent assault were to be taken against Smith, there would be a reasonable prospect of a conviction. I do not, therefore, advise his prosecution.'
The second file contains evidence dating back to April 1997, when South Wales police began an investigation into sexual and physical abuse within care homes in Wales.
One man rang a helpline which had been appealing for potential victims to come forward, alleging he was abused by Sir Cyril at Cambridge House Children's Home between 1965 and 1968.
The allegation was passed to Greater Manchester Police, who submitted a file of evidence which also included the 1970 file, to the Crown Prosecution Service in May 1998.
A lawyer who reviewed the case said there was enough evidence to charge but that prosecution should not proceed.
The main reason was that Sir Smith had been told he would not be charged for the alleged offences 28 years previously and that charging decisions could only be reversed in 'very limited circumstances', namely 'new evidence coming to light'.
Quote:BREAKING NEWS: MP Cyril Smith DID abuse young boys in the 1960s and would face charges if he was still alive, police say (so why wasn't he prosecuted at the time?)
Sir Cyril allegedly sexually and physically abused teenage boys under the guise of medical examinations or punishment for misbehaviour
Police say former Liberal MP would be prosecuted if accused today
Smith was secretary of boys' hostel where he was accused of abusing vulnerable youngsters by spanking and touching them from the 1970s
By Larisa Brown
PUBLISHED: 18:20, 27 November 2012 | UPDATED: 19:21, 27 November 2012
Daily Mail
Former Liberal MP Sir Cyril Smith sexually and physically abused young boys in the 1960s, police admitted today
Sir Cyril, who weighed up to 29 stone and who was elected to Parliament in 1972, was dogged by rumours of abuse throughout his career but charges were never brought against him.
Both Greater Manchester Police (GMP) and the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) said if Smith had been accused today he would be charged and prosecuted.
A GMP spokesman said: 'The Force is now publicly acknowledging that young boys were victims of physical and sexual abuse committed by Smith.
'Three separate files regarding Sir Cyril Smith's actions were passed to first the director of public prosecutions (DPP) and the Crown Prosecution Service although on each occasion no prosecution was pursued.'
Smith was secretary of the Rochdale Hostel for Boys Association, where he was accused of abusing vulnerable youngsters by spanking and touching them.
GMP has been looking at cases which date back to 1974 - when the force was created - and any before that were investigated by Lancashire Police, who previously covered Rochdale.
Smith, who died in 2010, served as a politician for 20 years before retiring.
Assistant Chief Constable Steve Heywood said although the police had made a 'bold' decision in saying Smith abused young boys, there was 'overwhelming evidence' against him.
He said: 'This has been a very complex inquiry and I hope people understand why it has taken some time before we were in a position to comment publicly.
Both Greater Manchester Police (GMP) and the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) said if Smith, right, had been accused today he would be charged and prosecuted
'It was very important that both ourselves and Lancashire Police examined all our records very carefully so we could be certain what involvement we had in investigating allegations of sexual and physical abuse made against such a high-profile figure as Smith.
'We are now in a position to say that on three separate occasions, files were passed to first the DPP 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.
'Although Smith cannot be charged or convicted posthumously, from the overwhelming evidence we have it is right and proper we should publicly recognise that young boys were sexually and physically abused and we will offer them as much support as they need should they wish to speak to us.'
The first file of evidence dates back to March 1970, some 16-years before the Crown Prosecution Service was formed.
The file, from Lancashire Constabulary, contained allegations made by eight men that they had been subjected to indecent assaults by Sir Cyril as teenagers.
The alleged abuses were conducted under the guise of medical examinations or punishment for misbehaviour, the report read.
All the boys were either living at Cambridge House Children's Home in Rochdale or were dependent on Smith for either employment, financial support or 'some sort of guardianship'.
Smith denied the allegations.
Although 80 pages of evidence were submitted to the Director of Public Prosectuions (DPP) office, the decision not to prosecute was written in a one page letter.
It read: 'Any charges of indecent assault founded on these allegations, as well as being somewhat stale, would be, in my view, completely without corroboration. Further, the characters of some of these young men would be likely to render their evidence suspect.
'In the circumstances, I do not consider that if proceedings for indecent assault were to be taken against Smith, there would be a reasonable prospect of a conviction. I do not, therefore, advise his prosecution.'
The second file contains evidence dating back to April 1997, when South Wales police began an investigation into sexual and physical abuse within care homes in Wales.
One man rang a helpline which had been appealing for potential victims to come forward, alleging he was abused by Sir Cyril at Cambridge House Children's Home between 1965 and 1968.
The allegation was passed to Greater Manchester Police, who submitted a file of evidence which also included the 1970 file, to the Crown Prosecution Service in May 1998.
A lawyer who reviewed the case said there was enough evidence to charge but that prosecution should not proceed.
The main reason was that Sir Smith had been told he would not be charged for the alleged offences 28 years previously and that charging decisions could only be reversed in 'very limited circumstances', namely 'new evidence coming to light'.
In 1999 two further complainants came forward who made allegations of indecent assault against Smith.
The same lawyer who provided advice in 1998 concluded that one alleged assault was not a criminal offence and other case had been weakened by the complaint's failure to inform the police earlier and there was insufficient evidence.
The reviewing lawyer also concluded: 'I am satisfied that there is no new evidence which would alter my view as to whether proceedings should be instituted in respect of the eight original complainants.'
The CPS have concluded that the decision made in 1970 would not be made by the CPS today.
Earlier this month Rochdale MP Simon Danczuk told the Commons during a debate that Sir Cyril used to summon boys from the town's Cambridge House hostel and slap their naked bottoms.
'Young boys were humiliated, terrified and reduced to quivering wrecks by a 29st bully imposing himself on them,' he said.
He had seen statements given to Lancashire Police in the late 1960s, which made 'grim reading'.
'For some unknown reason, Cyril Smith had a kind of disciplinarian role at the hostel and was given free rein to administer punishment to the boys,' he added.
He said one of the boys told police: 'He told me to take my trousers and pants down and bend over his knee. He hit me many times with his bare hands and I pleaded with him to stop because he was hurting me.'
Mr Danczuk said he believed the file had been passed to the Director of Public Prosecutions at the time, but no action was taken, and called for a new police investigation.
"It means this War was never political at all, the politics was all theatre, all just to keep the people distracted...."
"Proverbs for Paranoids 4: You hide, They seek."
"They are in Love. Fuck the War."
Gravity's Rainbow, Thomas Pynchon
"Ccollanan Pachacamac ricuy auccacunac yahuarniy hichascancuta."
The last words of the last Inka, Tupac Amaru, led to the gallows by men of god & dogs of war
"Proverbs for Paranoids 4: You hide, They seek."
"They are in Love. Fuck the War."
Gravity's Rainbow, Thomas Pynchon
"Ccollanan Pachacamac ricuy auccacunac yahuarniy hichascancuta."
The last words of the last Inka, Tupac Amaru, led to the gallows by men of god & dogs of war