Abuse Survivors Blog

This firm represented 'XY', in a civil claim arising from sexual abuse by Gerd Sommerhof, a high profile teacher between 1976 and 1983. XY brought his legal case after years of torment and attempts to 'bury' it, but it was the Savile scandal that finally gave him the courage to report it. Although his abuser had died, XY was successful in recovering a not insignificant sum of damages for his assaults and associated losses.

Retired Church of England priest Canon Gordon Rideout has been convicted of 36 separate counts of sexual abuse on children between 1962 and 1973. The offences took place in several different locations in Hampshire and Sussex.
Rideout was assistant curate at St Mary's Church in Southgate, Crawley, from September 1962 to September 1965. Most of the offences took place at a Barnado's children's home, Ifield Hall. He was also accused of four charges of indecent assault at the Middle Wallop army base.

Many Shefford 'old boys' have carried round with them memories of unspeakable abuse, in St. Francis Boys Home, for decades. They are finally coming forward with their testimonies to seek some form of redress, and closure. The ongoing police investigation and a 'group' civil action against the those responsible for the home at the time are vehicles to get the justice that has been denied them so far. Investigations into civil claims are in their early stages, but thus far suggest that the home was closed in 1974 following a social services report into serious allegations of abuse at the home.

Staff at Emmott Snell Solicitors participated in the inaugural "Luton Legal Walk" last Thursday, which was a 10km walk on the outskirts of Luton, and was organised by the Eastern Legal Support Trust (ELST). They nominated their local Bedford branch of the brain injury charity Headway, to raise funds for, and thus far have raised in excess of £650. Their team of 8 joined other teams of walkers including one from the Luton Law Centre and Luton University, and managed to stay generally dry despite hail showers and heavy rain forecast.
Tracey Emmott principal of the firm said ''We are delighted to be supporting such an excellent cause and a local resource which provides great support for people who have acquired brain injury". The team wishes to thank all those who generously donated and to Garden Graphics who donated the bespoke T ? shirts.

Music teacher baronet convicted for sexual assault of pupil at boarding school.

Allegations of sexual abuse against former Dean of Manchester Cathedral by former chorister Eli Ward.

Dr Martin Warner, the Bishop of Chichester has admitted to a former choirboy, abused as a child by an Anglican priest, Roy Cotton, in East Sussex, that there was a cover-up. In a private letter of apology to Gary Johnson, Dr Warner wrote "There has been deception and cover-up here".

He told the BBC: "By cover-up, I mean that a person in authority, who has information, deliberately, knowingly ignores the information, does not pass it on; allows somebody who is a perpetrator of abuse to move from one post to another, allows somebody who is a perpetrator of abuse not to be challenged, brought to account - and thereby colludes actually with the abuse."

Suspected Dysentery Outbreak at the Kiroseiz Parkland Hotel. Have you been affected?

Our case - Victim of sexual assault by health worker receives 5-figure payout

Cardinal Keith O'Brien, Britain's most senior catholic cleric has admitted his sexual conduct has at times "fallen beneath the standards expected of me".
The former cardinal resigned last Monday after three priests and a former priest had made allegations of improper behaviour against him dating back to the 80s.

In a statement the cardinal apologised to the Church and the people of Scotland. His statement issued through the Roman Catholic Church in Scotland read: