[Survivors]

Lord McAlpine and the paedophile ring

Scallywag issue 22, 1994

By Angus James

A gay paedophile ring working from children's home throughout the country leads straight to the doors of Parliament and Tory Party Central Office.

We have documentary evidence that former Tory party treasurer Lord McAlpine indulged in oral sex with an underage boy. We have evidence that Derek Laud, close friend of Michael Brown MP, sodomised an underage boy at one children's home so savagely that the child received hospital treatment for a ruptured anus. And we have evidence that Alan Beck, known in gay circles as Sister Latex, and a confidant of Michael Portillo since Peterhouse College, Cambridge, was accused of raping an underage boy in his care.

This 'rent boy' ring has operated for more than 20 years, and is still in operation at addresses all over Britain, despite the fact that the mastermind behind it all is at present on bail awaiting trial with 10 specimen cases against him.

As the case is sub judice, we will call this man Mr X [John Ernest Allen]. It is not the intention of this magazine to be in contempt of court.

There is overwhelming evidence that, for years, young boys in care were systematically raped and abused by Mr X and many other, influential, people; that thousands of pounds of public money was misused in order to set up 'training camps' at children's homes in Wrexham, Holyhead, Gwynedd, Shropshire and London, where children as young as four were schooled in the art of male prostitution.

Playground for perverts

The children's homes collectively called the Bryn Alyn Community, under the management of Mr X, turned over in excess of £12 million every year. It cost £1,000-£1,500 per week of public money to keep a child in care. According to the policeman in charge of the investigation, Supt Ackerley, £440,000 disappeared from the accounts in 1987 alone. We know this money was used to fund luxury flats in London, Brighton and elsewhere. These apartments were high class homosexual brothels, where Mr X kept, on a permanent basis, rent boys to cater for his VIP clients. Regular visitors included not only Lord McAlpine, who always enjoyed preferential treatment from Mr X when he turned up at one of the homes in search of a little boy, but also other establishment figures such as the late Lord Kenyon, former Chairman of the North Wales Police Authority, Wyn Roberts, MP for Conwy and currently Minister of State at the Welsh Office, Adam Mars-Jones, son of Mr Justice Jones and the regular film critic on the Independent newspaper, and six police officers, among them a former superintendent and prominent freemason in Clwyd, Gordon Anglesea, who has since retired and is, at present, under prosecution for raping a minor. The police are aware of allegations of paedophile activities against all of the above.

Part of this story has been reported in other papers. In fact, the Observer, the Independent on Sunday, HTV and Private Eye are being sued for libel by ex Supt Anglesea. But ever since the illegal activities inside the Bryn Alyn Community were exposed, shortly after the local council in North Wales had changed from Tory hands to Labour, no one has got to the bottom of it. No one has dared mention the name of Lord McAlpine in connection with sex with an underage boy, even though there is in existence a sworn affidavit from the victim and a sworn police statement, and despite the fact that the police in the case against Mr X seem to take the victim seriously enough to use him as a chief witness for the prosecution. No one has stumbled across the connection between the paedophile ring and close friends of Portillo and Lilley. Or, for that matter, traced paedophile material produced by one of Mr X's companies in Amsterdam to an address in Dolphin Square, which we have stated in previous issues was under surveillance for some time by British Customs and where Portillo and Lilley were known to visit.

Let's recap the story surrounding Mr X and the homes he managed. Until a Labour council took control in Clwyd in 1989, Mr X had enjoyed virtual immunity under the protection of corrupt and implicated policemen and with the connivance of the Conservative council who had repressed files of photographic evidence which showed beaten and bruised children for over eight years before and were well aware of the rumours gushing out of homes in Gwynedd and Wrexham, but who did nothing to investigate them. In fact, the moment the council did react, over 300 victims of child abuse came to light. In Gwynedd alone there were 146 separate allegations during 1980-90. It led Malcolm King, chairman of Clwyd's Social Services to remark: "We are looking at the biggest failure to protect children in the history of Britain".

