Sex Abuse: Missing Files 'Probably Destroyed'

Sex Abuse Inquiries: The Unanswered Questions

Updated: 7:52pm UK, Monday 07 July 2014

By Jon Craig, Chief Political Correspondent

Theresa May went a long way to satisfying MPs' demands for a wide-ranging inquiry into child sex abuse allegations.

But there are still plenty of unanswered questions arising out of the affair and the so-called "Dickens dossier" presented to then-home secretary Lord Brittan in 1983.

In fact, the Home Secretary told MPs there was no such thing as a "single Dickens dossier", despite Lord Brittan confirming last week that the late Tory MP went to him with a "substantial bundle of papers".

Mrs May has set up two inquiries, the first a "review of a review", as she put it, to look into an investigation carried out by her permanent secretary, Mark Sedwill, last year.

The second is a much wider inquiry carried out by a panel of experts into allegations of abuse which the Home Secretary said could become a full public inquiry like that into the Hillsborough disaster.

According to Yvette Cooper, the Shadow Home Secretary, Mrs May had "changed her position" by bowing to the demands from MPs led by the Rochdale MP Simon Danczuk, who exposed the activities of Cyril Smith.

The Government denies charges of a U-turn, of course. But it's significant that her widely welcomed announcement followed talks with the Prime Minister on Sunday.

All the signs are that David Cameron ordered her to agree to a wide-ranging investigation. It was Number 10, after all, that announced on Sunday evening that the Home Secretary would make a Commons statement.

The unanswered questions will now be put to Mr Sedwill when he gives evidence to the Home Affairs Select Committee, exactly a week after Mr Danczuk challenged Leon Brittan's handling of the Geoffrey Dickens allegations.

"The Committee will be interested to hear what has happened to the missing files, understand further details of the review Mr Sedwill has set up, including how this fits into the Home Secretary's inquiry, and why the Committee were not directly informed about the original investigation beforehand," said Keith Vaz, chairman of the Home Affairs Select Committee.

Let's take those one by one:

:: The missing files

This was the issue that most exercised MPs of all parties during questions following Mrs May's Commons statement.

Mr Sedwill has admitted 114 files are missing. Until he provides satisfactory answers about what happened to them, conspiracy theorists will cry, "cover-up!"

:: The Home Office review

Presumably Mr Vaz is referring to the review which will now be carried out by Peter Wanless, the NSPCC chief, into what happened when Mr Sedwill carried out a review last year in response to parliamentary questions from Labour MP Tom Watson.

:: The Home Secretary's inquiry

This is all a bit vague so far. We don't yet know who will lead it and what form it will take.

It sounded from her statement as though the Home Secretary hasn't decided this yet and may not even have found a chairman or chairwoman yet.

:: Why was the Home Affairs Select Committee not told in advance about the original inquiry?

This sounds a bit like Mr Vaz being self-important. But he may have a good point if the Home Secretary was trying to hush up the inquiry or keep it secret from MPs.

But let's ask a fifth question, not posed by Mr Vaz, but by Labour MP Lisa Nandy and Tory MP Mark Reckless in the Commons earlier:

:: How much did Government and Opposition whips know about the sex abuse allegations? 

Whips often boast about their "little black book", containing colourful details of MPs' sexual exploits.

Will they be asked to spill the beans? Almost certainly not.

John Wakeham, Margaret Thatcher's great fixer and now in the Lords, was Tory Chief Whip from 1983-87 and Derek Foster, also now in the Lords, was Labour's Chief Whip.

Knowing the inscrutable Lord Wakeham as I do, I'd be very surprised if he were to reveal the secrets of the "little black book".

But whether or not Theresa May was ordered by the PM to bow to pressure from MPs, with her skilful and adept handling of the rapidly escalating child abuse crisis she has defused the tension for now.

But the allegations won't go away and if either inquiry uncovers some explosive discoveries, the Home Secretary - and her Tory predecessor Leon Brittan - will have more uncomfortable questions to answer.

