NORTHERN IRELAND
Belfast Telegraph
So, is that it, then? There will be no more inquiries, or investigations, into the Kincora scandal following Sir Anthony Hart’s final report for the Historical Institutional Abuse (HIA) inquiry. Yes, the under-pressure Royal Ulster Constabulary was “inept”, according to Sir Anthony, in relation to the force investigating claims of child sexual abuse at the east Belfast care home in the 1970s. In addition, the RUC and the authorities were guilty of a “catalogue of failures” in dealing with the allegations swirling around about Kincora, the report found.
Crucially, however, the report did not find any evidence that the intelligence services, both MI5 and the Army, were aware of a paedophile ring operating at the home; or that the “spooks” were blackmailing the abusers to spy on fellow hardline Ulster loyalists in the first decade of the Troubles.
Sir Anthony said the idea that Kincora was a homosexual “brothel”, used by the security services as a “honeypot” to extract information about leading loyalists was without foundation.
In his report, the judge said: “There is no credible evidence to support any of these allegations.” He also insisted that the abuse did not extend beyond the three guilty staff members.
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