Westminster Paedophiles: The Elm Guest House D-Notice And Who Needs Proof?
Westminster paedophiles: Anorak’s look at the story of politicians abusing children in the 1970s and 1980s.
The Richmond & Twickenham Times: “Former Surrey Comet news editor gagged over reporting of alleged paedophile ring”
A former Surrey Comet news editor was gagged by the Government over the reporting of an alleged Westminster paedophile ring operating out of Elm Guest House in Barnes. Hilton Tims, 82, the paper’s news editor between 1980 and 1988, revealed at the weekend he had been handed a D-notice preventing the reporting of sex allegations in 1984.
Elm Guest House, in Rocks Lane, is at the centre of the Metropolitan Police’s Operation Fernbridge, which is investigating claims of sexual abuse and grooming of children by Government ministers, MPs and senior police officers in the late 1970s and early 80s.
Mr Tims is going on the record. Having been labelled a liar, Mr Tims is not backing off:
“I referred it to David Wilson, who was the editor at the time. All I know is that we were making some enquiries because we had a tip off and as soon as they got wind – there were too many top ministers involved so they shut us up. I was not even sure what a D-notice was in those days but we had to drop it altogether. If they slapped you with a D-notice – it came from the Government, you could not pursue that line of enquiry at all.”
Not quite. You can ignore them. And in this age of citizen journalism, many would. The D-Notice is now called the Defence Advisory (DA) Notice.
The Defence, Press and Broadcasting Advisory Committee (DPBAC) oversees a voluntary code which operates between the UK Government departments which have responsibilities for national security and the media. It uses the Defence Advisory (DA)-Notice System as its vehicle. The objective of the DA-Notice System is to prevent inadvertent public disclosure of information that would compromise UK military and intelligence operations and methods, or put at risk the safety of those involved in such operations, or lead to attacks that would damage the critical national infrastructure and/or endanger lives. For details about the various aspects of the system please use the links below.
So. The claim is that a D-Notice about sex crimes real and alleged child abuse would have damaged the country.
Were such D-Notices common on local newspapers?
It was the only time in Mr Tims’ career that he received a D-notice.
North Kingston MP Zac Goldsmith also goes on the record:
“I have zero doubt that grotesque things happened at Elm Guest House and other parts of London at the hands of depraved and powerful people, and those things were systematically covered up.”
No doubt. Not one? Buring the dead below charges of paedophila is easy. But as we’ve seen with child abuse in Rochdale, Oxford and Rotherham. No police or politicians have been charged over those crimes of proven sex abuse. But a serving Tory MP says he has zero doubt that powerful people had a role is abusing children 40 years ago. So much for presuming innocence. That’s right is only for the living.
Posted: 27th, November 2014 | In: Reviews Comment | TrackBack | Permalink
