abuse – Hoang Viet

Uncategorized

Dec 16 2024

Archbishop of York ‘deeply sorry’ for not being able to act sooner over sex abuse case | UK News

Archbishop of York Stephen Cottrell has said he is “deeply sorry that we were not able to take action earlier” over a sex abuse case.

Mr Cottrell is due to temporarily take over from the Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby who will step down on 6 January over failures in handling a separate sex abuse case in the church.

However, his position has been called into question after a BBC investigation and he is facing calls to resign.

The investigation claimed that, when Mr Cottrell was Bishop of Chelmsford, he let priest David Tudor stay in post in the diocese despite knowing he had been banned by the Church from being alone with children and paid compensation to a sexual abuse victim.

In a statement on Monday, Mr Cottrell said he “acted immediately” within the authority he had regarding the case.

Mr Cottrell said he faced a “horrible and intolerable” situation when he became Bishop of Chelmsford, having been briefed on the situation.

He said: “News coverage incorrectly implies that no action was taken until 2024. That is not the case.

“In my capacity as Bishop of Chelmsford, I suspended David Tudor from office at the first opportunity, when a new victim came forward to the police in 2019.

“Up until 2019, there were no legal grounds to take alternative action.

“When I joined the Chelmsford diocese in 2010, I worked closely with its very professional safeguarding team to ensure the risk was managed.

“But it was not possible to remove David Tudor from office until such time as fresh complaints were made, which happened when a victim bravely spoke to the police.

“Once this happened in 2019, I acted immediately. I suspended David Tudor from all ministry pending the investigation and subsequent tribunal hearing in which he was removed from office and prohibited from ministry for life.”

The Church of England said the BBC programme showed a “catalogue of past safeguarding decisions that allowed someone who was considered a risk in the 1980s to return to ministry in the 1990s”.

“This should never have happened,” it added.

Bishop of Newcastle Helen-Ann Hartley has said she feels it is “impossible” for Mr Cottrell to remain in post, or lead the Church.

Speaking on BBC Radio 4’s Today programme, she said: “My personal view is that the evidence before us makes it impossible for Stephen Cottrell to be that person in which we have confidence and trust to drive the change that is needed.”

She added he would lack the “credibility or moral authority” to lead the Church and said there was “still a strong element” of a boys’ club within the organisation.

Dr Hartley was the only bishop to publicly call for Mr Welby’s resignation following the Makin Review into the handling of allegations against serial abuser John Smyth.

Mr Welby announced he would resign last month after initially refusing to do so.

Read more:
Who was John Smyth?
Justin Welby profile: Links to Churchill on slave owners

The report found that Smyth, the most prolific serial abuser associated with the Church, could have been brought to justice if Mr Welby had reported him to the police in 2013.

admin 0 Comments

Uncategorized

Nov 28 2024

Mohamed al Fayed: Police investigating ‘more than five’ people who may have ‘enabled’ alleged abuse of women and girls | UK News

Detectives have launched a new investigation into more than five people suspected of helping Mohamed al Fayed commit widespread sexual abuse over almost 40 years.

The fresh allegations against the former Harrods and Fulham FC boss, including rape and sexual assault, span the years between 1977 and 2014, with the youngest victim aged just 13 at the time she was allegedly targeted.

The Metropolitan Police were previously contacted by 21 women, who made similar allegations about incidents between 2005 and 2023, but the billionaire businessman was never charged before his death aged 94 last August.

Some 150 people have since contacted the force, 90 of whom have been identified as potential victims, and officers are now looking at Fayed’s associates who are suspected of facilitating or enabling abuse.

More than five people are under investigation so far, the force said, although no arrests have yet been made.

Commander Stephen Clayman said: “I recognise the bravery of every victim-survivor who has come forward to share their experiences, often after years of silence.

“This investigation is about giving survivors a voice, despite the fact that Mohamed al Fayed is no longer alive to face prosecution.

“However, we are now pursuing any individuals suspected to have been complicit in his offending, and we are committed to seeking justice.”

In response to the new probes into associates of Fayed, Harrods said in a statement: “We are aware of and wholeheartedly support the Met police’s investigation. We have an open, direct and ongoing line of communication with the Met police for the benefit of the survivors.

“We continue to encourage all survivors to engage with the Met police and we welcome the investigation in supporting survivors in their wider pursuit of justice.”

Detectives are also reviewing the Met’s previous investigations, including 50,000 pages of evidence, to identify any missed chances or misconduct.

The force said previous investigations were “extensive and conducted by specialist teams” but accepts “contact with and support for some victims at the time could have been improved”.

Two files – the first in 2008 and the second in 2015 – were passed to the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) for a charging decision, but the CPS has said no charges were brought because there wasn’t a realistic prospect of conviction.

The Met already referred two cases to the police watchdog the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) after receiving complaints from two women about investigations in 2008 and 2013.

Commander Clayman said: “We are aware that past events may have impacted the public’s trust and confidence in our approach, and we are determined to rebuild that trust by addressing these allegations with integrity and thoroughness.

“We encourage anyone who has information or was affected by Fayed’s actions to reach out to us. Your voice matters, and we are here to listen and to help.”

Hundreds of women – many of whom worked for Fayed – have contacted lawyers alleging abuse following a BBC documentary about his behaviour.

Harrods has previously said it is “utterly appalled” by the claims and said it is a “very different organisation to the one owned and controlled by Fayed between 1985 and 2010”.

Fulham previously said they were trying to establish whether anyone at the club had been affected, and were encouraging people to come forward to the club’s safeguarding department or the police.

admin 0 Comments

Uncategorized

Sep 22 2024

Crown Prosecution Service acknowledges it twice failed to prosecute Mohamed al Fayed over sex abuse claims | UK News

The Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) has acknowledged it had twice failed to bring charges against Mohamed al Fayed for sexual abuse.

The former Harrods owner, who died last year at the age of 94, was described as a “monster” earlier this week by lawyers representing alleged sexual abuse victims.

Women say he raped and sexually assaulted them while they worked at the luxury department store, and accused him of “cherry-picking” women to be brought to his executive suite.

As the legal team said they have heard more than 150 inquiries into Fayed’s alleged crimes, a CPS spokesperson has now said evidence against the Egyptian businessman was provided to prosecutors by the Metropolitan Police twice.

In 2008, Fayed was accused of indecent assault against a 15-year-old girl, which he denied. The CPS did not prosecute the case when it was presented in 2009 over conflicting evidence.

He was then alleged to have raped a woman in 2013, which was reinvestigated by police in 2015 but did not lead to any charges.

While the CPS did review both files, the spokesperson said: “To bring a prosecution the CPS must be confident there is a realistic prospect of conviction – in each instance, our prosecutors looked carefully at the evidence and concluded this wasn’t the case.”

It marks the first time the service acknowledged the 2015 investigation. The CPS also provided the Met Police with early investigative advice for Fayed in 2018, 2021 and 2023.

Full evidence was never received for these instances and the police took no further action.

It comes after the victims’ legal team confirmed on Saturday they had received “over 150 new inquiries” after a BBC documentary on Fayed aired.

It also follows the former head of royal protection saying he warned the Royal Family about Fayed’s reputation before Princess Diana took Prince Harry and Prince William on holiday with the businessman’s son.

Dai Davies told Sky News people were aware of the Egyptian businessman’s reputation as far back as the 1990s, and said: “This was a man who I would be concerned [about] if a relative of mine was going on holiday with him, let alone the future king and his brother and their mother, Princess Diana.”

He added he was “horrified” before the late princess went on holiday with Fayed and his wife to their residence in St Tropez in July 1997.

“I was aware that he had tried very hard to ingratiate himself with the Royal Family,” he said, “and obviously knowing, as I did, the reputation he was alleged [to have] then, I was concerned, and I took the opportunity to inform the Royal Family.”