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Two Britons Admit Syria Terror Offences

Two British men who travelled to Syria to fight alongside rebels have pleaded guilty to terrorism offences.

Mohammed Nahin Ahmed and Yusuf Zubair Sarwar spent eight months in Syria last year after contacting Islamist extremists from the UK.

The childhood friends, both 22 years old, come from Handsworth, Birmingham.

Sarwar (left) and Ahmed admit preparing for terror acts

They were arrested at Heathrow Airport on their return from Syria in January.

Appearing at Woolwich Crown Court, Ahmed and Sarwar both admitted one count of engaging in conduct in preparation of terrorism acts contrary to Section 5 of the Terrorism Act.

Immediately after their arrest, the men claimed they had travelled to Syria for humanitarian reasons.

Police found an image of Ahmed posing with a toy gun prior to his departure

However "thousands" of incriminating images were found on a digital camera they brought back into the UK, including pictures of them posing with guns.

Specialists said the images indicated that Ahmed and Sarwar had been in and around Aleppo, a flashpoint city in the fight between rebels and forces loyal to Syrian President Bashar al Assad.

Close examination of their clothes and trainers also revealed traces of "military-grade explosives" including TNT and nitroglycerine.

West Midlands Police said they had travelled to Syria via a well-trodden route through neighbouring Turkey.

Ahmed was born in Bangladesh and moved to Britain as a child, while Sarwar is of Pakistani descent and was born in Britain.

Investigations into the pair began after Sarwar's family reported him missing in May last year.

He had left a handwritten letter in which he said he had joined a terrorist group called Kataib al Muhajireen (KaM) - later renamed Kateeba al Kawthar - which means "to do jihad".

Police then uncovered online conversations between the pair in which Ahmed revealed his plan to travel abroad to join the jihad.

The pair were pictured on their way to the airport

He told Sarwar: "I cannot tell anyone I'm going to jihad. Lol. I'll get arrested."

Conversations were also found between Ahmed and two Islamist extremists.

He told a Swedish national fighting with the KaM: "I come to join KaM."

The Swede replied: "Inshallah (God willing)."

Images of Islamist propaganda, including Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (Isis) flags, and incriminating literature were also found on both of their computers.

The families of both men say they put pressure on them to return to the UK once they discovered where they were.

Sarwar's family said he had told them he was travelling to Turkey on a trip organised by Birmingham City University, where he was studying computer science part-time.

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Woman 'Hid Cash In Knickers For Jihadists'

A 27-year-old British woman is on trial at the Old Bailey accused of attempting to smuggle 20,000 euro (£15,800) in her underwear to fund jihadists fighting in Syria.

Nawal Msaad was taking the money to Turkey on behalf of her close friend Amal El-Wahibi, also 27, whose Muslim-convert husband Aine Davis, left London last July to pursue the jihadist cause, the court heard.

Msaad was stopped by police as she approached the departure gate at Heathrow Airport on January 16 this year.

She told officers the three-day trip to Istanbul was a "short break" to buy gold for her mother.

Prosecutor Mark Dennis, QC, said: "She was then taken to a private room where she pulled out a roll of banknotes from inside her underwear and handed it across to the officers. The banknotes were tightly rolled and were wrapped in cling film.

Amal El-Wahibi also denies funding terrorism

"It would appear that it would have been further hidden inside her body, wrapped in a condom."

Both Msaad, of Holloway, north London, and El-Wahabi, of northwest London, are on trial accused of funding terrorism. They deny the charge.

Jurors were told the arrangements were made in the days before the planned flight in phone calls and WhatsApp messages between the pair and 30-year-old Davis, who was also born in London and has two young sons with El-Wahabi.

Mr Dennis said: "It is alleged in this case that the money that the second defendant was attempting to take out to Turkey was money that had been raised in this country and had been destined to support the jihadist cause which Davis was now pursuing with like-minded supporters.