The names

The scandal involved girls as well as boys, one as young as nine. There were five illegitimate pregnancies recorded and numerous accusations of savage violence and rape perpetrated by members of staff under the control of Mr X. Not surprisingly there were also bitter claims of a cover up going back more than a decade. Indeed, a former North Wales Police Authority Chairman claimed his calls six years before for an inquiry had been deliberately stifled. However, in 1989, an internal police inquiry led by Det Supt Ackerley took over 1,500 statements. A later Joplin inquiry put under suspicion the following six police officers, all of whom have now taken early retirement:

Supt Anglesea
Sgt Mike Roach
Sgt Geraint Morgan
PC David Rodgers
PC Peter Sharman
DC Gary Probert

There were stories of witnesses and people associated with the inquiry being intimidated. Alex Saddington, the Welsh coordinator for the National Association of Young People in Care, was beaten up and had chemicals sprayed in his eyes. Steven Messham, a key witness against Supt Anglesea, was beaten up for the second time. A local BBC journalist who had been working on the child abuse case for 18 months was the victim of a mysterious burglary.

Raped

Press coverage centred on the testimony of Steven Messham and Mark Humphries, boys who gave a gruesome account of how they had been raped repeatedly by Anglesea. Humphries described in vivid detail one Christmas holiday at Clwyd House in the Bryn Estyn School: "On one occasion, he entered my bedroom, attacked me and grabbed my penis. On the second occasion, several days later, he entered my room, pounced on me and held my wrists with his hand so I could not move. He ripped my pyjama shirt and trousers off and pinned me to the bed, face down, and raped me. I believe I was 13 years old at the time".

Mr X was later prosecuted on ten counts of sexual abuse. Case files on the six police officers under suspicion, including Anglesea, were sent to the CPS. No prosecutions followed. The CPS stated: "It is not in the public interest to prosecute these police officers". Instead, the men who had been responsible for ruining the lives of many young helpless boys were nudged gently into retirement with handsome commutation payments and pensions intact. All the officers with allegations against them were active freemasons.

The trial of Mr X will take place some time in the summer.

The empire of Mr X

At the time of the child abuse enquiries, the press only scratched the surface of a paedophile porn empire created by Mr X over 20 years. It was almost inconceivably evil; to take little boys in care from homes owned by Mr X such as 34 Inverness Terrace, Bayswater, which has since closed down, or from homes in Castle Road and Finchley Place in London, and subject these children to systematic abuse over a period of years, so they began to accept this treatment as perfectly normal. Many of the victims, as adults, now suffer from grave psychological problems, manic depression, and drug and alcohol dependencies.

There was a great deal of money to be made. Mr X, first and foremost, was a businessman. He used to hire out boys as caddies to the more prestigious members of Wrexham Golf Club. They were forced to do a lot more than simply carry the clubs. For the right price, boys could be collected from any one of his homes and taken out for the night. His favourites were lavishly wined and dined, showered in expensive gifts and often farmed out to one of his many rent boy brothels throughout the country. For example, Stephen Fong, who was moved to 66 Stockwell Grove, Wrexham, had the house bought for him, along with a top of the range white Sierra car. Mr X also financially maintained numerous boys at houses in Edgware Road, London, Chester Road, Manchester, Nevinson Avenue, South Shields, Queens Park, Wrexham, Rock Street, Brighton, and so on. All these addressed were used by wealthy paedophiles for sex for cash.

The den at Dolphin Square

Mr X also had a ready supply of boys to use in his burgeoning film business. Through a company owned by his niece in Copenhagen, paedophile material was transported to London for private showings in Dolphin Square and nearby in Winchester Street, Pimlico, where Derek Laud, Michael Brown MP's boyfriend, had set up home.

A source in Dolphin Square told us: "We often have underage boys wandering the corridors, totally lost, asking for the flat of a particular MP." According to our source, young boys were often guests at private parties in Dolphin Square lasting into the small hours. "David Steel, who has an apartment here, is rather fond of late nights", our source added.

We can reveal Mr X supplied boys to Dolphin Square on a regular basis.

