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Police Were ‘given Name of Paedophile Priest Father Eugene As Early As 1992’

By Sam Gelder
Islington Gazette
June 9, 2017

http://www.islingtongazette.co.uk/news/crime-court/revealed-police-were-given-name-of-paedophile-priest-eugene-fitzpatrick-as-early-as-1992-1-5052497

Eugene Fitzpatrick

The name of a paedophile priest who raped and assaulted boys for decades before being jailed last month was handed to police in 1992, the Gazette can reveal.

“Father Eugene” was identified in information about suspected child abuse given to former Islington social worker and whistleblower Liz Davies, who passed it on to police.

Dr Davies contacted the Gazette after reading our story last week about Father Eugene Fitzpatrick, who was jailed for 22 years for carrying out horrific abuse at Our Lady and Saint Joseph Roman Catholic Church in Balls Pond Road and elsewhere in Islington.

It follows an investigation by the Gazette that revealed new evidence about child abuse in the borough in the ’70s, ’80s and ’90s.

Dr Davies and former Evening Standard journalist Eileen Fairweather, who blew the lid on the borough’s child abuse scandal in 1992, have both confirmed the name “Father Eugene” was passed to Scotland Yard.

Liz said: “I had left employment with Islington Council when I received information from other social workers about allegations of abuse of children which included the name of a ‘Father Eugene’. There was no surname at that time and I did not know who he was.

“I reported this to Supt Mike Hames in person who was head of the obscene publications squad at the time. I understand he sent this information to the Islington police. The Det Insp at the time was Sue Akers.”

Eileen added: “His name was included in information about people preying on kids in care and it was passed to police. Liz and others, and the Evening Standard, were consistently asking the police to investigate it.”

Scotland Yard denied it had been aware of Fitzpatrick earlier than 2007.

“Police became aware of the allegations initially in 2007 but were unable to substantiate them with the victim and so could not proceed further,” said a spokesman.

“The allegations again were brought to police attention in October 2014 and an investigation launched.”

Anyone who has been a victim of abuse can call police on 101 or contact Islington Survivors’ Network in confidence by visiting islingtonsurvivors.co.uk

 

 

 

 

 




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