"The allegation in this case is that each defendant, when becoming concerned in the arrangement of the smuggling of this money to Turkey at the behest of Davis, knew of, at the very least had reasonable cause to suspect, that the money was or might be used for the purposes of terrorism."

After her arrest, Msaad refused to explain the money and gave "no comment" police interviews, while El-Wahabi said an iPod, Kindle and iPad found at her address belonged to Davis, who was now living in Turkey.

She denied knowledge of any terrorist activities or their funding.

But her mobile phone showed Davis had sent her photos including a "selfie" while he had been away, as well as videos containing jihadist propaganda, including one of a "boy martyr" aged between 10 and 13 holding a Kalashnikov rifle, jurors heard.

The trial continues.

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Gay Cake Row Christian Bakers Face Legal Action

A Christian-run bakery which refused an order to make a pro-gay marriage campaign cake featuring a picture of Sesame Street characters Bert and Ernie is facing legal action.

Ashers Baking Co in Northern Ireland, where gay marriage has not been legalised, was founded by Christian directors and is run based on their religious beliefs and values, which includes not opening for business on Sundays.

Daniel McArthur, general manager of the 22-year-old company, said he and the directors considered the cake design and decided the order was "at odds with our beliefs" and "in contradiction with what the Bible teaches".

"Marriage in Northern Ireland has not been redefined. It still is defined as being a union between one man and one woman," he said in an online statement.

Ashers is named after a verse from the Bible. Pic: Christian Institute

The Newtonabbey bakery, which is one of six run by the McArthur family, employing 62 people, refunded the customer in full and thought that was the end of the matter.

Six weeks later it received a letter from the Equality Commission threatening legal action and accusing it of discriminating against the customer on the grounds of his sexual orientation.

It asked the bakery to propose how it would recompense the customer and said it would pursue legal proceedings if the firm did not respond in seven days.

It said it would "consider any response before taking further action".

The Christian Institute, which is providing the bakery with legal support, said the request for the cake was made in May by a "volunteer LGBT activist".

Mr McArthur was 'surprised' by the reaction. Pic: Christian Institute

It said it was supporting the bakery because "the case proves the need for the law to reasonably accommodate family-run businesses with firmly held beliefs".

Its director Colin Hart said: "All the McArthurs want is to run their bakery according to their Christian beliefs. There won't be many situations where they need to turn down an order but this is obviously one of them.

"No one should be forced to use their creative skills to promote a cause which goes against their consciences. Imbalanced equality laws are making it increasingly hard for people, especially Christians."

He added: "It establishes a dangerous precedent about the power of the state over an individual or business to force them to go against their deeply-held beliefs."

Mr McArthur said he was "surprised" to receive the letter from the equality watchdog and added: "Although we have found this experience certainly unsettling and disruptive to our day-to-day business, we are certainly convinced that we have made the right decision.

"We do continue to take the stand and stance that we do take."

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Rogue Reptile: Mystery Crocodile Found In Crete

A six-foot (1.82m) crocodile has been spotted in a man-made lake on the Greek island of Crete.

Authorities on the resort island said the reptile was discovered last week near the seaside town of Rethymno.

Crocodiles are not native to Crete and locals remain mystified about where the creature came from and how it ended up in the lake.

One theory is that it had been kept as a pet and was abandoned after it grew too large.

Some local souvenir shops are taking advantage of the mystery and have started selling inflatable crocodiles.

Authorities say they will attempt to capture the creature on Thursday

But not everyone is quite as amused.

Residents have started blaming the crocodile for the recent disappearance of lambs and ducks and, according to local resident Nikistratos Charokopou, many are alarmed at the idea of living so close to the six-foot reptile.

He said: "Yes, they (the locals) are very upset because they are in danger. There are farm lands and properties (nearby) and people are in danger, they are afraid."

"There are rivers from which people draw water to irrigate their fields and they are afraid to visit their land," he added.

