The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) has announced its intention to prosecute Alton Towers owners Merlin Entertainments PLC under a breach of the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974. The charge relates to the Smiler Roller Coaster incident of 2nd June 2015, in which five people were seriously injured (two requiring amputation). Neil Craig, HSE Head of Operations for the Midlands, commented:
“This was a serious incident with life-changing consequences for five people. We have conducted a very thorough investigation and consider that there is sufficient evidence and that it is in the public interest to bring a prosecution.”
Smiler Roller Coaster – high speed crash
On 2nd June 2015, Alton Towers’ Smiler roller coaster began to experience difficulties – onlookers witnessed the ride stopping and starting.
Staff closed the ride and sent an empty test carriage around the track, but did not notice that the carriage had not returned and had stopped at the bottom of a loop.
The ride re-opened to the public. 16 people boarded the ride. The ride began, but the automatic safety features halted the carriage on the track for ten minutes.
Staff with no clear view of the track overrode the safety measures, sending the carriage on a collision course with the stationary empty carriage.
Nick Varney, Chief Executive of Merlin Entertainments, commented:
“Technically what happened is impossible and should not have happened”
“Rollercoasters are designed so you do not have two cars on the same path of the track and obviously two were because that’s what happened. So we need to look into that very quickly and closely.”
The smiler
___
Manufacturer: Gerstlauer (based in Germany), also manufactured the carriages for a rollercoaster in a theme park in Texas that saw a woman fall to her death in 2013. Opening date: 31st May 2013 Max speed: 52.8mph (85km/h) Production cost: £18 million Inversions: 14 G-force: 4.5 Duration: 2 minutes 45 seconds
Smiler crash – serious injuries
Of the 16 people travelling aboard the carriage during the collision, five were seriously injured:
Joe Pugh, 18, shattered knees
Vicky Balch, 20, leg amputation
Leah Washington, 17, leg amputation
Chanda Chauhan, 49, internal injuries
Daniel Thorpe, 27, leg injuries & collapsed lung
Smiler Rollercoaster owners face prosecution
Merlin Attractions Operation Ltd, based in Poole, Dorset, will face charges of breaching the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974. The hearing will take place at North Staffordshire Justice Centre, Newcastle-under-Lyme on 22nd April 2016. If you would like further information about legal issues surrounding serious injury, contact us today for expert advice on 0800 888 6 888 or email
It has recently come to light that the Church of England was aware that a predatory Bishop within the Church was a ‘serial abuser’, who subjected multiple ‘young men’ to sexual abuse over two decades.
Peter Ball, who counted the Prince of Wales as a ‘loyal friend’, was finally jailed in 2015 after pleading guilty to multiple sexual abuse offences. The Bishop was free to carry out his abuse due to the ‘deeply sinister cover up’ put in place by the Church.
‘Sinister Cover Up’
Previously undisclosed documents, compiled at the time by a private detective working for Ball’s legal team, state that nothing was done about Ball’s abuse in order to ‘prevent a scandal in the press’. The report advised senior figures within the Church that Ball had confessed to ‘abusing not only his office but many young men’.
The documents, reported by the BBC, indicate that the private investigator had access to Ball’s victims before police did. The report is described as being ‘for the information solely of the Bishop of Chichester, the late Eric Kemp, and the then Archbishop of Canterbury, George Carey’ and clearly indicates that Ball confessed to the sexual abuse.
Ball resigned as Bishop of Gloucester in 1993 after being arrested for indecent assault, but after a two year hiatus he returned to work. The documents claim that Ball was let off with just a caution at the time, after his lawyers negotiated with Wayne Murdock, an apparently ‘sympathetic’ police officer. Following his return to the Church, he relocated to the Bath and Wells diocese until 2010.
The BBC has reported that the previously undisclosed documents reveal that Mr Murdock had talked with Ball’s legal team at the time regarding ‘the need to prevent a scandal, especially as Peter was a frequent visitor to Sandringham and is friendly with Prince Charles’.
The former Bishop was sentenced to 32 months in jail last October, after he admitted to the sexual abuse of 18 different young men and teenagers.
New Inquiry
Now a new inquiry is set to investigate exactly how much senior figures within the Church knew about the abuse, and the extent of the cover up that followed. The inquiry was first ordered by Most Rev Justin Welby, the current Archbishop of Canterbury, last year. Former council chief executive, Dame Moira Gibb is to lead an independent review into how the Church first responded to the case.
The Archbishop has described the incident as a matter of ‘deep shame’. Archbishop Welby went on to say:
‘I am hugely grateful to Dame Moira for agreeing to take up this vital role,
‘We have offered an unreserved apology to all the survivors and commend the bravery of those who brought these allegations forward. It is a matter of deep shame that a bishop committed these offences.’
