DISGRACED VICAR JOINS CHILDREN IN CHURCH CHOIR

Religious bosses insist child porn man is safe

A CHILD-PORN vicar is being allowed to sing alongside children In a North Wales choir.

Former Rev.Jason Kennett Orpwood (left), who was placed on the police sex otIenders' register after pornographic images of young boys were found on his personal computer, is part of the St Mary's Church choir in Overton, near Wrexham.
The choIr is trained hy North Wales chief crown prosecutor, Paul Wh!ttaker, who is also the church organist.

Mr Orpwood moved with his family to the Wrexham area  after receiving a police caution two years ago when he was vicar, of Bistre Parish Church, Buckley.

The 4'7-year-old was suspended by the church after spending 10 years in the parish. He eventually resigned from the parish.

Church leaders yesterday defended Mr Orpwood's inclusion in the choir - describing themselves as a loving
and forgiving Christian community.

It is understood police officers, have been in touch with church leaders and are giving them and the former vicar advice.  The church has adopted a child protectIon policy and a notIce on the church board refers to valuing and protecting children from "physical, mental and sexual abuse".

The church stresses the importance of having a child protection policy in every parish and screening people who have any involvement with children in the parishes.

A Church of Wales spokesman said, "The Reverend Jason Kennett Orpwood resigned from his parish at the end of 1999 and has since been worshipping at Overton Parish Church where he and his family are members of the choIr.

"The Parochial Church Council is aware of Mr Kennett Orpwood's past and the matter of his acceptance within a loving and forgiving Christian community was discussed by Parochial Church Council members two years ago.

"In the meantIme, Mr Keunett Orpwood and his family have been embraced by the vast majority of the congregation.

"The Church in Wales and the Diocese Diocese of St. Asaph takes seriously its responsibility for child protection and the parish of Overton has a declared and published child protection policy which is adhered to at all times."

According'to the deanery magazine this summer, the Archdeacon recently visited the sister church at Marchweil and told "how important it is to have a child's protectIon policy in every parish".

He indicated the screening of people who have ony involvement with children in the parishes was going to be even more stringent shortly.

Church rector Canon Valerie Jones said yesterday, "As far as I'm concerned he and his family are members of my flock and good members, too.

"The fact that he is a member of the congregation is nothing out of the ordinary."
 
 

Eight years' jail for sex priest

        Joe Jordan arriving at Cardiff crown court

A Roman Catholic priest has been jailed for a total of eight years at Cardiff crown court for a string of sex offences.
Father Joseph Jordan, 42, of Barry, south Wales, pleaded guilty to six charges of indecent assault committed between February 1987 and February 1989.

The attacks happened while Jordan was a teacher in Sutton in Surrey and in Doncaster before he joined the priesthood, the court heard.
 

Following the trial, there was a call for the Archbishop of Cardiff, Most Rev John Aloysius Ward, to resign by a former south Wales priest, Ambrose Walsh.

Ambrose Walsh stepped down as a canon over the affair and because of the imprisonment of Archbishop Ward's press officer, Father John Lloyd, for paedophile offences in 1998.

The archbishop, though, said he would not be stepping down.

Father Walsh told the BBC: "I have been very disappointed over many years and eventually at the time of the John Lloyd trial two years ago I consulted various people in and outside the Archdiocese and offered my opinion that the Archbishop should resign."

Earlier trial revealed

At an earlier hearing, Jordan had previously been sentenced to four and a half years in jail for indecently assaulting two nine-year-old boys.

Because of legal restrictions that trial could not be reported until the second trial was over.

The three-and-a-half-year sentence for the second case will run consecutively with the sentence from the first case, making a total of eight years in jail.

In the earlier trial on 18 September, the court was told that Father Jordan, who was Cardiff City Football Club's chaplain, kept a hoard of hard core child porn on a personal computer at his presbytery in St Helen's church, Barry.

Cardiff crown court heard of the priest's offences

He was convicted of four indecent assaults against two boys aged nine and 10, and of one charge of perverting the course of justice and another of possessing indecent computer pictures of children.

Leighton Davies, prosecuting, said Jordan was tipped off to the allegations of abuse by the church a week before he was questioned and arrested.

These sad events damaged the church. I shall do all in my power to repair that damage
 Most Rev John Aloysius Ward, Archbishop of Cardiff

During that period, he asked his unsuspecting cleaning lady to remove the computer from his living quarters because he knew it would incriminate him.

It was months before the police knew of the computer's existence.

A specially trained police officer and computer expert found 500 pornographic images of boys which the prosecution said Jordan had saved between January 1996 and 12th July 1999.

