Latest news with #childprotection
Irish Times
16 hours ago
- General
- Irish Times
Kincora: Britain's Shame by Chris Moore - Strong and unnerving, some accounts linger like a bad taste
Kincora: Britain's Shame Author : Chris Moore ISBN-13 : 9781785375545 Publisher : Merrion Press Guideline Price : €19.99 When Chris Moore started working as a journalist with the BBC in 1979, one of his first assignments was to report on sexual abuse of boys at the Kincora Boys' Home on the Newtownards Road in Belfast . That home was being run by three men, Joseph Mains, Raymond Semple and William McGrath, who were convicted of raping boys in their care. But from an early stage there were indications that the story was much wider than the predations of these three horrors. McGrath was the leader of an eccentric loyalist paramilitary group called Tara, which was interested in reviving Irish identity among Protestants with a view to uniting Ireland inside the UK . He was an evangelical preacher with a theology which endorsed his homosexual interests. Hadn't there been loving relationships between men in the Bible? Think Jesus and John. READ MORE McGrath's political connections raised suspicion that men in his wider circle were abusing children at Kincora too and, further, that the security services had an interest in suppressing the story and curtailing Moore's investigations. Moore is now in his 70s and an independent researcher and writer, free of some of the constraints he believes the BBC imposed on him. And remarkably, he has stayed with this story and travelled the world to meet the men whose lives were tarnished by McGrath and others. Much of Moore's approach is to extrapolate from evidence and in cases his extrapolations are strong and unnerving. There was interference from MI5. McGrath was an agent. MI5's interest was in exploring the connections between unionist politicians and loyalist paramilitaries. There are compelling witness accounts here of boys being taken from the home to servicemen with secret lives, most notably Lord Louis Mountbatten , identified retrospectively by boys as their abuser from his picture on television after he was blown up in his boat by the IRA at Mullaghmore in 1979. The book also reminds us of a time when McGrath's homosexuality was treated as criminal and sinful. The account of him being subjected on police orders to the discredited anal dilation test is one that, once read, lingers like a bad taste. But a word to his publisher: a book like this should have end notes and an index.
Yahoo
16 hours ago
- General
- Yahoo
Cedar City man arrested for allegedly sending sexual photos to officer posing as 12-year-old
CEDAR CITY, Utah () — A Cedar City man was arrested after allegedly sending inappropriate photos to an undercover officer posing as a 12-year-old girl. Joshua Henry Quist, 27, is facing two charges of criminal solicitation-sexual exploitation of a minor and two charges of distributing materials harmful to a minor. According to arrest documents, a Cedar City officer was performing undercover operations on a website named ChatIB as a 12-year-old female. On May 27, 2025, a male with the screen name 'Cedar City' contacted his undercover account. Kanab sex offender arrested on 50 felonies for sexual exploitation of a minor The account description said that 'Cedar City' was a 27-year-old male in Utah. During a conversation with the undercover officer, documents say he was 'made aware and acknowledged' that he was speaking with a 12-year-old girl. At this point, he exchanged phone numbers with the officer, whom he believed was the minor. Police were able to verify Quist's identity through his phone number and a photo he shared of his face. According to police, during text conversations, the officer sent a fake photo of a 12-year-old (that was in reality a female Cedar City officer with an age filter) to Quist. In response, he shared a picture of his face and an inappropriate sexual photo of himself. Utah judge's sentence for child pornography offender sparks controversy, the court's response At this point, Quist asked for sexual photos of the 12-year-old girl, and the undercover officer declined. The next day, he would send another sexual picture of himself in a text and ask for pictures again, according to documents. On May 29, the Cedar City Police Department arrested Quist. According to documents, he admitted that he was chatting with who he believed to be a 12-year-old and that he had shared inappropriate pictures. He also confessed to the officer that he had 'done this previously 10 times to other minors.' Quist was booked into the Iron County Jail on May 29 and is currently being held without bail. South Jordan man apprehended after fleeing from traffic stop, shelter in place order lifted Cedar City man arrested for allegedly sending sexual photos to officer posing as 12-year-old Charges filed against Utah man who allegedly messaged missing 15-year-old before her disappearance Weber County School District considering tax increase Hill Air Force Base's Mazer Chapel reopens after 2 years of renovations Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Medscape