The new revelations have come as no surprise to the former bishop’s victims, who have said that the report shows the extent of the two decade-long ‘sinister cover up’. The decision not to prosecute Ball after the offences he committed in the early nineties has already been labelled as ‘wrong’ by prosecutors. They claim the amount of evidence available at the time was enough to bring charges against him.
Involvement of Leading Establishment Figures
However, the remarkable campaign that was set up by numerous leading Establishment figures to protect Ball was revealed last month. Letters were sent at the time to police chiefs and the Director of Public Prosecution by figure heads including Tory MPs, two Archbishops, public school headmasters and a senior judge, describing Ball as a ‘saint’. They even went as far as to claim it was ‘literally inconceivable’ that he could have committed the offences.
During sentencing at the Old Bailey, Bobbie Cheema QC for the prosecution told the court that Ball’s lawyers had claimed to have received a letter from a member of the Royal Family in 1993, in which they expressed their support. The CPS however, claims to have no knowledge of this or to have seen the letter.
A Clarence House spokesperson said:
‘As we said at the time of Peter Ball’s sentencing, The Prince of Wales made no intervention in the judicial process on behalf of Peter Ball. The CPS confirmed then that the information it possessed did not indicate any interference in the case by The Prince of Wales.’
One of Ball’s victims, Phil Johnson, was indecently assaulted by the former Bishop when he was 13 years old; he has branded the revelations an ‘outrage’. Mr Johnson said:
‘The only concern to the Church appears to be protect its own reputation. It is appalling to think that they knew there were other victims out there but did nothing to try to help them.
‘The Church has extremely serious questions to answer surrounding this.’
In a statement to the BBC, Mr Murdock – the so called ‘sympathetic’ officer who is responsible for letting Ball off with a caution – described his original investigation as being ‘conducted with the highest standards of integrity, transparency and impartiality’. Mr Murdock added that the ‘decision as to how the case was disposed of in 1993 was ultimately taken by the Director of Public Prosecutions’ and claimed no deal was struck.
A spokesperson for Gloucestershire Constabulary, who has reviewed their original handling of the case in 2012, said:
‘The original investigation was of a thorough standard and there is no reason to believe that anything was overlooked.’
Sexual Abuse Claims – Expert Advice
Hampson Hughes Solicitors specialises in directing sexual abuse claims in a considerate and compassionate manner. Our Abuse & Criminal Injuries Department is headed by Greg Neill – Greg is a member of the Association of Child Abuse Lawyers (ACAL).
For an open and friendly conversation about your situation, and to find out how we can assist you relevant to your individual experience, call 0800 888 6 888 or email
You will be given the direct-dial of your case handler, meaning that you will always be able to reach the person you need.
A man has been sentenced to life in prison, serving a minimum of ten years, after he admitted to raping a young mother in her own home. Trevor Lawler also admitted to attempted rape, threats to kill, assault by penetration, trespass and wounding with intent at Manchester Crown Court this week.
Attacked in front of baby
The court heard how Lawler, 32, claimed he had escaped kidnappers to trick his way into the home of the 24 year mother. The intruder proceeded to beat and rape the woman in front of her 12 month old baby, before she managed to flee to a neighbour’s house and ask for help.
Manchester Crown court heard that once Lawler had entered the woman’s home, he shoved her up against the wall where he repeatedly punched her – as she was still holding her young child.
Lawler then stood over the woman, shouting ‘if you don’t shut up, I will kill you stone dead right now’. He then raped her, at one point addressing the baby to say ‘this is all your mother is f****g worth’.
Lawler’s victim fought back, biting a chunk of skin from his hand in the process.
The court heard that the woman was so badly disfigured from the beating that when she ran for help, her neighbour could only recognise her by her voice.
Previous Attack
Police were able to identify Lawler as the attacker due to DNA after examining the piece of skin that the woman was able to bite off and store in her mouth. Following this, it was discovered that Lawler had actually attacked another young mother only hours earlier.
His other victim, 33, claims she was sleeping in bed beside her 7 year old son when she awoke at 4.40am to find Lawler straddling over her. When her son began to cry, Lawler told the woman to ‘shut him up or I will slit your throat’. He then began to remove his trousers and tried to rape her. It was only when the woman’s boyfriend returned home that Lawler fled, in just his T-shirt and underwear.
Arrest & Sentencing
Following the attacks and both women identifying him as their attacker, Greater Manchester Police launched a widespread manhunt for Lawler. He was apprehended and arrested in Manchester City Centre later that same day.
The 24 year old victim, who cannot be named for legal reasons, suffered multiple ‘graphic’ injuries during the attack on 10 July2015. She sustained a 4.5cm cut to her face that has left a permanent scar and a broken nose, along with bruising and swelling to her leg, hip, arm, lips and eyes.
In a victim impact statement read to the court, she said:
‘Because of the injuries I could not see my own son for three days as my face was so bruised he would not have recognised me.
‘The family dog didn’t even recognise me. I felt disgusted with myself and felt violated. I still see my baby’s face watching Lawler attack me and I will never forget how he looked as he watched from right next to me.
‘My child should never have had to witness this. I have always been able to look after myself but this made me feel helpless in my own house. I can no longer stand to hear the Irish accent because it reminds me of him.
‘I believe when he gets let out of prison he will kill someone. I pray that when he gets out of prison he doesn’t come back to finish what he started.’
The other victim said:
‘I feel guilty every time I look at my son. I feel I should have done more to protect him from this.
‘I feel I have failed my son. My son will not play out and wants to be with me all of the time. I feel like he has changed so much because of what happened, he is not the little kid he once was.
‘I do not hate Trevor Lawler, I pity him. I think he must be sick. He will have a lot of years to think about what he has done to me and my son.’
‘No sense of moral standpoint’
Lawler’s barrister Hunter Gray, throughout mitigation stated his client had shown ‘no sense of any moral standpoint’. Gray also explained that Lawler had a history of heroin use, as well as alcohol dependency.
He added that Lawler, who had previously been arrested and jailed for six years in 2004 for raping an 18 year old woman in her own home, alleges to have been abused as a child. Gray proposed that the crimes committed by Lawler may be due to ‘issues with grief’, as his partner passed away soon after giving birth to their child. Gray said:
‘He wants to change,
‘He knows his behaviour is wrong and is willing to access any support he can get so neither of these women nor any female in the future is subjected to this sort of conduct again.’
However, when sentencing Lawler, Judge Hilary Manley described him as a dangerous offender and one who poses a serious risk to women and children in the future.
Speaking of the first attack, the judge said:
‘You stole her son’s innocence that night, as well as everything else you did.’
Discussing the second attack, she added:
‘Most disturbingly you told the victim’s baby that her mother deserved what you were doing.
‘She was afraid she would die in front of her child. She fled the house when you finished raping her.
‘She was so covered in blood and her face so battered that the neighbour could not recognise her except by her voice.
‘The neighbour found the baby on the bed covered in blood where she was silent and still in a daze.
‘Your actions have made a previously strong independent woman feel helpless in her own home. I am convinced you have a hatred of women and need to reduce, degrade and humiliate them.
‘This was sadistic violence. There is a significant risk of serious harm being cause by you and I am wholly satisfied you pose a dangerous and substantial risk to the public, particularly to women and children.
‘This was a campaign of rape and sexual assault against vulnerable women in their homes in the direct presence of young children with no effort made to prevent the children from seeing the traumatic spectacle – in fact, quite the reverse.
‘A life sentence remains a sentence of last resort. It is appropriate in this case.’
Sexual Abuse Claims – Expert Advice
Hampson Hughes Solicitors specialises in directing sexual abuse claims in a considerate and compassionate manner. Our Abuse & Criminal Injuries Department is headed by Greg Neill – Greg is a member of the Association of Child Abuse Lawyers (ACAL).
For an open and friendly conversation about your situation, and to find out how we can assist you relevant to your individual experience, call 0800 888 6 888 or email
You will be given the direct-dial of your case handler, meaning that you will always be able to reach the person you need.
One person has been killed and others are receiving hospital treatment following the ‘major incident’ at Didcot Power station. Expert search teams are currently surveying the area in an attempt to locate the three people that remain missing since part of the Oxford power station collapsed yesterday (Tuesday 23rd February 2016).
Partial Collapse
A large building, approximately 300m long and ten storeys high, at the site of the former coal-fired Didcot A plant partially collapsed. At around 4pm yesterday search and rescue teams, along with ambulance, police and fire crews were called to the area.
The building at the Didcot A site had been due for demolition sometime this year; however the collapse of the building, which has been closed since 2013, was not planned.
nPower, the owner of power stations Didcot A and B, released the following statement via a spokesperson:
“We can confirm that shortly after 4pm this afternoon part of the boiler house at our former Didcot A power station site in Oxfordshire collapsed while an external demolition contractor was working in it. Our thoughts are with the families of all those involved in this tragedy.”
Meanwhile, a spokeswoman for the firm responsible for the upcoming planned demolition, Birmingham based Coleman and Company, told the Oxford Mail that the site was “under demolition”. However she could not confirm if there were explosives at the site at the time of the collapse. Coleman and Company have not yet released an official statement regarding the incident, but they sent the following tweet on Tuesday afternoon:
“We are aware of an incident at Didcot A Power Station. We are working with all stakeholders to establish facts and will keep you updated.”
Nathan Travis, Oxfordshire’s deputy chief fire officer, said:
“It is with great sadness that I have to confirm one person has died during this incident. Our priority now is to find the three missing people.
“The search will be a considerable undertaking due to the instability of the site. We expect the search will continue through the night and possibly into the coming days.”
