49 lines
3.0 KiB
Plaintext
49 lines
3.0 KiB
Plaintext
Abuse Case Shock - "No Satanic Abuse"
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Manchester Evening News - 25/9/90
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By Matt Finnegan
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Rochdale's social services chief today said the case of the 20 children who have been
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made wards of court is not linked to satanism and devil worship.
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The startling announcement, which came as an emotional reunion was being
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planned between parents of two children after a three month separation, is set to
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cause controversy.
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Social services director Gordon Littlemore distanced himself from earlier allegations
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that the children had been involved in ritual abuse linked to the occult.
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His statement astonished critics of the handling of the case, which has become
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known as the "Satan kids" investigation. Mr. Littlemore said: "We have never used
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the words satanism or devil worship, and we are not saying that the abuse suffered
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by the children is because the parents have been worshipping the devil or involved
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in satanism.
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"The children have told some strange stories about what has happened to them, and
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it is in that sense we believe they have suffered ritualistic abuse. They have been
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involved in a variety of awful activities and appear to have witnessed some awful
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incidents which have left them very frightened about what happened to them."
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Labour councillor Kevin Hunt, who has been supporting the parents' fight, said
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today: "I'm absolutely astonished that the director can make these kinds of
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statements.
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"It seems to me that the whole case is falling apart and people are now getting cold
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feet."
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SURPRISE
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One of the solicitors acting for some of the parents, Joanne Kay, said today: "We are
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dealing with a whole series of allegations, all of which are extremely serious, which
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will eventually be dealt with by the court.
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"I am surprised that they are being discussed now."
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Meanwhile social workers were hurriedly making arrangements for parents to see
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two children - a boy and a girl aged six and 10 - after the High Court granted them
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access.
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The parents will be allowed to hug and play and talk to their children for the first
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time since they were taken in June.
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