Police probe new child abuse claims
Police are investigating three new allegations of child abuse in the Western Health Trust
Thursday September 02 2010
Police are investigating three new allegations of child abuse in the Western Health Trust.
The claims followed public outcry over the relocation to hospital of paedophile brothers James McDermott, 61, and Owen-Roe McDermott, 52, who sexually attacked children over 30 years in Co Fermanagh.
Assistant chief constable Alistair Finlay told the Policing Board in Belfast that not all the fresh complaints related to the pair, who spent time on a ward with patients with learning disabilities.
"Three further allegations of historical child abuse have been received by police, however they are not all connected to the McDermott brothers," he said.
Former board chairman Professor Sir Desmond Rea had asked whether more cases were being investigated in the Western Health and Social Care Trust.
The McDermott brothers voluntarily admitted themselves to Lakeview Hospital in Londonderry after they were deemed too mentally ill to stand trial in June.
Relatives of other patients on the ward with learning difficulties said they were relieved when the brothers were moved to a different unit.
James and Owen-Roe McDermott were given lifetime orders banning them from being with children and a two-year treatment and supervision order placing them in the care of social services.