'Totally depraved' child pornography

He said the boys who had accused him of indecently assaulting him were liars who had conspired to make the allegations.

Judge Peter Jacobs described the pornographic pictures as "totally depraved" and sentenced Jordan to a total of four and a half years jail and ordered him to be placed on the Sex Offenders Register for 10 years.

Archbishop's 'sorrow and shame'

Jordan was on secondment from St Helen's church in Barry at St Mary of the Angels in Canton, Cardiff, when he was arrested in July 1999.

After the conclusion of the second trial, Archbishop Ward said: "Steps have been taken to make contact with those Jordan abused as a priest and to offer whatever counselling might be appropriate.
 

"These sad events damaged the church. I shall do all in my power to repair that damage."

Bishop warned of priest's past

Joe Jordan had been a student in the Plymouth diocese.

When he moved to Cardiff, the Bishop of Plymouth wrote to tell Archbishop Ward he was investigating Jordan's suitability for the ministry due to a sex assault allegation, of which he had been acquitted.

Archbishop Ward said he had not known Fr Jordan was a paedophile when he ordained him, although he had been told of the previous allegation.

"I had no idea at all. The only indication was that about 13 years ago he was acquitted of an allegation, and we were given to understand that he was innocent of that allegation.

Margaret Kennedy, founder of the abuse survivors group, expressed "no surprise" at this latest conviction of a Catholic priest.

"There should have been things that caused alarm bells to ring; I think somebody did not want to hear."
 

Thursday, 12 September, 2002
Rape conviction nine years after attack

A Swansea restaurant waiter has been jailed for two years after being found guilty of trying to rape a schoolgirl nine years ago.
Mohammad Dudu Miah denied the offence on the girl who died four years ago, aged 20, from an overdose of drink and drugs.
Miah was caught by DNA samples from his victim's clothes
Miah, now 23, was caught after he was convicted of a separate indecent assault in west Wales in 1996 and his profile matched DNA found on the girl's clothes.
Swansea Crown Court heard how Miah, who was 14 at the time, attacked the girl, who was then 15, as she walked home from a night out with friends in the city in 1993.
The court was told the girl screamed as he grabbed her from behind and then tried to carry out the assault on waste ground in the Manselton area of the city.
Miah had told his victim "Scream again and I'll kill you" the court heard.
He ran off and the girl summoned help.
At the time police failed to find the attacker but, after his conviction six years ago, Miah's DNA was kept and checked against samples taken from unsolved cases.

Overdose
His DNA profile matched samples found on the girl's clothes.
The teenager had died in 1998 after taking an overdose of painkillers and alcohol.
The judge at Swansea Crown Court described the attack as "every woman's nightmare".
He said he was sentencing Miah on the basis that he was still 14.
He added that it was not known exactly what the effects of the attempted rape were on Miah's victim although they were "no-doubt far-reaching".
 

Gang jailed for rape attacks
You were running round in a pack - cars, chasing girls, making up your own rules, intimidating, frightening, stealing.
Judge Henry Blacksell

A "degenerate" gang who raped and attacked young girls they picked up in a town centre were jailed for a total of 17 years on Friday. Tunde Akinselure, 19, Nester Soverall, 19, Sood Ahmed, 19 and Ramon Markins, 27, all from east London, carried out a "horrible catalogue" of crimes, the Old Bailey heard.

They picked out three 14-year-old girls and one 13-year-old in Ilford town centre in east London last summer.

The girls had gone there to shop and talk to boys, but instead they were taken off and made to perform "perverted acts".

Akinselure raped one of the 14 year olds who had promised her grandmother she would be home by 6pm.

She turned up at 2am in a "dreadful state", judge Henry Blacksell said.

He told the gang they had no respect for people and were "totally out of control".

No respect

"Individually, you may be innocuous and hard working, but you were running round in a pack - cars, chasing girls, making up your own rules, intimidating, frightening, stealing," said the judge.

"That is the problem, you showed no respect."

Akinselure, who had previously served 30 months for violent disorder, was sentenced to six years for rape and four indecent assaults.

Soverall was sentenced to five years' imprisonment for rape, two indecent assaults and one theft.

Ahmed was sentenced to three years for three indecent assaults.

Markins was jailed for three years for indecent assault and indecency with a child.
 

Jail for sex pest asylum seeker, 21

By Louise Male

AN IRAQI asylum seeker was today beginning a jail sentence of three years and nine months for molesting four West Yorkshire schoolgirls.

Shursh Taher, 21, a Kurd, had previously admitted indecent assault and appeared at Leeds Crown Court for sentence.

The attacks happened in Wakefield between June 10 and 13 last year on girls aged between 14 and 16.

