LONDON: British authorities have convicted more than a dozen sex offenders in a northern English city, but children’s advocates expressed outrage that police paid a convicted rapist to infiltrate specially organized parties where young women and girls as young as 15 were plied with drugs and alcohol before being abused.
The revelations came after 17 men and one woman were convicted of or admitted to charges including rape, supplying drugs and inciting prostitution following a series of trials at Newcastle Crown Court. Reporting restrictions imposed by the court prevented details of the cases from emerging until now.
Chief Constable Steve Ashman of Northumbria Police described exploitation as the challenge of this generation and defended the decision to hire the informant, known only as XY. Because of the evidence provided by XY, those convicted in this case will spend lengthy terms in prison, Ashman said, adding that strong punishments were needed to deal with “vile” individuals who target vulnerable people.
“He was a convicted rapist and to some of us the thought of the police engaging with such a person and paying them for information may appear repugnant,” he said. “However, he proved he was in a position whereby he could, and did, alert police to situations which allowed them to prevent offending and provide safeguarding measures toward potential victims.”
The use of such informants is always overseen by a senior police officer and is subject to independent review, he said.
But child rights advocates said that regardless of police officers’ good intentions, their “misguided actions” violated accepted child protection procedures and could have jeopardized the investigation of these abusers. The victims in this case ranged in age from 15 to their early 20s, according to prosecutors.
“We are appalled to learn that police paid a child rapist and planted him in the midst of vulnerable young girls,” said Jon Brown of the National Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children. “You just couldn’t make it up.”
The informant’s role was revealed when defense attorneys challenged some prosecution evidence. XY told the court he had to go along with what was happening so he could continue to gather evidence.
“I was chilling with the boys,” he said during an abuse of process hearing. “I had to make it look like I was their friend.”
British prosecutors convict 17 men, 1 woman of sex crimes
British prosecutors convict 17 men, 1 woman of sex crimes
Greek police detain 313 in raid at university after mob attacked police
- Such attacks against riot police near the university campus are not uncommon
- Riot police used tear gas and stun grenades to beat back the attackers
THESSALONIKI, Greece: Authorities in Greece on Saturday detained 313 people in a raid on the university campus of the country’s second-largest city, Thessaloniki, after riot police were attacked by mobs of people hurling more than 100 Molotov cocktails.
Greek police said roving groups of people wearing hoods emerged from the campus of the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki in the predawn hours Saturday to attack a squad of riot police. The unit is usually deployed some distance from the campus to quell any disturbances after all-night parties that take place on university grounds.
Police said all 313 people were released without being charged.
Such attacks against riot police near the university campus are not uncommon but it’s the first time that so many people were detained after such a clash during which an unusually high number of firebombs was used.
Riot police used tear gas and stun grenades to beat back the attackers. One officer was taken to a military hospital for burns to his face and leg while a 21-year-old civilian was treated for respiratory problems, police said.
The university said in a statement that off-campus “extremists” in conjunction with some individuals from within university grounds had committed the attacks. They said an investigation is underway to determine if any students had taken part. They added that no permission had been granted for any party to take place on university grounds.