Travis told reporters at the site that at the height of the commotion, there were around 60 firefighters and at least three fire engines at the scene. He explained that the methods being used to locate the three missing workers was one that has previously been implemented & trialled abroad by specialists after earthquakes. When asked if his officers had handled something of this magnitude before, he replied:
“In terms of Oxfordshire it is unique.”
Travis also added that there was no sort of indication as to how long the search operation would last.
Search & Rescue
Along with numerous fire engines from Oxfordshire, six ambulances, Thames Valley police and specialist search teams with sniffer dogs, two air ambulances also attended the scene.
Urban search and rescue teams from Buckinghamshire and Milton Keynes are reported to have offered assistance in the form of eleven people and for search vehicles. Their involvement has led to the theory that there are people trapped in the rubble of the building.
Casualties from the collapse are being transported to the John Radcliffe hospital in Oxford. According to Oxford university hospitals NHS foundation trust, the public have been asked to steer clear of the John Radcliffe hospital in Oxford unless it is a “serious or life-threatening emergencies”.
It has been reported four casualties are in stable and non-life threatening condition, while one man is in a serious but again, not life-threatening condition. A further two casualties were being treated for minor injuries.
RWE nPower tweeted:
“We are working with our contractors Coleman and Company to establish the facts re the tragic events at #Didcot”
A GMB union official told the Press Association:
“We understand that workers were preparing two boilers for demolition in the coming weeks. This led to the collapse of a building.”
The official added that he did not consider the collapse to be the result of an explosion.
Ed Vaizey, MP for the Didcot and Wantage areas, tweeted:
“Very concerned about terrible events at Didcot power station. Praying for workers and their families.”
While Bill McKinnon, who witnessed the collapse, told the BBC:
“I was sitting in my front room, I can see the power station quite clearly from where I am, it’s only about 400 yards away.
“About 4 o’clock, when I heard the explosion and the very loud rumbling, by the time I had got up and looked out of the window there was a huge cloud of dust which came through and over our village.
“When that had cleared I noticed that half of the old power station, where they used to keep the generators, half of that was missing.
Mr McKinnon added:
“I was a little bit surprised because normally the contractors let us know when they are going to do explosions, so I was a bit surprised because we hadn’t heard anything.
“Very shortly afterwards the air ambulance turned up and then fire engines and ambulances started arriving, and a little while after that another air ambulance turned up, and I think they are still there.”
David Cooke, of Thames Cryogenics, has a building overlooking the power station. He said:
“Our building shook and as we looked out of the window, the end of the main turbine hall collapsed in a huge pile of dust.
“It totally obscured the towers and must have drifted across the roads and main rail line. What’s left looks a tangled mess.
“The dust was hanging over the area for five to 10 minutes.
“First thought was, it didn’t looked planned, followed by the thought that people are going to have been hurt.”
Thames Valley police tweeted:
“We remain at Didcot Power Station following a report of collapsed building. We will share more details as soon as they are confirmed #Didcot”
Didcot B Site
The former coal-fired station, Didcot A, opened in 1970 and was eventually converted in order to able to generate power from natural gas. Three of its six cooling towers were due to be demolished in the coming months, following the controlled demolition of the other three last year. Several large buildings on site were also due to be demolished soon with the RWE npower website stating that demolition of the entire site is due to be completed by the end of 2016.
It is not yet clear if modern gas-fired power station, Didcot B, situated next to the collapsed plant, has been affected by the incident.
Injury at work – expert advice
If you have been affected by an accident at work, we could help you to understand all of your options. Remember, we offer you a FREE no-obligation consultation. For further information, contact Hampson Hughes Solicitors today on 0800 888 6888 or email
Two firms have been prosecuted by the Health and Safety Executive after a director suffered serious injuries after falling through a skylight in an accident at work.
Incident
Bournemouth Magistrates’ Court heard Touch Access Limited (TAL) was contracted to clean out the roof gutters of buildings at the site of Beagle Technology Group Limited (BTGL) on 11 July 2013.
The company director of TAL was carrying out the work when he lost his balance and fell through a plastic skylight. The director suffered a broken elbow, cuts to his face and broke both wrists after falling approximately fifteen feet.
HSE investigation
An investigation by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) found that BTGL had failed to provide TAL with sufficient information regarding the potential risks workers might be exposed to whilst carrying out the work at height.
The investigation also found that TAL had failed to ensure that the work was carried out safely and with proper planning.
Outcome & Fines
After pleading guilty to breaching Section 2(1) of the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974, Touch Access Limited, of Wordsworth Avenue, Bournemouth, was fined £5,000 and ordered to pay costs of £1,144.
After pleading guilty to breaching Section 3(1) of the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974, Beagle Technology Group Limited, of Stony Lane, Christchurch, Dorset, was fined £3,500 and ordered to pay costs of £1,144.
Following the hearing, HSE inspector Damien Milbourne said:
“Working on roofs is a high risk activity because it involves working at height. Falls through fragile materials, such as roof lights and asbestos cement roofing sheets, account for more deaths as a result of falling from height than any other single cause.