Mike Smith, prosecuting, said Taher's first victim was a 16-year-old who was sat watching friends playing football in Thornes Park.

He grabbed her, swinging her around telling her: "You are coming with me".

Taher tripped her up, got on top of her and wrapped his legs around hers. He squeezed her breasts and tried to lift her T-shirt.

He then simulated sex for about two minutes and was making what the girl described as growling noises.

The girl later told police she thought he was going to rape her.

Mr Smith said Taher struck again the next day when he preyed on two schoolgirls sitting in a cafe. When the girls asked what Taher was staring at, he replied: "You come to my house, you want sex with me?" and started blowing kisses.

Taher then left the cafe but soon returned to sit next to the 14-year-old. He began kissing her and touching her legs but she managed to escape by running into the Ridings Shopping Centre.
 

Mr Smith said that Taher saw the girl again and groped her breasts. He said "he loved her and he wanted her to have sex with him".

She only escaped when a male schoolfriend scared Taher away.

Mr Smith said the third and fourth attacks occurred on June 13, 2001, within three-and-half hours of each other.

Taher targeted a 16-year-old girl with three friends in the Ridings Shopping Centre. He followed the girl up an escalator and fondled her bottom and legs.

He put his arm around her friend but she shrugged him off and the girls fled.

Taher, who lived in Lupset, Wakefield, struck again, targeting a 15-year-old walking in a park.

He put his arm around her waist and stroked her bottom. He began kissing her and tried to drag her into hedges before she shrugged him off and fled.

Judge Ian Dobkin said he agreed with a report that said Taher was not a sexual predator and was unlikely to reoffend.

It had been argued that Taher was confused about what sort of behaviour was acceptable in the West after watching pornographic films in a London hostel where he had stayed.

Taher arrived in Britain hidden in a lorry in early 2001. He applied twice for asylum but was rejected and was awaiting a tribunal hearing.

He may never be deported, however, as in the current political climate Britain does not send asylum seekers back to Iraq.
 

Salvation Army leader jailed for sex attacks

(Filed: 18/09/2002)
A Salvation Army camp leader has been jailed for four years for indecently assaulting young girls he met through the Christian organisation.

A jury found Mark Molden (above), 24, guilty of seven charges of indecent assault at Cardiff Crown Court. He had already pleaded guilty to one charge of indecent assault but had denied nine other charges. The jurors found him not guilty of two charges of indecent assault.

The 10-day trial at Cardiff Crown Court heard that he had attacked girls during outdoor pursuits camps run by the Salvation Army between 1997 and 2001 in Symond's Yat, Gloucs.

He was arrested after a 15-year-old girl he had assaulted sent an anonymous email to another Salvation Army leader which was given to police. The allegation prompted more of his victims to come forward.

Sentencing Molden, a security alarm salesman from Bargoed, south Wales, Judge David Wynn Morgan said: "You are an arrogant, insensitive, immature young man with a high opinion of himself.

"You have brought shame and embarrassment on one of the most distinguished and respected Christian organisations in the country."

Alan Sage, of the Salvation Army, released a statement on behalf of the organisation following the verdict.

He said: "A breach of trust was clearly committed by this individual. The Salvation Army deplores all such behaviour and has co-operated fully with the police investigation.

"As a Christian church we will continue to fulfill our pastoral responsibilities to the individuals and families in this case."
 

Tuesday, 17 September, 2002, 17:21 GMT 18:21 UK
Swimming teacher jailed for child abuse

Above: John Glyn Jones - carried out attacks at the swimming pool

A "perverted" swimming instructor from south Wales has been jailed for 18 years for abusing children during his classes.
John Glyn Jones, 55, had "groomed" two young boys at Nantyglo Leisure Centre, Blaenau Gwent for five years from in the 1970s and had abused them whilst they were in his care.

Known locally as "Nipper", he was already serving a 10-year sentence for serious sexual assaults on five boys and a girl.

A jury at Cardiff Crown Court found him guilty of 11 serious sex offences in the latest case.

The court heard Jones - of Roundhouse Close, Nantyglo - abused the swimming pupils in his office, in changing rooms, in a sunbed room, in a storeroom and in the swimming pool itself at the council-run leisure centre.

The identity of the pair abused in the 1970s was not disclosed to protect them.

'Horrifying acts'

Judge Christopher Llewellyn told him: "You systematically abused one of the boys from the ages of 10 until he was 15.
"It's an understatement to say that he lost his childhood due to your perversion.
"He was forced by you to give evidence and relive the most horrifying acts.
"He was totally under your control and could not tell anyone. I have no doubt you targeted him and you then satisfied your perverted lust on him."