Authorities have now fenced off the lake and say they will attempt to remove the crocodile on Thursday.

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Mikaeel Kular 'Assaulted Over Four Days By Mum'

The mother of three-year-old Mikaeel Kular assaulted him over four days, wrapped his body in a duvet and shut it inside a suitcase, a court has heard.

Rosdeep Adekoya, 34, is accused of assaulting her son at their home in Ferry Gait Crescent, Edinburgh, before hiding his body in a wood more than 20 miles away.

It is claimed she murdered Mikaeel after punching him, causing his body to hit against a hard object and inflicting blunt force injuries on his head and body between January 12 and 15, 2014.

She is also charged with attempting to defeat the ends of justice by lying to police, having allegedly made a 999 call in which she claimed her son had gone missing after climbing onto a stool and unlocking the front door of his home.

Mikaeel's disappearance in January sparked a huge search involving police officers, firefighters, mountain rescue teams and the coastguard, as well as members of the public.

His body was eventually found hidden beneath a bush in woodland behind a house in Dunvegan Avenue, Fife.

Adekoya, who is being held at Cornton Vale prison in Stirlingshire and has not yet entered a plea, made a two-minute appearance at the High Court in Edinburgh.

The judge Lord Boyd continued the case until July 25 at the request of both the prosecution and the defence, who said the case had a "number of complexities".

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McCanns' Son 'Asked About Madeleine Claims'

Kate McCann has told a libel hearing her son asked her about allegations linking her to the disappearance of Madeleine which were published in a book by former police chief Goncalo Amaral.

Mrs McCann told a court in Portugal, her son Sean had heard about the claims on the radio while travelling on a school bus.

She said: "Sean asked me in October: 'Mr Amaral said you hid Madeleine.'

"I just said he said a lot of silly things."

The McCanns are suing over the allegations in Mr Amaral's book, The Truth Of The Lie, which included suggestions they hid Madeleine's body after she died in an accident and faked an abduction.

They say the allegations damaged the hunt for their daughter and exacerbated their anguish.

Sky News' Crime Correspondent Martin Brunt said she testified for almost an hour at Lisbon's Palace of Justice.

Madeleine has been missing for seven years

After the hearing, Gerry McCann told reporters they had brought the case to court to "challenge assertions that have gone more or less unchallenged".

He said whoever took Madeleine "must have been laughing at what has been told in the book; that there was no abduction, that there is no predator out there.

"There is. And he, she or they may strike again."

If successful, the couple could receive around £1m in damages. A judgement is not expected until later this year.

The trial was adjourned last month when Mr Amaral sacked his lawyer in what the McCanns claimed was a "blatant and cynical" attempt to hold up proceedings.

Police have been searching in Praia da Luz in recent weeks

Afterwards they accused him of trying to wear them down and delaying justice for their missing daughter.

Madeleine, who was then nearly four, disappeared from her family's holiday apartment in Praia da Luz in the Algarve on May 3, 2007 as her parents dined at a nearby restaurant with friends.

Their latest visit to Portugal comes after Scotland Yard detectives returned to the country last week to help interview suspects in the case.

Officers from the force's Operation Grange joined their Portuguese counterparts in Faro as they questioned "people of interest".

The suspects were believed to include three workers from the Ocean Club in Praia da Luz who have been linked to a string of burglaries in the area before Madeleine vanished.

Last month the British detectives teamed up with their Portuguese counterparts in searches of three areas of land near the Ocean Club.

Afterwards police said it was the "first phase of this major investigation which has been agreed with the Portuguese".

They added there was "still a substantial amount of work yet to be completed in the coming weeks and months".

Mr and Mrs McCann previously said the fact police found no evidence relating to Madeleine had reinforced their belief she could still be alive.

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Waiter Murder: Trio Jailed For 'Brutal' Killing

Three men who "showed no mercy" as they subjected an Italian waiter to a "brutal and sustained attack" at his home have been jailed for life for his murder.

