Abuse Home Was Visited by Savile

By Steve Lowe
Bedfordshire on Sunday
August 2, 2013

http://www.bedfordshire-news.co.uk/News/Abuse-home-was-visited-by-Savile-20130802170000.htm


MORE claims that Jimmy Savile visited a Catholic boys home accused of sexually and physically abusing its children.

For many years there have been allegations of abuse at the former St Francis Boys Home in Shefford.

The home was run by the St Francis Society,as part of the Catholic Church.

Two former boys have won out of court settlements against the church, which still refuses to admit to former priests abusing the residents of the home. Many of them are now taking out a ‘class action’ against the church, which guarantees them anonymity, as potential victims of sexual abuse.

There is evidence that Savile used to visit the home, as a Catholic church is part of the complex and he used to visit th echurch when staying at Henlow Grange health and beauty farm.

Two former boys have said they remember Savile being at the home, while another said he was told that Savile had a ‘twin brother’.

Police are investigating the claims of abuse and have interviewed many of th eformer boys.

One priest, Father John Ryan, was interviewed under caution twice before, in 1997 and 20o3.

The records of those interviews have been mislaid but the police are confident they will be found and refute claims they have been destroyed.

Father Ryan was interviewed by Bedfordshire on Sunday in 2006 and he died in 2008.

One former boy who has won damages against the church, Damian Chittock, wants the police to do more. He said: “This is the largest abuse case in Bedfordshire’s history. More effort should be made to get the facts of this appalling case out into the open.

The police themselves are not without blame, as children used to run away from the home but were taken back by the police, even after being told of the appalling things that were happening at St Francis.”