UNITED KINGDOM
News Shopper
by Mark Chandler, deputy news editor
Five members of a Sydenham paedophile ring who systematically abused boys from a church in the 1970s and 1980s have finally been jailed.
Four young members of St Bartholomew’s Church, aged between eight and 16, met their abusers after being introduced by choirmaster Tony Brockhurst.
The group then preyed upon the boys, grooming them with small gifts and takeaway food to gain their trust before subjecting them to sickening abuse.
Many of the attacks took place in the victim’s own homes, with one boy plied with alcohol before he was sexually assaulted.
One of the victims finally found the courage to report the abuse to police in 2011 – four years after Brockhurst died.
An investigation was launched by the Met’s Child Abuse Investigation Team (CAIT) at Sidcup, leading to three more victims being identified. And police believe there may be others who have not yet come forward.
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