Joele Leotta suffered more than 100 injuries to his body as he was beaten to death by Alexandras Zuravliovas, Linas Zidonas and Saulius Tamoliunas.

The trio broke into the flat Mr Leotta shared with his childhood friend Alex Galbiati, both 20, above the Italian restaurant where they worked and attacked the pair because they believed they had made a complaint about noise against one of them to their landlord.

The victims were in their pyjamas and were about to go to bed at the address in Lower Stone Street, Maidstone, on October 20, when they were set upon.

Mr Galbiati survived the assault and returned from Italy to give evidence during the 11-week trial at Maidstone Crown Court.

Alexandras Zuravliovas, Linas Zidonas and Saulius Tamoliunas (L-R)

Zuravliovas, 26, was told he would serve a minimum term of 21 years, and Zidonas, 21, and Tamoliunas, 24, a minimum term of 20 years after a jury found them all guilty of murder and grievous bodily harm (GBH).

Judge Philip Statman told them: "You had within you murderous intent. Your conduct towards these two young men showed no mercy.

"You attacked as a pack and used a variety of weapons."

Mr Leotta's family said in a statement: "Nobody can see the pain we carry inside ourselves. It makes us unable to breathe; it makes us powerless; it leaves us empty and lonely.

"Why did this happen? He did not deserve something so ugly to happen to him. Joele was a kind, loving, respectful and determined boy. He would never show hatred, violence or cowardice."

Detective Inspector Ivan Beasley, from the Kent and Essex Serious Crime Directorate, described the killing as "a tragic waste of life".

He said: "An innocent young man who came to England with his friend for an adventure, to work and to learn the language, was beaten to death.

"Joele had over 100 injuries, which evidences a brutal and sustained attack."

A fourth defendant, Tomas Gelezinis, 31, was also charged with murder and GBH but was acquitted.

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Polar Bear Killing: Trip Leader 'Wrestled' Animal

Polar Bear Victim Was 'Fearless' - Family

Updated: 7:37pm UK, Saturday 06 August 2011

A British teenager mauled to death by a polar bear in Norway has been described by his family as "strong, fearless and kind".

Horatio Chapple, 17, from near Salisbury in Wiltshire, was killed while camping with the British Schools Exploring Society in the country's remote northern Svalbard archipelago.

A statement issued by his family said: "Horatio was so excited about his plans to be a doctor, strong, fearless and kind with an amazing sense of humour and an ability to laugh at himself.

"He was on the cusp of adulthood and had a clear vision of where his life was going."

Four other group members were badly injured - the group's leaders Michael Reid and Andrew Ruck along with two of the participants in the trip, Patrick Flinders and Scott Bennell-Smith.

But officials told a press conference all four had undergone surgery to treat head injuries and were now well enough to be transferred back to hospitals the UK.

It is understood the bear will now be forensically examined to try to determine the cause of the attack.

A series of emotional tributes to Mr Chapple having been pouring in on a special page set up on social networking site Facebook.

One post, from a Magnus England Chapple said: "You were the best brother and still are. I love you and rest in peace."

Another, from Harry Cunliffe, one of Mr Chapple's godparents, said: "Horatio, I will miss your smile, your impish grin, your sensitivity, your graciousness and your genuine care and interest in others.

"Your sense of adventure, your hard work, commitment and determination have been inspiring to me."

The chairman of BSES, Edward Watson, also paid tribute to Mr Chapple.

He said: "Horatio was a fine young man, hoping to go on to read medicine after school. By all accounts he would've made an excellent doctor."

Horatio's grandfather, Sir John Chapple, 80, was the head of the Army from 1989 to 1992, the former governor of Gibraltar and the former president of the BSES.

Mr Reid, who is a member of staff at the Royal Geographical Society (RGS), was leading the group as part of his summer break and is thought to have shot the bear.

