Angus Stickler
An investigation carried out by
Radio4 Today Programme found
that a paedophile at the centre of the Islington child abuse scandal went on to
abuse children across three continents.
Had allegations against Bernie Bain, the former head of a children's home, been
properly investigated in the 1980s countless children would have been spared.
Margaret Hodge was leader of Islington Council at the time. When she was alerted
to the investigation she complained to the Chairman of the BBC. In the
letter below she attacks the former victim as an ‘extremely disturbed person’.
He is in fact currently employed as a consultant to a Government Department. Mrs
Hodge also accused the Today programme of being unfair in its investigation. She
says she was not informed about the case until after she left the council.
Angus Stickler spoke to the victim of
abuse concerned, Demetrious Panton. Listen to Angus Stickler's report, plus the
statement from Margaret Hodge MP (11/11/03). Some parts of what he has to say
you may find disturbing. LISTEN
Margaret Hodge maintains she knew nothing of this case until after she left
Islington, and that may well be the case - she was the leader of a council in
chaos. In her defence she said her officers misled her over a number of
different allegations. She left Islington Council in 1992. In 1994 she was
elected as MP for Barking. Her career since then has flourished. In 1996
Demetrious wrote to her directly, hoping for answers.
“And what did she do - I wrote a six page letter. She wrote a four line response
saying to me that she would refer me to Islington Council,” Demetrious told me.
“And I hear her saying that she has spent since 1992 listening to young people
who were abused. I find that an amazing statement. We could have actually had
Bernie Bain arrested.”
Margaret Hodge described the BBC investigation as deplorable sensationalism. The
BBC however believe it to be a matter of public interest. Whether she was
personally informed about this case is beside the point. She was leader of a
council that was in chaos, it failed to investigate allegations of child abuse,
including those of Demetrious Panton. But rather than commending him for his
efforts our minister for children writes him off as an extremely disturbed
person. A view not shared by Detective Superintendent John Sweeney.
Michael
Foster MP - He was appointed a Parliamentary Private Secretary to Margaret Hodge
after the 2001 election.
Margaret Hodge's parliamentary
private secretary Michael Foster says she should stay in her job, after
labelling Islington child abuse victim (Demetrious Panton) "extremely
disturbed". Plus Allan Levy QC and Mike Taylor, formerly of the NSPCC
(14/11/03). LISTEN
Demetrious Panton left care to gain a
degree in philosophy. He is currently completing an MBA, and is employed as a
consultant advising on the Government's New Deal for Communities. His client
list is impressive and includes, amongst others, the Office of the Deputy Prime
Minister
Statement to BBC chairman Gavyn Davies from Margaret Hodge
"Everybody would agree that Mr Panton’s experiences in the 1970’s were
dreadful and it is a tribute to him that he continued to pursue his case until
the mid 1990’s when the police finally agreed to look into the details.
I was the political leader of the council between 1982 and 1992 and whilst I did
not have day to day contact with social services, I have on many occasions,
including on the Today Programme, expressed deep regret for those children who
were abused in Islington homes over many decades.
Since becoming children’s Minister in June, Angus Stickler and the Today
Programme have been constantly telephoning friends and colleagues to dig up
details of events which happened between 10 and 20 years ago. The Today
programme have failed to interview any of these people who give a contemporary
account of events, they have tried and failed to substantiate my involvement in
this case when I was leader.
I felt this was becoming a concerted campaign against me, which is why I wrote a
letter, I did not publish, to the BBC in September. I am taken aback that the
Today programme has chosen to make a letter which was not for publication,
public.
I have decided not to appear on the Today Programme today as there is nothing
new to say and nothing more that I can add. I am getting on with the important
job I have been given, to create a better future for all our children and I have
been encouraged by the support and commitment of the professionals with whom I
work."
To provide integrated leadership and
responsibility for children's services and family policy across Whitehall, in
June 2003 then Prime Minister Tony Blair appointed Margaret Hodge as the first
Minister of State for Children in the Department for Education and Skills. Aware of the furore over this
appointment, Tony Blair was forced to keep his new Minister
for Children well away from the launch of his policy designed to protect
children from debacles such as the killing of
Victoria Climbié. Yet despite
having to go to such embarrassing lengths, he made feeble excuses on her behalf
but still kept her in office. WHY?
Lets look at Margaret Hodges
husband Sir Hendry Hodge?
SEX ATTACKER STAYS BECAUSE OF
HUMAN RIGHTS
Daily Express By John Chapman
Wednesday October 31,2007
A JUDGE yesterday vetoed the
deportation of a serial sex attacker because it would breach his human right to
a family life. The decision by immigration judge Sir Henry Hodge caused a storm
of protest last night – led by the victim of one attack. He admitted indecently
assaulting 11 women in the past five years and has committed a string of other
offences including robbery, burglary, arson and drugs. But Sir Henry –
husband of Labour minister Margaret Hodge – ruled that Kendeh should be
allowed to stay because he came to the UK at the age of six and has almost no
family left in West Africa. To support his decision, he cited article eight of
the Human Rights Act, which gives a person the right to a family life.
Full article...
Related Articles:
Victims of
child abuse accuse Hodge
Independent November 13, 2003
Read Article...
Minister
tries to halt Today investigation
Guardian UK November 11, 2003
Read Article...
Paedophile
Investigation
BBC - Radio 4 - November 11 2003
Read Article...
Real Fathers For Justice
October 2007
Video from
You Tube 
Two activists from the campaign group
Real Fathers For Justice (RFFJ), scaled a building directly opposite the
Minshull Street Crown Courts in Manchester in protest against the treatment of
the two campaigners who are on trial nearly 3 years later for the
handcuffing of MP Margaret Hodge, back in November 2004, both faced
trial by jury for false imprisonment which can carry a life sentence the court
case lasted 3 weeks costing the tax payer £500,000.
Jason
Hatch, 35, and Jonathan Stanesby, 41, ambushed the MP at a family law conference
in Salford in November 2004. Mr Stanesby handcuffed himself to Mrs Hodge's wrist
in a 'citizen's arrest'. He confronted her with accusations that she had ignored
warnings about a children's home paedophile ring while a council leader in North
London in the 1970s and 1980s.
Handcuff
protesters cleared
Manchester Evening
News
Read Article...
