The leader of Rochdale Council has told an inquiry he had no knowledge of the sexual abuse of children at a residential school in the town despite mounting evidence in the early 1990s.
The Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse is examining how the late MP Cyril Smith and others were able to target youngsters at institutions in Rochdale over several decades.
It has heard how senior council staff knew about serious allegations of sexual abuse involving children at Knowl View School by the early 1990s. But Richard Farnell, who regained the position of Labour council leader in 2014 after a gap of 22 years, told the inquiry he was never informed of the scandal during his first stint in office between 1986 and 1992.
Read more at: http://www.thestar.co.uk/news/news-wire/council-leader-nobody-told-me-about-rochdale-school-sex-abuse-1-8821218
Rochdale inquiry: Council leader denies seeing Knowl View abuse report
The leader of Rochdale Council has accused a colleague of lying about claims he knew of sexual abuse at a residential school in the 90s.
Richard Farnell, who was leader between 1986 and 1992, told the Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse he was “unaware” of problems at Knowl View.
Brian Altman QC questioned repeatedly how Mr Farnell could be “completely oblivious” to the concerns.
The hearings are examining alleged abuse of boys in Rochdale.
Read on… http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-manchester-41736418
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