His father, Peter Reid, 65, from Plymouth, said: "He told us the bear attacked the tent with three people in it, and he and another leader went to help and were viciously attacked by the bear.

"He managed to get away, ran to get a gun and shot the bear."

He added: "The other members of the group wanted to know how Spike was, and they said he was very, very brave."

An RGS spokesman told Sky News: "He is a member of staff however his role in the BSES expedition is not connected with his employment at the (RGS).

"Mr Reid's involvement with BSES was a personal undertaking in his own time and he joined the BSES expedition this summer using his holiday time allowance."

The group was attacked while on a trip near Spitsbergen, in the Svalbard islands, and were part of a larger group of around 80 people.

The BSES's Mr Watson added: "We and the Norwegian authorities are currently establishing the full circumstances of his tragic death and will not be releasing this until we have discussed it with the family."

He later said the expedition had been called off and all members would be brought home.

"This tragic incident has affected everyone involved and we believe ending the expedition is the appropriate decision to make," he said.

The victims were staying in a campsite containing 13 people which was attacked by the bear.

A helicopter photographed shocked survivors at the site, in an area covered by glacial rubble, where tents were pinned down by large rocks.

In an interview with ITV Channel Television Patrick Flinders said he was inspired by the BSES to make the trip after they gave a talk at his school.

Mr Flinders, from Jersey, tried to fend off the bear but was injured when it lashed out.

"It was an organised group. They had a camp set up and this attack happened in the camp," he said.

A spokeswoman for the governor of Svalbard said explorers usually set up trip wires which fires off a rocket if animals enter the camp.

British ambassador to Norway, Jane Owen, said the group had taken adequate precautions to minimise risks and increase safety.

The attack took place near the Von Post glacier and it is believed the expedition group undertook firearm training prior to the incident.

After the attack the group alerted authorities by a satellite phone.

The deputy governor Lars Erik Alfheim told Sky News: "We deployed a helicopter with medical and police personnel, upon arrival one person was declared dead and four people injured.

The injured are being treated at University hospital in Tromso, and the British ambassador has travelled to the area.

The trip which began on July 23, was due to continue until August 28.

Kyle Gouveia returned early from the trip due to frost-nip.

Speaking to Sky News, he described the group as a "friendly bunch" and said he had not seen any polar bears on the trip.

In a statement, Norwegian authorities said the bear, which weighed 250kg, had been shot dead before it was transported back to a nearby base.

Earlier this year the governor of Svalbard issued a warning about the animals after several were spotted close to Longyearbyen, the nearest major town.

:: If you are concerned about a relative's safety you can call +47 7902 4305 or +47 7902 4302

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Ebola: More Cases As 500 Die In West Africa

Fifty new cases of the virus have been reported in three African countries where 500 people have already died.

Ebola continues to spread through families in Sierra Leone, Liberia and Guinea, where 50 people have contracted the virus and 25 have died in the last five days.

Some 518 of the 844 cases reported since February have proved fatal - and the World Health Organisation (WHO) admits the epidemic is not yet under control.

Spokeswoman Fadela Chaib said: "These numbers indicate that active viral transmission continues in the community.

Officials say cultural traditions have helped spread the virus

"That means that the two main modes of transmission - home care, people who care for their relative at home, and during funerals - are still ongoing.

"If we don't stop the transmission in the several hotspots in the three countries we will not be able to say that we control the outbreak."

Funerals remain a problem in countries where it is common for mourners to touch the body.

WHO says the affected region of West Africa is a "mixed picture".

Elizabeth Smith, a nurse who contracted the virus from a patient

Guinea's ministry reported two deaths since July 3 but no new cases in the past week.             

Sierra Leone accounted for 34 of the new cases and 14 deaths, while Liberia reported 16 new cases and nine deaths.

West African countries and international health organisations adopted a new strategy last week to fight the world's deadliest Ebola outbreak to date.

Measures include better surveillance to detect the virus and more cross-border cooperation.

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