The rich and powerful trusted Mr X to be discreet. That meant him sometimes ruling his juvenile empire with a rod of iron. If a boy crossed him the least he could expect was a beating, the worst, as in the case of Adrian Johns, 16, was to lose his life. Eighteen months ago Johns was living with four other boys in a boarding house in Brighton. It was just another brothel, funded by Mr X. Johns, however, got greedy and threatened to blackmail his boss. Soon afterwards, the boarding house went up in flames. All the boys died in the fire. The Sussex Fire Brigade deduced it was arson. A culprit was found. Another young boy claimed he had started the fire as a 'prank'. He mysteriously fell under a bus and was crushed to death. Today, the Fire Brigade are pressing to have the case reopened. The prime suspect is Mr X.

Apart from the children's home, the upmarket prostitution, and a lucrative sideline in paedophile literature, Mr X had six other businesses. With sick irony, through two of his companies, Video People and Tape to Tape, he produced a song for charity in 1988. The charity was Save the Children. By all accounts, it did rather well.

McAlpine is a pervert

He is one of Britain's richest and most respectable men, a pillar of the establishment and a bulwark of the Conservative party. However, a damning police statement and a sworn affidavit from a boy called Paul casts potentially ruinous doubt over Lord McAlpine's character. He is a copper bottomed, true blue pervert who, it appears, enjoys nothing better than being sucked off by little children. Indeed, long before he sought the services of Mr X, McAlpine was indulging in his sordid desires. In 1965 he was formally cautioned by Strathclyde police for a sexual offence against a minor. But he got away with it. Men of his wealth and standing usually do.

However, Paul's crucial testimony does not let Lord McAlpine off so easily. In November 1985, Paul was 17 years old and living in a half-way house owned by the Bryn Alyn Community at Summerhill on the outskirts of Wrexham. He was one of Mr X's prize boys, who had been taken into care aged four and had continually homosexually abused at Norton School in Warwickshire from the age of eight. The older boys used to bugger him every night. Mr X found him when he was fourteen, and was immediately attracted by the fact that he was a punk and wore red lipstick. He immediately persuaded Paul to suck his cock. In the boy's own words: "he liked to be fucked and ... blow jobs".

Fellatio

Mr X obviously thought Paul was extremely promising, because when Lord McAlpine came in search of a young boy to molest, Paul was chosen as the one to service one of his master's most important clients. He was told to go out for the night within him, to be good and give him what he wanted. At this stage Paul had no idea who the well dressed man with greying hair and a roundish face really was. He was taken for an expensive meal at a restaurant in Chester. His benefactor paid with a gold credit card and Paul noticed a selection of other cards tucked into his wallet.

Driving back to Summerhill, McAlpine stopped the car in a lay-by, where Paul was required to suck him off. Afterwards, he was deposited back at the home with the promise of a Christmas hamper, which never arrived.

Paul left Summerhill a deeply confused and depressed young man. For a while he lived in Brighton and was supported by Mr X, until, finally, he broke away and severed all ties. But it was not until Brian Johnson-Thomas's article about Supt Anglesea appeared in Private Eye in January 1993 that Paul summoned the courage to speak out. He contacted Thomas and after several detailed interviews was persuaded to give evidence to the police.

McApline identified

Thomas, who had heard various rumours about McAlpine's activities, and believed there was a connection with Mr X, showed Paul four photographs of completely different men, all of about the same age, who could have easily fitted Paul's description. One of the shots was of Lord McAlpine. Paul identified him immediately. There was not a moment's hesitation or scrap of doubt. He was absolutely certain McAlpine was the man.

Superintendent Ackerley, the man in charge of the child abuse investigation, took Paul's testimony in person and believed him. A formal statement was made to North Wales CID. Two officers interviewed Paul for two days. His testimony and the photographs used to identify Lord McAlpine are now with the police pending the trial. However, we have Paul's sworn affidavit given to Thomas.

He is now 25 and living in a stable homosexual relationship in Brighton. He has no connection with male prostitution, and, to this day, stands by every word of his statement.