Buckingham Palace told Sky News it had no comment on the allegations.

Read more from Sky News:
‘Jail Starmer’ graffiti at MP’s office
Joshua stunned by British rival at Wembley

Fulham FC, which was owned by Fayed between 1997 and 2013, also said it is “deeply troubled” by the dozens of “disturbing” sexual abuse allegations against the businessman.

Harrods said in a statement on Thursday it was “utterly appalled” by the allegations of abuse and apologised to Fayed’s alleged victims.

The department store has also set up a page on its website inviting former employees to come forward if they have allegations.

admin 0 Comments

Uncategorized

Sep 14 2024

Man jailed 21 years on from raping 14-year-old girl in alley – after victim came forward to Rotherham sex abuse probe | UK News

A man has been jailed after raping a 14-year-old girl in an alleyway in Rotherham 21 years ago.

Waleed Ali, 42, was sentenced to five years in prison after jurors found him guilty of raping a girl under 16 at Sheffield Crown Court on Friday, the National Crime Agency (NCA) said.

He had previously been convicted of raping and indecently assaulting another girl, 13, in the same alleyway in early 2003 following an investigation by South Yorkshire Police, the agency added.

His latest conviction was a result of a probe into historic allegations of abuse in Rotherham, Yorkshire, between 1997 and 2023 – the NCA’s Operation Stovewood, the UK’s largest child sexual exploitation inquiry.

Ali, of Scunthorpe in Lincolnshire, was arrested and interviewed in September 2021 after a woman told Operation Stovewood officers she had been attacked when she was 14 years old and had not reported it before.

The NCA said Ali was in his early 20s and living in Rotherham when he spotted the victim sitting alone at a water fountain in the town centre one day between March 2003 and March 2004.

He and a group of men approached the girl and he asked her to go into a nearby alleyway with him, the NCA said, adding that Ali grabbed her by the arm when she refused and tried to force her to her feet.

The girl was “intimidated” by the men and went into the dark alleyway, where Ali raped her “away from public sight”, the NCA said.

During the interview in 2021 he told officers he felt “sick” at their questions and denied the crime.

Read more from Sky News:
‘Choose the lesser evil’ in US election, says Pope
Sky News reports from inside flattened city in Gaza
Strictly Come Dancing returns as chaperones watch rehearsals

Senior investigating officer, Stuart Cobb, said: “After speaking with the victim, National Crime Agency officers meticulously identified corroborating evidence.

“For 21 years the victim suffered in silence but her brave testimony combined with our investigative work has ensured her attacker faced justice.

“I urge anyone who is a victim of child sexual abuse, no matter how long ago the abuse occurred, to seek support and, if they feel ready, report it to the police, who have officers specially trained to investigate such cases.”

It comes after seven men were jailed this week for committing child sex abuse offences against two young girls in Rotherham during the 2000s as part of Operation Stovewood, the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) said.

admin 0 Comments

Uncategorized

Sep 11 2024

Joint mortgages being used as ‘weapons’ for domestic abuse in ‘hidden crime’, charity warns | UK News

Joint mortgages can be used as a “weapon” by domestic abusers against their current or former partners, a charity has warned.

A report by Surviving Economic Abuse (SEA) said survivors of domestic abuse have been left with mortgage arrears, low credit ratings, and housing and economic insecurity.

At times, they said abusers have made their victims homeless by refusing to pay, agreeing to new terms, or selling up a joint mortgage.

One woman told the charity she is still in a joint mortgage with her former husband despite leaving him a decade ago.

“I can’t sell the property without his permission and, at any point, he can use his position to stop me from making mortgage repayments by withholding child support payments,” she said.

“Me and my children remain trapped in a mortgage prison with no way out.”

Sam Smethers, interim chief executive of SEA, has now called for new laws to protect victims and for financial services firms to make it harder for perpetrators to use joint mortgages to cause harm.