'Dangerous offender'

Judge Llewellyn added: "The two children were put into your care and trust. You are arrogant in the way you committed the offences."

Detective Sergeant Mark Warrender of Gwent Police said after the case: "John Glyn Jones is a dangerous sex offender who systematically abused his victims and robbed them of their innocence."

Jones' sentences will run concurrently and he was ordered to register as a sex offender for life and never work with children again.
 

Iraqi jailed for indecent assault

AN ILLEGAL immigrant from Iraq was jailed for six months yesterday for indecently assaulting a 17-year-old girl on a bus.

Abdullah Nizam, 23, who was an English teacher in his homeland, denied assaulting the girl but was found guilty at Bradford Crown Court.

The court heard that jobless Nizam had seen the student sitting on the back seat of a bus from Huddersfield to Bradford on January 17 and had sat next to her, effectively hemming her in. He tried to chat her up, then started touching her leg. She told him to stop, but he carried on running his hand up her back under her clothes and touching her breasts.

When she tried to rise, Nizam, of Montgomery House, Trenton Drive, Manningham, pushed her back to her seat.

Judge James Stewart told Nizam: "The incident to her was plainly extremely distressing. You also made her go through the ordeal of being cross-examined."
 

Police hunt after girls assaulted within hours of each other

POLICE are hunting a sex attacker who assaulted two young girls in separate incidents.

One of the victims, who is only 11 years old, was seriously assaulted by the man between 4.30 and 6.30pm on Tuesday, at The Lows, Glodwick.

It is believed she was pushed to the ground before the man, thought to be around 17, indecently assaulted her.

The second victim, who is 15 was indecently assaulted in Abbeyhills Road at around 5pm on the same evening.

The offender is described as Asian, between 5ft 8ins and 6ft tall with prominent front teeth, one of which was chipped. He was wearing a cream Nikecap with a gold tick, a cream jacket, black trousers and white Kappa trainers.

Anyone with information can call Oldham CID on 0800 555111 or Crimestoppers on 0800 555111.
 

Molesting doctor jailed

A "totally perverted" family doctor has been jailed for 12 years for a series of sex attacks on child and adult patients.

Timothy Healy (left) drugged some of them before filming himself abusing their unconscious bodies.

The victims never knew they had been abused until police tracked them down last year.

Two victims were as young as 11, others in their teens and twenties at the time, and all male.

Police said Healy, 57, was part of a "paedophile ring of professionals".

London's Southwark Crown Court was told all had been mentally scarred for life by what had happened to them, with them invariably speaking of their "anger", "disgust" and "degradation" over what they had suffered at his hands. One even attempted suicide.

Others featured on the video footage seized by police have not been identified.

A number of those who have been traced and were not drugged included teenagers he had met whilst a medical officer in the army cadets.

But they were either too embarrassed to come forward or feared they would not be believed, and so kept their ordeals secret until contacted by officers from Scotland Yard's Paedophile Unit acting on an anonymous tip-off.

The bachelor of Abbots Gardens, East Finchley, north London, pleaded guilty to a total of 30 offences.

They included 15 indecent assaults - five of them involving schoolchildren, six of administering a "stupefying or overpowering" drug in order to carry out sex attacks, four of taking indecent photographs and another five of possessing them.
 

Paedophile priest to be released from prison
The Prison Service has confirmed that convicted paedophile priest, Fr Ivan Payne (right), will be released from prison in October. He has served his full sentence.

He was initially sentenced in April 1998 to two years in prison, with a further four years suspended. The Court of Criminal Appeal imposed a six-year sentence on appeal from the DPP.

The Prison Service said today that Fr Payne is entitled to the standard quarter remission of sentence.

He will have served a full sentence of four and a half years by October.

The Prison Service said no concessions were granted to Fr Payne and he received no special treatment.
 

Pervert put on Offenders’ Register

PERVERTED Paisley man Robert Ireland has been placed on the Sex Offenders’ Register after he admitted two indecency charges against young girls.

Ireland, of McKerrell Street, pleaded guilty to the offences when the case against him was called at Paisley Sheriff Court.

Both crimes were committed against victims aged just nine and eleven years old elsewhere in Renfrewshire between December 1998 and January 1999.

Ireland admitted using lewd, indecent and libidinous practices towards both schoolgirls.

Sheriff George Kavanagh declined to hear a narration of the facts and told Ireland: "This is a serious matter and I am going to call for a social enquiry report and a community service assessment."

Ireland was told his name would be placed on the Sex Offenders' Register and he was ordered to return to court for sentence on October 21.