Good "Golly", Ms Polly

In Scallywag 21 we told you how, soon after their marriage, Mr and Mrs Portillo went on holiday with Michael Brown MP, and his 'friend', a black youth who they all nicknamed Golly. Along on this mysterious trip also went Tony Hutt, who we alleged was an actively gay lobbyist with the firm of GJW Government Relations. But who was "Golly"?

By taking him on holiday the Portillos were in good company. "Golly" is no other than half-caste nephew and research assistant of Lord Pitt, and was the black face pictured at the window of Number Ten as Maggie peeped through the partially opened curtains on the day she quit.

His name is Derek Laud and it was he who introduced footballer Justin Fashanu to Westminster's seedier inhabitants. It was alleged by Fashanu himself on tape that this included both Portillo and Lilley in a three-in-a-bed romp, although under intense pressure from somewhere he later denied he had ever said it.

But, if Fashanu was telling the truth, he may have been introduced to many other well known Parliamentary personalities, and you can throw in some royals for good measure. Laud has been on holiday with Lilley, Chris Chataway, and Jeffrey Archer. He enjoys entertaining his boyfriends at fashionable Le Caprice where he treats the waiters like horse dung. He has often been seen there with Fergie's friend John Bryan, and also Diana's hairdresser, who was rumoured to have been bribed by Diana to take the rap on a drugs charge.

Royal connection

After leaving a lunch with Fergie's boyfriend (who was going off to meet her elsewhere) he then joined Andrew and a sailor pal at the royal home in Dorset for all sorts of fun and games.

He was involved somewhere in the middle of the Diana-Gilbey scandal and is a frequent visitor to David Steel's flat in the now notorious Dolphin Square. "Golly" rarely entertains anyone of note at his Winchester Street, Pimlico, flat (just around the corner from Dolphin Square) but neighbours report he often takes young men home and they generally stay all night. The Dolphin Square restaurant, of course, is where both Lilley and Portillo dine most Friday nights and was for a time under scrutiny by HM Customs after they had intercepted paedophile material at Mount Pleasant.

Young men who have visited him in Pimlico, who we have talked to, allege he is 'trying them out' for higher things. Fashanu was one such.

Laud is a consultant with Ludgate Communications, a high-powered political public relations outfit, which moves in political, business and royal circles. In this capacity Laud has even written speeches for Prince Charles.

As a speech writer he may legitimately have visited many prominent politicians, but it is unlikely he would have gone on holiday with Portillo, Brown, Hutt and Co, to cross the 't's and dot the 'i's on a possible oration.

In his public relations capacity he is a frequent visitor to Conservative Central Officer where he meets Alistair Cooke [Lord Lexden], one of the original right-wing conspirators of the Maurice Cowling days in Cambridge, who has surrounded himself with bright young things, most of whom are frequent visitors to Winchester Street.

But there is more to Derek Laud than this.

Cover-up

The story goes on in a disgraceful catalogue of abuse, exploitation and cover-ups on an unprecedented scale. Among all the sad testimonies from the victims, two names emerge that connect the paedophile ring directly with Michael Portillo, Peter Lilley and other high ranking Tories. The first is the above-mentioned Derek Laud, who wanders with equanimity in the House of Parliament. The second is Alan Beck, alias Sister Latex, and an old friend of Portillo's from Cambridge.

We have known about Laud for a long time. There is no doubt about his old association with Brown. It was an old yarn. The News of the World had run an article on Laud serving tea to Brown in a skimpy frilly pinny six years ago. We had reason to believe that Laud had screwed Portillo and Lilley on several occasions. But it came as a revelation to learn that Derek Laud was also a practising paedophile.

Stephen Hasshim was only 13 when he was introduced to Laud. He was living in care at Greystones Heath children's home in Merseyside. Gary Cooke [aka Mark Grainger], an associate of Mr X, who is now in prison for child abuse, brought Laud in on the recommendation of Mr X. He gave him Stephen for the night. The child was repeatedly brutally buggered by Laud. He has since stated that the man had such a large penis that it was excruciatingly painful. In fact, the next day Stephen Hasshim had to go to hospital and receive treatment for a ruptured anus. He never met Laud again, but has positively identified him and remembers his name.

