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Sir Cyril Smith: Former MP sexually abused boys, police say Sir Cyril Smith: Former MP sexually abused boys, police say
(35 minutes later)
Sir Cyril Smith was a sex abuser of boys in the late 1960s, police have accepted. Sir Cyril Smith was a sex abuser of boys in the late 1960s, police admit.
The news comes as the Crown Prosecution Service admitted he should have been charged with the crimes more than 40 years ago. The news comes as the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) accepts he should have been charged with the crimes more than 40 years ago.
In a statement, Greater Manchester Police said the boys "were victims of physical and sexual abuse" by the late Rochdale MP. Greater Manchester Police (GMP) said the boys "were victims of physical and sexual abuse" by the late Rochdale MP.
Sir Cyril was never charged despite investigations in 1970, 1998, and 1999. Despite not being charged, after inquiries in 1970, 1998, and 1999, the CPS stressed changes in procedure mean a prosecution would be pursued today.
A file compiled by Lancashire Constabulary in 1970, contained allegations made by eight men that they had been subjected to indecent assaults by Sir Cyril, when they were teenagers. Evidence now made public indicates a file was compiled by Lancashire Constabulary in 1970, contained allegations made by eight men that they had been subjected to indecent assaults by Sir Cyril, when they were teenagers.
'No prospect of conviction''No prospect of conviction'
It was handed to the first Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP), and contained statements that were very similar in nature, the CPS confirmed. It was handed to the first Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) Norman Skelhorn, and contained statements that were very similar in nature among the eight alleged victims, the CPS confirmed.
However, in response DPP Norman Skelhorn wrote to the Chief Constable of Lancashire on 19 March 1970, stating: "I do not consider that if proceedings for indecent assault were to be taken against Smith, there would be a reasonable prospect of conviction." However, the only documentation still remaining is a one page letter in response Mr Skelhorn, who wrote to the Chief Constable of Lancashire on 19 March 1970 about Sir Cyril, who died in September 2010.
In it, he stated: "I do not consider that if proceedings for indecent assault were to be taken against Smith, there would be a reasonable prospect of conviction."
Nazir Afzal, chief prosecutor for the CPS in the North West, has now accepted that this "way of thinking bears little resemblance to how such cases are assessed today".Nazir Afzal, chief prosecutor for the CPS in the North West, has now accepted that this "way of thinking bears little resemblance to how such cases are assessed today".
"The decision made by the CPS in 1970 would not be made today," he admitted."The decision made by the CPS in 1970 would not be made today," he admitted.
The Lancashire Police investigation centred on offences committed between 1961 and 1965 when the boys were either living at Cambridge House Children's Home or were "dependent on Cyril Smith for either employment, financial support or some sort of guardianship", said Mr Afzal.The Lancashire Police investigation centred on offences committed between 1961 and 1965 when the boys were either living at Cambridge House Children's Home or were "dependent on Cyril Smith for either employment, financial support or some sort of guardianship", said Mr Afzal.
He confirmed that when the CPS carried out a review of the case in 1998, it was decided no proceedings would be brought against the MP - who died in September 2010 - because he had been told in 1970 that he would not be charged, a decision that could only be reversed if new evidence was unearthed. New allegations
He confirmed that when the CPS carried out a review of the case in 1998, it was decided no proceedings would be brought against the MP, because he had been told in 1970 that he would not be charged, a decision that could only be reversed if new evidence was unearthed.
GMP has worked extensively with the Lancashire force since new allegations against Sir Cyril emerged last month, and has now taken over the investigation.
Assistant Chief Constable Steve Heywood said: "We are now in a position to say that on three separate occasions, files were passed to first the DPP and then the CPS containing details of abuse committed by Smith, but on each occasion no prosecution was pursued.
"We believe that if the same evidence was presented to the CPS today there would have been a very realistic prospect that Smith would have been charged with a number of indecent assaults, and that the case would have been brought to trial."