“The risks of working on fragile roofs are well-known, but so too are the ways to manage those risks, and all parties involved with work on fragile roofs must ensure the work is correctly planned and managed to ensure the safety of all involved.”
Accident at Work – Expert Advice
If you have been injured in the workplace you could be entitled to personal injury compensation. Remember, we offer you a FREE no-obligation consultation – discover today whether you have an accident at work claim. Speak to one of our professional and friendly advisers today on 0800 888 6 888 or email
A foster father accused of collecting child porn was free to abuse the children in his care over a fourteen year period after police failed to investigate an anonymous tip-off alleging his abuse.
Anonymous Call
When a London police station received an anonymous call in 1999, detailing the man’s alleged offences such as showing young children pictures of other children being abused, it was not acted on.
Over the following fourteen years, the foster father carried out 20 acts of abuse against five school girls that he and his wife looked after under Hackney Council’s foster scheme. The abuse included acts of indecency, sexual assaults and even rape.
He was jailed in 2013; however prosecutors think the attacks he committed were carried out between 1999 and 2008. There is also a fear that he filmed the abuse and uploaded it online for others to view.
Police Failure
Needless to say, local child protection agencies are ‘furious’ after discovering police failure to follow up the initial claims made against the man, which are said to have been before his first documented act of abuse.
After uncovering the failings in a Serious Case Review, Jim Gamble of the City and Hackney Safeguarding Children Board (CHSCB), has criticised the force. He said:
‘The police failed to deal with an early anonymous complaint about the main offender’s use of indecent images. I am convinced that had they done so the vast majority of the offending (known to us) could have been prevented.
‘Police knew an allegation had been made against a foster carer and on each of the occasions when he was subject to the regular checks that carers are required to undergo, a decision was made not to share that information. In my opinion this case provides evidence that this system needs to be urgently reviewed.
‘Whilst this opportunity to intervene occurred over a decade ago, I welcome the fact that the police have accepted the recommendation to investigate this incident and I am reassured by the steps they have taken to restructure and realign responsibility and oversight for contemporary investigations.’
Other Authorities Unaware of Allegations
Despite the fact that officers carried out four background checks on the man as he and his wife fostered 30 children, the CHSCB confirmed that Hackney Council were not made aware of the allegations of abuse at any time. Mr Gamble added that were Hackney Council made aware of the allegations, children would not have been put into his care.
Calling the oversight by police among the worst he has ever encountered, Peter Saunders of the National Association of People Abused in Childhood said:
‘Foster children are extremely vulnerable. That’s why foster parents, the majority of whom do a brilliant job, should be doubly investigated if there’s a hint of suspicion.’
Meanwhile, Scotland Yard explained that they could provide no details regarding the ‘serious error’ because records had been destroyed.
Sexual Abuse Claims – Expert Advice
Hampson Hughes Solicitors specialises in directing sexual abuse claims in a considerate and compassionate manner. Our Abuse & Criminal Injuries Department is headed by Greg Neill – Greg is a member of the Association of Child Abuse Lawyers (ACAL).
For an open and friendly conversation about your situation, and to find out how we can assist you relevant to your individual experience, call 0800 888 6 888 or email
You will be given the direct-dial of your case handler, meaning that you will always be able to reach the person you need.
It has recently come to light that a Church of England pastor – who was known for preaching abstinence – raped two teenage girls, as well as grooming hundreds of children online.
35 year old Timothy Storey sexually assaulted congregation members of St Michael’s Church in Belgravia, London.
Facebook contact
Woolwich Crown Court heard how Oxford-educated Storey’s grooming of the girls began when he sent them flattering messages via Facebook.
Such was his influence over his victims that one, who was raped twice, described Storey as being ‘more influential than God’.
The court heard how both girls had made complaints to the Church of England about Storey, however their claims were simply ‘brushed aside’.
Despite Storey’s attempt to insist that both girls gave their consent, he was convicted of three counts of rape and one count of sexual assault at Woolwich Crown Court last week.
The children’s pastor’s first victim is now 25 and says she met Storey when she first joined the church in 2002. She would come into close contact with him again at the age of 14 when she attended the Crusaders bible camp in Kent, of which he was camp leader.
When she was 17 years old, Storey raped her in his home. He then told her to leave so that he could order a Chinese take away and watch a film. His victim said:
‘There was no direction where I could turn where I wasn’t somehow being affected by him.
‘He had me trapped and I knew that if I didn’t do what he wanted me to, I wouldn’t get the good things.
‘He ground me down and treated me like a piece of meat.
‘I felt like a blow-up doll. He once said to me ‘You are not worth wasting a condom on’.
‘When he wants sex, he will not stop until he gets it. I put him on a pedestal and he knew it.’