“Mortgage abuse is a hidden crime that’s destroying the lives of hundreds of thousands of survivors,” he said.

“Right now, banks are limited in what they can do to stop abusers from causing a lifetime of debt and homelessness for survivors.

“While banks can do more to support survivors within current rules, only an urgent law change can stop abusers from destroying lives.

“We urge the government to set up an economic abuse task force to prevent abusers from weaponising joint mortgages.”

Read more:
Victims to receive ‘flee funds’ to escape abusive partners
Survivors forced to stay with abusers during cost of living crisis

The report – called Locked into a Mortgage, Locked out of my Home – referenced a survey by Opinium of more than 1,000 women who had a joint mortgage, carried out in the last two years.

It found 78% of women who experienced mortgage abuse from a partner felt unable to leave for fear of an unsafe living arrangement.

One in eight women – or 12% – said they experienced at least one aspect of abuse, and nearly half – 49% – said they had to cut back on essentials to cover their mortgage repayments.

Nine in 10 said their mental health suffered as a result of mortgage abuse, with 89% of respondents saying they experienced anxiety, depression, panic attacks or suicidal thoughts.

Read more from Sky News:
Starmer’s honeymoon is well and truly over
Multiple bodies found on Mont Blanc
Follow the latest on Trump v Harris debate

Fiona Turner, head of vulnerability policy at UK Finance, said: “We know that more needs to be done with support from regulators and government.”

She added UK Finance has recommended mortgage lenders “review their policies to allow more flexibility when a victim-survivor is dealing with issues around an existing joint mortgage as lenders must currently show an equal responsibility to both borrowers”, and said a government task force is needed to address legal issues for lenders.

A government spokesperson said: “We recognise the devastating impact financial and economic abuse can have on victims, which is why this year we are providing £200,000 to Surviving Economic Abuse to raise awareness and support victims.

“The numbers in this report, which we are now considering, are stark and show how vital our mission to halve violence against women and girls in a decade is.”

admin 0 Comments

Uncategorized

Aug 12 2024

UK riots: Respect for police needs to be restored after ‘brazen abuse and contempt’ by rioters, Home Secretary Yvette Cooper says | Politics News

The home secretary has said respect for the police needs to be restored after the “brazen abuse and contempt” shown by rioters.

Yvette Cooper said there is “lots of rebuilding to be done” after a fortnight of rioting following the Southport stabbings on 29 July.

“Respect for the police, respect for the law, and respect for each other is where we must start,” she wrote in The Daily Telegraph.

She said too often people feel “crime has no consequences” and that “has to change” as she promised to restore confidence in policing and the criminal justice system.

Hundreds of people involved in the riots have been arrested and dozens have already been sentenced after the government pushed for them to be put through the justice system speedily.

The disorder was spurred on by false online claims the Southport stabbings suspect was an illegal immigrant. Axel Rudakubana, 17, born in Cardiff to Rwandan parents, has been charged with three murders and 10 attempted murders.

Ms Cooper said the country should have been talking about the deaths of three young girls and those who were injured.

Instead, she said, police officers had to “defend themselves against bricks, bottles, fireworks and other missiles, as they try to protect mosques, hotels and high streets against criminal violence and racist attacks”.

The home secretary said the attacks on communities and police have been “a disgraceful assault on the rule of law itself”.

“Those who try to suggest that this violence is about protest and grievance are making excuses for criminals and thugs,” she warned.

She said she is not prepared to “tolerate the brazen abuse and contempt” from a minority towards police.

And she said there has been a “disrespect for law and order that has been allowed to grow in recent years”.

“We must take action to restore respect for the police, and respect for the law,” she added.

Read more:
Riots fuelled by social media – with tech giants in govt’s sights
‘Could this have been avoided?’: Parents’ letter read out at funeral

Ms Cooper said the government planned to put thousands more neighbourhood police officers and police community support officers (PCSOs) “back on to our streets”.