a day ago
- Health
- Medscape
France to Ban Smoking at Beaches, Parks, and Outside Schools
PARIS (Reuters) -France plans to ban smoking on beaches, in parks, outside schools and in other locations from July to protect children, the government said. The ban, which follows similar measures across an increasingly smoking-averse Europe, will exempt cafe outdoor terraces and will not apply to electronic cigarettes. "Where there are children, tobacco must disappear," Health and Families Minister Catherine Vautrin said in an interview with the Ouest France newspaper late on Thursday. "From July 1, beaches, public parks and gardens, school areas, bus shelters, and sports facilities will be smoke-free throughout France. Smoking will therefore be prohibited there, to protect our children." Vautrin said smoking kills around 200 people every day in France. Smoking in France is at historic lows, according to a report published this month by the French Observatory for Drugs and Addictive Trends. It found that just under a quarter of people aged 18-75 smoked daily, the lowest since it began keeping records in the late 1990s. The UK announced a similar smoking ban last year. Some Spanish regions have banned smoking on beaches, while Sweden has outlawed smoking in outdoor restaurant terraces, bus stops, train platforms and schoolyards since 2019. (Reporting by Gabriel StargardterEditing by Kate Mayberry and Frances Kerry)
The Independent
a day ago
- Health
- The Independent
France to ban smoking in public places including at beaches and parks
France will ban smoking in all outdoors areas frequented by children, including beaches, in parks and outside schools from July. The ban, which follows similar measures across an increasingly smoking-averse Europe, will exempt cafe outdoor terraces and will not apply to electronic cigarettes, the government said. "Where there are children, tobacco must disappear," Health and Families Minister Catherine Vautrin said in an interview with the Ouest France newspaper late on Thursday. "From July 1, beaches, public parks and gardens, school areas, bus shelters, and sports facilities will be smoke-free throughout France. Smoking will therefore be prohibited there, to protect our children." Vautrin said smoking kills around 200 people every day in France. Smoking in France is at historic lows, according to a report published this month by the French Observatory for Drugs and Addictive Trends. It found that just under a quarter of people aged 18-75 smoked daily, the lowest since it began keeping records in the late 1990s. Some Spanish regions have banned smoking on beaches, while Sweden has outlawed smoking in outdoor restaurant terraces, bus stops, train platforms and schoolyards since 2019. The UK announced a similar smoking ban last year. The Tobacco and Vapes Bill was introduced to parliament in November 2024, which proposed a ban on smoking outside schools, hospitals and playgrounds. The bill also includes some of the world's strictest anti-smoking rules, including banning children born since 2009 from ever being able to buy cigarettes. At the time, Health Secretary Wes Streeting said: 'Unless we act to help people stay healthy, the rising tide of ill health in our society threatens to overwhelm and bankrupt our NHS. Prevention is better than cure. 'This Government is taking bold action to create the first smoke-free generation, clamp down on kids getting hooked on nicotine through vapes, and protect children and vulnerable people from the harms of secondhand smoke. 'This historic legislation will save thousands of lives and protect the NHS. By building a healthy society, we will also help to build a healthy economy, with fewer people off work sick.'
CTV News
a day ago
- General
- CTV News
Ajax man who allegedly sexually assaulted and confined 14-year-old girl facing new charges
30-year-old Gowryshankar Kathirkamanathan who police say allegedly sexually assaulted a 14-year-old in Ajax (DPS photos). A 30-year-old Ajax man who was arrested earlier this month in connection with the alleged sexual assault and forcible confinement of a 14-year-old is facing additional charges related to a second underage girl, police say. The accused was initially taken into custody back on May 2. At the time, police said that a suspect picked up a 14-year-old girl in Hamilton and drove her to Ajax 'where she was confined and sexually assaulted over a period of days.' Gowryshankar Kathirkamanathan was charged with 15 offences, including five counts of sexual assault. In a news release issued on Friday, police said that subsequent investigation has revealed that the accused was also having a sexual relationship with another 14-year-old girl. Kathirkamanathan was arrested at a residence in Ajax on Thursday and is now facing six new charges, including sexual assault and making child pornography. The charges against him have not been tested in court. Police continue to investigate and are urging anyone with information to contact investigators.