However, when the teenager went to Reverend Jeremy Crossley with details about the abuse, she was told that the church must ‘look after’ Storey and think primarily about his ‘welfare and needs’.
Second attack
Storey’s second victim, now 24, claims that he began grooming her through Facebook when she was 16 years old. He would send her messages asking for photos of the teen in her school uniform, as well as asking what underwear she wore.
After a few months of contact via the social networking site, Storey invited the girl to attend a concert in Birmingham together. At the concert he gave her copious amounts of alcohol and then took her back to his student room at Oxford where he raped her twice.
Like his first victim, the second girl had attended the Crusader bible camp and was a member of St Michael’s congregation.
Hanna Llewellyn-Waters, for the prosecution, said:
‘She heard a knock at the door and prayed for matters to stop.
‘She cried during the night. She did not know how to get to the station and felt helpless.’
But again, when a complaint was made by the second victim to the church, she was brushed aside and told that a safeguarding officer was ‘dealing’ with the matter.
The girl was allegedly sent a letter of apology by Richard Chartres, the Bishop of London, but claims that no further action was taken.
Previous convictions
The two victims only reported their abuse to police in May last year, after they read an article in the Daily Mail detailing Storey’s previous convictions for sex offences.
Storey pleaded guilty to two counts of making indecent images of children, as well as seven counts of inciting children to engage in sexual activity.
Woolwich Crown Court heard how Storey would approach girls as young as 12 online, persuading them to film themselves naked, under the guise of a privately educated teacher called ‘Tim Stone’. He would threaten to tell the girl’s parents if they tried to cease contact with him.
72 indecent images of children and over 3,000 pages of sexually explicit Skype conversations with underage girls were found by police when they raided Storey’s home. Storey initially avoided a prison sentence, instead receiving a three year rehabilitation order. He was also ordered to sign the sex offenders’ register for five years and received a sexual offences prevention order.
However, following public uproar over the leniency of his sentence, Storey was later jailed for three years.
During the period he was carrying out the abuse, the court heard that Storey was responsible for training fellow youth leaders in child safeguarding practices. At that same time he also preached ‘no sex before marriage’ to the youngsters in his congregation.
In court
In court Storey denied abusing either girl. He claimed that the sex was consensual, adding that both girls were over the legal age of consent at the time. Referring to the abuse, Storey claimed that the victims ‘seemed to be enjoying it’.
Ms Llewellyn-Waters went onto say:
‘The defendant targeted vulnerable victims and his conduct revealed a wholesale breach of trust in his position of relative power as the church youth leader.
‘After gaining their confidence and trust, he made contact with them and groomed them to form inappropriate relationships with them before manipulating [them] into sexual activity.’
She added that Storey’s behaviour highlighted his ‘entrenched manipulation of young females to engage in sexual activity for his own gratification’.
Storey, from Peckham, South London, denied all charges but was convicted of one count of sexual assault and three counts of rape. Storey has been remanded in custody ahead of sentencing on 15 April 2016.
Judge Philip Katz, QC, said:
‘I cannot just deal with Mr Storey today.
‘The law provides, in certain circumstances, that judges may treat offenders as dangerous offenders and that is something I need some more information about as that information is not before me today.’
Diocese of London released the following statement:
‘Timothy Storey has today been convicted of a series of appalling crimes and we are profoundly sorry for what his victims endured.
‘The Diocese of London first received complaints regarding Timothy Storey’s conduct in early 2009.
‘He was then training as a Church of England ordained at Wycliffe Hall. The Diocese’s Child Protection Adviser at the time looked into the allegations and spoke with the Metropolitan Police Westminster Child Protection Team, raising concerns that his actions were an offence under the 2003 Sexual Offences Act.
‘Whilst the Diocese’s Child Protection Adviser recorded that police did not believe any criminal act had been committed, the Diocese nevertheless took the decision to withdraw him from ordination training.
‘The Diocese subsequently submitted a report to the Independent Safeguarding Authority (now known as the Disclosure and Barring Service).
‘Within the submission, the Diocese stipulated that it deemed Timothy Storey’s behaviour to pose a risk to those under the age of 18 and included first-hand statements that the Diocese gathered from the individuals who had made allegations against Mr Storey.
‘The National Church of England was also notified, to prevent him from applying for ordination elsewhere in the country.’
Sexual abuse claims – expert advice
Hampson Hughes Solicitors specialises in directing sexual abuse claims in a considerate and compassionate manner. Our Abuse & Criminal Injuries Department is headed by Greg Neill – Greg is a member of the Association of Child Abuse Lawyers (ACAL).
For an open and friendly conversation about your situation, and to find out how we can assist you relevant to your individual experience, call 0800 888 6 888 or email
You will be given the direct-dial of your case handler, meaning that you will always be able to reach the person you need.
The tour manager for comedian Alan Carr was seriously assaulted outside a McDonald’s restaurant in Liverpool city centre after he attempted to stop fans taking photos of Mr Carr.