In a dig at the former Conservative government, she said Labour wanted to reverse “the collapse in community policing” over the past 14 years and wants to rebuild the relationships between local communities and their police forces.

Ms Cooper promised to work with the police “rather than just blaming them from afar, to tackle problems and raise standards”.

Read more:
Musk v Starmer – What have they accused each other of?

Without naming anyone, she said there had been “shameful behaviour” from “some senior politicians and pundits who sought to undermine the legitimacy and authority of the police”.

Reform UK leader Nigel Farage and X owner Elon Musk are two of the most well-known people to have accused the UK of having “two-tier policing”.

Two-tier policing, flatly denied by the government and police chiefs, is the perception that some protests are treated more favourably than others.

Sir Keir Starmer has cancelled his summer holiday plans as the government continues to deal with the fallout from the rioting.

He instructed police to remain on high alert over the weekend, but no widespread unrest materialised.

Anti-racism protesters gathered in London, Belfast and Edinburgh. Thousands demonstrated outside the headquarters of Reform UK.

admin 0 Comments

Uncategorized

Jul 22 2024

AI being used to generate deepfake child sex abuse images based on real victims, report finds | UK News

Artificial intelligence (AI) is being used to generate deepfake child sexual abuse images based on real victims, a report has found.

The tools used to create the images remain legal in the UK, the Internet Watch Foundation (IWL) said, even though AI child sexual abuse images are illegal.

It gave the example of one victim of child rape and torture, whose abuser uploaded images of her when she was between three and eight years old.

The non-profit organisation reported that Olivia, not her real name, was rescued by police in 2023 – but years later dark web users are using AI tools to computer-generate images of her in new abusive situations.

Offenders are compiling collections of images of named victims, such as Olivia, and using them to fine-tune AI models to create new material, the IWL said.

One model for generating new images of Olivia, who is now in her 20s, was available to download for free, it found.

A dark web user reportedly shared an anonymous webpage containing links to AI models for 128 different victims of child sexual abuse.

Other fine-tuned models can generate AI child sexual material of celebrity children, the IWL said.

IWL analysts found 90% of AI images were realistic enough to be assessed under the same law as real child sexual abuse material.

They also found AI images are becoming increasingly extreme.

Read more:
New AI tool could be game-changer in battle against Alzheimer’s
Why Google’s greenhouse gas emissions have surged 48% in five years

‘Incredibly concerning but also preventable’

The IWL warned “hundreds of images can be spewed out at the click of a button” and some have a “near flawless, photo-realistic quality”.

Its chief executive Susie Hargreaves said: “We will be watching closely to see how industry, regulators and government respond to the threat, to ensure that the suffering of Olivia, and children like her, is not exacerbated, reimagined and recreated using AI tools.”

Richard Collard of the NSPCC said: “The speed with which AI-generated child abuse is developing is incredibly concerning but is also preventable. Too many AI products are being developed and rolled out without even the most basic considerations for child safety, retraumatising child victims of abuse.

“It is crucial that child protection is a key pillar of any government legislation around AI safety. We must also demand tough action from tech companies now to stop AI abuse snowballing and ensure that children whose likeness are being used are identified and supported.”

admin 0 Comments

Uncategorized

Jul 20 2024

Strictly Come Dancing judge Craig Revel Horwood breaks silence on ‘shock’ of abuse allegations | Ents & Arts News

Strictly Come Dancing judge Craig Revel Horwood has said allegations of abusive behaviour on the show came as a “shock”.

Last weekend, professional dancer Graziano Di Prima said he was leaving the BBC show after claims about his treatment of reality star Zara McDermott – including confirmed reports he kicked her during a rehearsal.

There have also been allegations about the teaching methods of professional dancer Giovanni Pernice, which he has dismissed as “simply false”.