Sister Latex

Alan Beck was a source on the Portillo/Lilley story. He called us in mid-February to scotch the rumours about Portillo's homosexuality. He was a set-up and we knew it. He claimed that he was the only homosexual to 'come out' at Peterhouse. This was not true, we have spoken to others who also freely admitted their sexual proclivities at the time. He admitted there was an influential ultra right wing homosexual set at Peterhouse, but denied he was a part of it. This was untrue. We have spoken to other sources at Cambridge who state categorically that Alan Beck was deeply involved with the group of gays under the control of Professor Maurice Cowling. Beck told us on the one hand that Peterhouse was a very intimate college with only 120 students, then, mysteriously, could not remember any of their names. However, he did remember Portillo, but denied there was evidence that he was gay. This was bullshit.

Beck may have been a liar activated by interested parties to feed us disinformation, but, like Laud, we had no reason to suspect he was a paedophile. That is, until we were made aware of an incident that happened in 1982 involving another fourteen year old boy, David Sellers.

Buggered

Alan Beck helped organised a farm holiday for the kids at Greystone Heath. The trip was under the stewardship of a newly qualified social worked called Alan Langshaw, who was subsequently divorced after the non-consummation of his marriage and suspended from his duties during a later spell at a home in Formby. Langshaw was a close associate of paedophile Steven Norris, who also went on the trip, and has since been convicted for child abuse.

While at the farm in Leicestershire, David Sellers was raped savagely by Beck. The day afterwards, a distraught Sellers told Wrexham police everything that had happened. Beck was questioned at length, but, mysteriously, no prosecution followed. This was almost certainly due to the fact that Supt Anglesea was the man in charge. It is not unreasonable to speculate that Sister Latex called in a few favours from his old Peterhouse chums in order to get himself off the hook.

It remains to be seen whether, under the scrutiny of the court, perverts like McAlpine, Derek Laud and Alan Beck will wriggle out of it again.

Scallywag says

This whole sordid saga does not come as a surprise. Having investigated this and other stories concerning the depraved activities of certain Tory MPs, nothing is surprising any more. There seems to be no end to it.

There can be little doubt that one of Britain's most ambitious and profitable paedophile rings, run by a ruthless pervert, had direct connections with leading Tories; that large sums of public money were misused to fund a network of rent boy brothels; and that politicians involved in the ring, in particular former treasurer Lord McAlpine, were fully aware of these funds being misappropriated.

Paul, the boy who claims to have been molested by Lord McAlpine, has never wavered from the statement that he gave to police and the affidavit he swore to journalist Brian Johnson-Thomas. There is no reason to doubt his word. Even the police seem happy that Paul is a credible witness for the prosecution and is capable of withstanding cross examination by eminent QCs. Therefore, taking Paul's testimony into account, and the formal warning by Strathclyde police against McAlpine for a similar offence in 1965, the conclusion must be that Lord McAlpine is not only a crook, but a paedophile.

Should Lord McAlpine choose to consult his solicitors over the story we have printed, we would welcome the opportunity of dragging his name through the courts. Should he choose not to take action, then let his silence incriminate him. We shall defend our story assiduously, for no one was there to defend the children continually abused by their rich and powerful overseers.

There is no evidence, as yet, that either Michael Portillo or Peter Lilley was involved directly in the paedophile ring. However, people very close to them were. There have been continual rumours that both ministers indulge in underage rent boys. Derek Laud, a frequent visitor to Parliament and a paedophile, is a strange friend for supposedly reputable ministers. Alan Beck, a rapist and child abuser, is equally suspect. It is implausible that Portillo and Lilley are not aware of the paedophile ring. And it is very likely Laud would have told them. So, if they don't rape little boys themselves, they know a man who does.

Likewise, should Messrs Portillo and Lilley choose to take legal action, as we have heard they might, we not have the slightest compunction about the eventual outcome. And, by the way, just for the record, the editors of Scallywag absolutely hate satsumas.