Late night attack
Jaleel Burman assaulted Elliot Andrews after ushering him outside the McDonald’s restaurant at around 4am on 20 September last year. Burman punched Mr Andrews in the face, causing him to fall to the ground and he suffered a fractured ankle.
Liverpool Crown Court heard how Mr Andrews was becoming increasingly nervous and concerned about his client becoming ‘overwhelmed’ by the number of fans wanting to take a photo with the star, who was visiting the city as part of his UK tour.
A number of intoxicated people were hassling Mr Carr and were told to ‘stop it’ by members of his entourage.
The court heard it was then that Mr Andrews was steered outside by Burman, who was assisted by a young woman.
Unprovoked
In what prosecutors called an unprovoked attack, Burman punched Mr Andrews, leaving him with facial injuries and a broken ankle, for which Mr Andrews received hospital treatment. Mr Andrews is said to be somewhat traumatised by the attack.
When interviewed by police, Burman admitted hurling himself at Mr Andrews in ‘the heat of the moment’.
Rob Jones, prosecuting, said:
‘Mr Andrews was a little bit excited by his client Mr Carr being overwhelmed by people wanting to take photos of him.
‘The defendant’s actions were way over the top, particularly after he escorted Mr Andrews out of the building.’
Judge Denis Watson, who ordered a pre-sentence report on Burman, told him:
‘I’m told the CCTV is going to be very informative. All sentencing options will be open, including an immediate custodial sentence.’
Burman, of Wavertree, Liverpool, admitted causing grievous bodily harm at Liverpool Crown Court and was released on unconditional bail. He could face jail when he is sentenced in March.
Criminal injury – expert advice
We understand that if you have been subjected to an act of violence, your thoughts will turn to making a full recovery – compensation will likely be the last thing on your mind.
There is, however, a government Scheme that provides compensation to victims or their families who have been the innocent victims of violent crime. The Scheme is called the Criminal Injuries Compensation Scheme and is governed by the Criminal Injuries Compensation Authority (CICA).
If you would like expert advice on this type of case, contact Hampson Hughes Solicitors today on 0800 888 6888 or email
Bradie Perkins was thirteen when he caught a potentially fatal illness whilst holidaying in Turkey with his family.
One of Twenty Seven
Bradie was one of twenty seven individuals who fell ill in October 2010 whilst staying at the Holiday Village in the Sarigerme area of Dalaman.
Due to what his family claim was poor food hygiene at the resort, the teenager had to be taken to hospital on two occasions after suffering from dehydration, severe diarrhoea and stomach cramps.
Bradie was diagnosed with a parasitic infection, giardiasis, as well as E.coli and a kidney condition, haemolytic uraemic syndrome. The latter has left the teenager with kidneys that only work at two thirds of their regular function.
Career Hopes Dashed
Before the trip to Turkey, Bradie had aspired to join the navy, however due to the kidney condition he contracted Bradie is unable to pursue his dream career. Now eighteen and studying for his A-levels, Bradie has told of how he was ‘devastated’ when he learnt that he cannot fulfil his dream of a naval career.
He went on to say:
“I’ll have to live with the effects of my illness forever and will always be watching what I eat or worrying about where to go on holiday.”
Undercooked & Uncovered Food
The Perkins family have claimed that they witnessed left over food being reused and simply ‘topped up’ the following day in the hotel restaurant, along with food sometimes being undercooked. They have also claimed that food at the resort was often left uncovered and so unprotected from the flies, insects and cats which frequented the restaurant.
Bradie said:
“I knew something was wrong when I became so tired and for the last few days of my holiday I felt like I spent more time in the hotel room than I did with my family actually enjoying myself.”
It has been reported that TUI UK Ltd, trading as First Choice, settled a number of weeks before a trial was due to begin. The full amount of the pay-out Bradie received was not disclosed.
Holiday Illness Claims – Expert Advice
Shiamli Mehta-Cronie, Travel Law expert here at Hampson Hughes Solicitors, said:
“Cases like these while alarming are unfortunately not uncommon. Poor practices of food and hygiene standards in resorts abroad are on the rise. If you believe that you have contracted food poisoning during a holiday, contact our dedicated Travel Team today for your FREE no-obligation consultation. Whatever your circumstances, we may be able to help you to secure maximum personal injury compensation. For further information, please see our food poisoning abroad claims page.”
For more information as to whether or not you are able to claim compensation following illness whilst on an all-inclusive package holiday, contact Hampson Hughes Solicitors today for free and friendly, no obligation advice on 0800 888 6888 or email [email protected]
A 21 year old man has been jailed after his appearance on the Jeremy Kyle Show exposed the fact that he had had sex with two underage girls, even fathering a child with one.