Speaking to radio presenter Lucy Owen on BBC Radio Wales, Revel Horwood said he only found out about the allegations “through the press”.

“For me it’s a shock, and news to me, because the judges are never present at any of the teaching, we literally come in on a Saturday and just judge what we see before us.

“So we’re kept very, very separate to the rest of the company.

“For us it’s complete news. Every day that I read about something I think ‘That can’t be right’, so I’ll wait and see what happens with the investigations, but certainly we have nothing to do with that.”

Asked if he is worried about the future of Strictly, he added: “I don’t think so because it’s one of those shows that belongs in the people’s hearts that are at home who love dancing, and there’s nothing better than seeing someone come from nothing and work hard and move up to being absolutely phenomenal.”

The BBC has said it will introduce production staff chaperones into all future rehearsals.

The corporation has said it will also add two dedicated welfare producers to the show’s crew and deliver more training for the production team.

Revel Horwood said he thought it was a good idea.

“When I was in (the musical) Annie we had chaperones everywhere, because the kids and laws and all of that stuff,” he said.

The 59-year-old is currently starring in the UK tour of The Wizard Of Oz.

“I’ve noticed in the theatre world we have chaperones and people we can speak to if you’re having a down day,” he said.

“We have psychologists on the shows now, and all of that, so I think it’s just a normal progression of what’s happening in life now.”

He added: “I think it’s good. I think it’s good to have that.”

Read more from Sky News:
Supermodel’s Adidas campaign pulled after being called ‘sick’
Slave Play’s ‘black out’ theatre nights are in name only

On Friday, former Strictly professionals Ian Waite and Vincent Simone said they were “surprised” by the allegations.

Speaking to ITV’s Good Morning Britain, Mr Waite said he did not experience anyone being aggressive during his time on the show, but condemned any physical action as “not appropriate”.

Di Prima has said he “deeply” regrets the events that led to his departure, but that there are “aspects” of the story he cannot “discuss at this time”.

Kate Phillips, BBC’s director of unscripted, has said that while “the vast majority of those who have taken part” in BBC shows have had positive experiences, when the corporation is made aware of inappropriate behaviour “we will always take that seriously and act”.

A BBC investigation is ongoing.

admin 0 Comments

Uncategorized

Jun 11 2024

Police launch investigation into sex abuse allegations at Earl Spencer’s Maidwell Hall boarding school | UK News

Police have launched an investigation into allegations of sexual abuse at Earl Spencer’s Maidwell Hall boarding school.

The younger brother of Princess Diana claimed in his memoir, published earlier this year, that he had suffered sexual abuse and physical beatings from a female member of staff during his time at the boarding school.

Earl Spencer attended the Northamptonshire school during the 1970s from the ages of eight to 13.

On Monday, local police said they had launched a criminal investigation into “allegations of non-recent sexual abuse” at Maidwell Hall School.

A spokesperson for the force said they were in the “early stages” of investigating the claims and would seek all available lines of inquiry to “help bring perpetrators to justice”.

In his memoir, A Very Private School, Earl Spencer said he was abused by an assistant matron when he was 11, leaving him with such trauma that he self-harmed over the notion she may leave the school.

Earl Spencer, who said he’d been left with lifelong “demons” after the abuse, wrote: “There seemed to be an unofficial hierarchy among her prey… she chose one boy each term to share her bed and would use him for intercourse.

“Her control over mesmerised boys was total, for we were starved of feminine warmth and desperate for attention and affection.”

Earl Spencer claimed that as a result of the abuse he suffered, he lost his virginity to an Italian prostitute age 12.

Of the act, he said he now thinks he was “simply completing the process set in motion by the assistant matron’s perverted attention”.

Read more from Sky News
GP fears patients will suffer after NHS cyber attack
Two boys, 12, guilty of machete attack
TV presenter and conservationist Simon Cowell dies

He described reliving his time at the school as “an absolutely hellish experience”, writing: “I’ve frequently witnessed deep pain, still flickering in the eyes of my Maidwell contemporaries.

