'Mulitple victims' in abuse probe in Highlands

Police in the Highlands are involved in what officers have described as a "large scale" child abuse enquiry.

It concerns the Muir of Ord area and involves multiple victims and suspects, according to a report on the agenda for a Northern Joint Police Board meeting.

Chief Constable Ian Latimer's report said the enquiry was "destined to be one of the largest" of its type for the force in recent years.

The force said it could not comment further at this stage.

Mention of the enquiry is made in Mr Latimer's report to Tuesday's police board meeting.

The report said: "A large scale child abuse enquiry is currently being carried out in the Muir of Ord area involving multiple victims and multiple suspects.

"This is likely to continue for some weeks yet and is destined to be one of the largest enquiries of its type in recent years.

"The enquiry team is currently made up of Central Divisional staff taken from Lochaber, Skye and Lochalsh, Ross and Cromarty and the Western Isles."

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/scotland/highlands_and_islands/8665111.stm

Well, well, well.... wonder if Auntie Phil will have any more pearls of wisdom on this one. I thought it was Portugal that was supposed to be awash with paedophiles; it just goes to show you, you get them in Ross and Cromarty too!!!

Well, well, well.... wonder if Auntie Phil will have any more pearls of wisdom on this one. I thought it was Portugal that was supposed to be awash with paedophiles; it just goes to show you, you get them in Ross and Cromarty too!!!

Auntie Phil will blame the victims, a bit like the Vatican did! It must be very worrying for the parents of school children who live in Ullapool, that the education of their offspring is in the hands of a vile xenophobe like Philomena!

Police fear scale of child sex abuse investigation

7 May 2010

A large-scale child abuse inquiry is being carried out by police in the Highlands.

Two men have already appeared in court on abuse allegations involving two girls.

The Northern Constabulary investigation, described as one of the largest of its kind in years, is continuing into “a number” of other complaints.

The complaints, which centre on the Muir of Ord area of Ross-shire, cover a number of years and date back to the 1990s.

Highland Council’s social work department have been notified and are dealing with the families affected.

It is anticipated the inquiry will continue for at least another 13 weeks and was first referred to in a brief three-sentence mention in Chief Constable Ian Latimer’s crime situation report to the Northern Joint Police Board.

He said officers are carrying out the abuse investigation involving “multiple suspects and victims”.

The report said: “A large-scale child abuse inquiry is currently being carried out in the Muir of Ord area involving multiple victims and multiple suspects.

“This is likely to continue for some 13 weeks yet and is destined to be one of the largest inquiries of its type in recent years.”

William Burns, 67, from Muir of Ord, and Donald Higgins Burns, 42, from Invergordon, both appeared at Dingwall Sheriff Court on March 26 charged with serious sex offences.

William Burns was charged with two cases of rape and one of attempted rape. Donald Burns appeared charged with lewd and libidinous conduct towards a girl aged between 12 and 16 years and of having sexual intercourse with a girl aged 13 to 16.

A police source said further allegations are still being investigated. “It is a large inquiry, there is no argument about that. We can’t go into numbers but there will be more. We cannot say at this stage, because that has to be reported to the fiscal through due process,” said the source.

“We have to take into account the victims of the case and be as sensitive as possible over the reporting of the case. They are serious allegations and there will be implications for the victims, long term.”

Margaret Paterson, Highland councillor for Dingwall and Seaforth, said more information about the extent of the inquiries was important in what was “a very worrying situation”.

She said: “I am very distressed by this. Having nine children myself, I am horrified to hear it and I knew nothing about it. That this could happen in this area and yet I don’t know about it is worrying.

“We do need to know what is going on.”

The police inquiry team is made up of central divisional staff taken from Lochaber, Skye and Lochalsh, Ross and Cromarty and the Western Isles.

http://www.heraldscotland.com/news/crime-courts/police-fear-scale-of-child-sex-abuse-investigation-1.1025894?localLinksEnabled=false