Kenny Smith, of Moreton-in-Marsh, Gloucestershire, was sentenced to five years and ten months in prison after pleading guilty to four charges of having sexual activity with each girl. Furthermore, Smith was ordered to sign the sex offenders register for life and an indefinite sexual harm prevention order was also made against him.
Jeremy Kyle Show
Gloucester Crown Court heard that Smith’s offences against the one of the teenagers, the mother of his child, were only revealed when a second fifteen year old girl was interviewed by police about her own relationship with him.
The second fifteen year old told police during her interview that Smith had fathered a child with the teenager. She added that they had even appeared on Jeremy Kyle Show where a DNA test was carried out, however it is unclear if producers of the show were aware of the girl’s age at the time. The show has apparently been contacted by a representative for the Daily Mail to shed some light on the situation but has not yet responded.
Kerry Barker, prosecuting, told the court how Smith had started his relationship with the second teenager, who can’t be named for legal reasons, in May 2014. At this time the girl was fourteen years old.
Involvement of social services
After numerous visits to her house despite multiple warnings, including an overnight stay, the girl’s mother became concerned. The court heard the girl’s mother told police that she had been under the assumption they had stayed in separate rooms, but she found them in bed together. Smith had insisted he had not touched her daughter.
Ms Barker said:
‘Social services became involved and told the girl she was not to have any form of sexual relationship with him.’
It was at this time that the girl started staying away from home for 3-4 days at a time and lying about her whereabouts. On one occasion the court heard that police brought her home after she had not been seen by her mother for four days. When she arrived at the family home a love bite was visible on her neck.
The girl then admitted in a police interview that she was indeed having a sexual relationship with Smith. She told police this was ‘because he was kind to her, comforted her and bought her nice things.’ However, she also went on to tell police that Smith would often become angry and jealous and he ‘liked to be in control’ of her. She added that Smith would sometimes even become physical, grabbing her by the neck if he caught her on the phone to another person.
Ms Barker went on to say:
‘He wouldn’t let her go to parties, wear make-up or talk to people her own age. He didn’t like her talking to boys at school and as a result of his control her attendance at school deteriorated badly.’
Denial & refusal to comment
Telling the court that Smith had originally denied assaulting the teenager but refused to comment on whether or not they had had sex, Ms Barker added:
‘She was interviewed and told them she was not the first girl he had treated this way. She said she knew a girl who’d had a baby with him and that they had been on the Jeremy Kyle show.
‘As a consequence of that the police made further investigations and obtained footage from the TV show. It showed him appearing together with a girl and her mother.
‘The girl had given birth at 15 and it was his child. The producers of that programme had obtained DNA evidence that it was his baby.
‘That girl was interviewed by the police and said she’d had a relationship with Smith when she was 14 and he was 18.
‘They had first met in November 2011 and the relationship had quickly become sexual. They had full sex every couple of days. He was her first sexual partner.
‘She said he would buy her sweets, chocolate, crisps and pop. But as the relationship developed he would start to control her movements. He would stop her going out with friends and family.
‘She found she was pregnant in April 2012 and she gave birth in December. He was present when she gave birth and he was named on the birth certificate.’
‘My life is better again’
Gloucester Crown Court heard how the first teenager, when interviewed by police, refused to give a statement against Smith or divulge any information about their relationship.
However, describing how controlling he had been, the second girl was more open with her response. She said:
‘He did not want me to go to school because there were boys there. I ended up not going to school and missing all my friends because I put Kenny before everything.
‘My life is better again now that Kenny is not in it. I can see my friends and go where I like.’
Describing how Smith was raised in a family with a ‘lack of emotional stability’ and ‘with difficulties’, Gareth James, defending, said:
‘All of that will have had some effect on his ability to form and maintain relationships,’ said Mr James. ‘It was difficult for him to form more age-appropriate relationships.
‘It is clearly a worrying situation when a young man finds himself in not one but two separate under-age inappropriate relationships which have each lasted over a year.
‘He does not seem to have learned from the first relationship when he became a father, something he is proud of. He has been through the family courts to secure contact with that child.
‘I fully concede these are serious offences and that they are aggravated by each other.’
Sentencing
Sentencing Smith for a total of four years and four months for the four offences against the first girl and a concurrent sentence of five years and ten months for the second, Judge Michael Smith said:
‘It doesn’t matter that the girls were willing. That is irrelevant,’
‘These charges are about the exploitation of children. When you moved onto the second girl it was deliberate and exploitative. You groomed both girls’
Sexual Abuse Claims – Expert Advice
Hampson Hughes Solicitors specialises in directing sexual abuse claims in a considerate and compassionate manner. Our Abuse & Criminal Injuries Department is headed by Greg Neill – Greg is a member of the Association of Child Abuse Lawyers (ACAL).
For an open and friendly conversation about your situation, and to find out how we can assist you relevant to your individual experience, call 0800 888 6 888 or email
You will be given the direct-dial of your case handler, meaning that you will always be able to reach the person you need.
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