“Many of us left Maidwell with demons sewn into the seams of our souls.”

A Maidwell Hall spokesperson previously told Sky News the school was “dismayed” by the allegations of abuse, adding “we are sorry”.

The spokesperson also said: “It is difficult to read about practices which were, sadly, sometimes believed to be normal and acceptable at that time.

“Almost every facet of school life has evolved significantly since the 1970s.

“At the heart of these changes is the strict safeguarding of children – protecting them from abuse and maltreatment – and the promotion of their welfare.”

They referred themselves to the local authority after the allegations surfaced, and encouraged anyone with similar experiences to contact them, or the police.

admin 0 Comments

Uncategorized

Apr 11 2024

Caroline Flack’s celebrity status likely contributed to police charging her with domestic abuse, says mother | Ents & Arts News

Caroline Flack’s mother has told Sky News that her daughter’s celebrity status is likely to have contributed towards the Metropolitan Police’s decision to charge the TV presenter with domestic abuse.

Chris Flack has called for the Met Police to give its side of the story in the lead-up to her daughter’s death.

It comes as the force announced it would reinvestigate the circumstances leading up to the decision to charge the TV presenter with assaulting her boyfriend.

The 40-year-old former Love Island host died in February 2020, with a coroner saying she took her own life after discovering she was definitely going to be prosecuted.

In an interview with Sky News, Flack’s mother said there had been “no written rationale” for why the Met Police pushed for her daughter to be charged.

She told The UK Tonight With Sarah-Jane Mee: “The IOPC [Independent Office for Police Conduct] have found all these things that were wrong.”

The CPS had recommended Flack only get a caution but this was overturned after the Met appealed.

She was ultimately charged with assault by beating over the incident, which involved her boyfriend Lewis Burton in December 2019.

Flack’s mother said: “This wasn’t domestic violence. This was an accident. But she was portrayed in the court and in the newspapers as a domestic abuser, and that’s what hurts. That’s what I want got rid of – because she wasn’t.”

She said her daughter’s celebrity status likely contributed to the police’s decision, saying she had an email from the coroner’s court saying the force treated her daughter differently.

“They could tell by the way the police were acting that they were treating her differently. And that’s not on. She shouldn’t be treated better, but she shouldn’t be treated worse.”

Asked about her daughter’s version of events, Ms Flack said: “I think she was just going along with it. She wasn’t aware of any rights. She just didn’t know. It was just horrendous to be locked up in a cell.

“She was having to be checked on every half an hour because of her mental health. She could have been sent home.”

She added: “It wasn’t right what they did that night, and I don’t think that would have happened to many people.”

The Met Police has said it has referred a complaint from Flack’s family to the IOPC on 7 March.

Ms Flack said the Metropolitan Police Commissioner Sir Mark Rowley “won’t talk to me” and she had requested meetings with him several times.

She added: “I’ve also been told that all new practices were being put across the police force countrywide because of what happened to Carrie. That was meant to make me feel better – it actually doesn’t, because I don’t think anything will change.”

The Metropolitan Police said it is making “further enquiries” because “new witness evidence may be available” about officers’ actions in appealing the CPS decision.

The Met’s Directorate of Professional Standards (DPS) previously found there was no misconduct in the case, prompting another complaint from Flack’s family to the IOPC.

It also didn’t find any misconduct by the Met, but ordered the force to apologise for not recording its reason for appealing against the caution.

Flack’s mother rejected the apology at the time.

Watch the full interview with Caroline Flack’s mother on The UK Tonight With Sarah-Jane Mee from 8pm on Sky News

Anyone feeling emotionally distressed or suicidal can call Samaritans for help on 116 123 or email jo@samaritans.org in the UK. In the US, call the Samaritans branch in your area or 1 (800) 273-TALK

admin 0 Comments

Hoang Viet

Hoang Viet

More on Artificial Intelligence