Latest news with #childsexualabuse
CBS News
15 hours ago
- CBS News
Retired police officer in Beaver County charged with possession of child pornography
A retired police officer in Beaver County has been charged with felony possession of child sexual abuse material, according to the Pennsylvania Attorney General's Office. Peter Benedict Jr., a 68-year-old retired police officer, is now facing 11 felony counts of possession of child sexual abuse material and criminal use of a communication facility after a search of his home earlier this week. "This is unacceptable, lewd, criminal behavior for any member of society, let alone someone who took a sworn oath to protect his community as a law enforcement officer," Attorney General Sunday said. "My Child Predator Section is a team of experienced experts who work proactive investigations to find offenders engaged in criminal conduct online." According to the attorney general's office, the conduct did not occur while he was a police officer. Benedict had most recently served as a school resource officer between 2022 and 2023 and retired in 2023. On July 22, agents searched Benedict's Beaver County home and took electronic devices as a result. We will have more on this story on KDKA-TV News at 5:00 and 6:00.
BBC News
16 hours ago
- BBC News
Men found guilty of raping teenage girls in Rotherham
Three men have been found guilty of raping teenage girls in Rotherham more than two decades Ajaib, 43, Sageer Hussain, 39, and Mohammed Makhmood, 43, abused their victims in "the most horrendous way" between 1999 and 2002, the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) said. Their trial at Sheffield Crown Court was told how one girl was raped on separate occasions by Ajaib and Makhmood while Husain trapped another girl against her will and told her she would not be able to leave unless they had will be sentenced on 7 November while Ajaib and Makhmood will be sentenced on 21 November. The victims were aged 13 to 15 and 14 to 16 when the offending took court was told that after Makhmood raped the girl, he called her demeaning names and spat and laughed at her. Liz Fell, specialist prosecutor for the CPS Organised Child Sexual Abuse Unit, said the men "exploited the victims' youth and vulnerability to manipulate and control them".She added: "They sexually abused the victims, who were children, in the most horrendous way."The treatment these young girls endured was appalling - they were attacked in isolated locations and subjected to humiliation and verbal abuse."Both Makhmood and Hussain were found guilty of rape while Ajab was found guilty of rape and indecent trio were charged following an investigation by the National Crime Agency as part of Operation Stovewood - a major inquiry into child sexual abuse and exploitation in Rotherham between 1997 and 2013. Listen to highlights from South Yorkshire on BBC Sounds, catch up with the latest episode of Look North
ABC News
a day ago
- ABC News
Trial of former teacher Keith Bates-Willie, accused of child sexual abuse crimes, starts in Hobart
A former Hobart teacher and theatre director accused of indecently touching numerous students, with some of the alleged abuse dating back to the late 1970s, has fronted the Supreme Court in Hobart. WARNING: This story includes descriptions of alleged child sexual abuse, which some readers may find distressing. Keith Athol Bates-Willie, 71, has pleaded not guilty to 14 criminal charges including rape, indecent assault and the persistent sexual abuse of a child. The court heard the alleged abuse occurred while Mr Bates-Willie was a teacher at three separate schools in Hobart, including Rosetta High School, Kingston High School and Rosny College between the late 1970s and the early 2000s. Crown prosecutor Jack Shapiro told the court the accused built a level of "closeness" with the students and would talk to them about "adult" topics, including politics, travel and sex. He would invite them to have conversations with him in his office and encouraged them to spend time with him, the court heard. He would also offer to drive students home after theatre rehearsals. Mr Bates-Willie was also a director at a Hobart theatre company and it is alleged he encouraged students from school to have roles in the plays and would often have dinner parties at his house and had students sleep over. "The students would sleep in the accused's bed … there would be sexual activity between them." "He would tell them this was normal and that [they] should like what was happening." He also said "Mr Bates wouldn't take no for an answer". "He built an emotional connection with them [the students] so he was able to touch them sexually." Mr Shapiro told the court there were numerous occasions where it is alleged Mr Bates-Willie touched the genitals and anus of students. This is alleged to have happened during drama class, during relaxation exercises, in theatre rehearsal rooms and in his home. The court heard there are nine alleged victims, who will all give evidence. The trial, before Justice Stephen Estcourt, is expected to run for two to three weeks.
BBC News
4 days ago
- BBC News
Bishop Eamonn Casey: Gardaí taking no further investigative action
A review into the original investigation file on Bishop Eamonn Casey has been completed and no further investigative actions have been identified, An Garda Síochána (Irish police) have comes as his remains were removed from the crypt of Galway served as bishop of Galway from 1976 to 1992, and died in allegations of child sexual abuse have been made against him, including by his niece. In a statement, An Garda Síochána said the the Garda National Protective Services Bureau conducted a review of the original investigation file on Bishop Casey, at the request of the Garda Commissioner."This review has been completed and no further investigative actions have been identified."Bishop Casey is the first senior cleric to be disinterred in Ireland following posthumous concerns about his conduct, according to Irish national broadcaster RTÉ.It is not clear when the disinterment took place but the Galway Diocese confirmed that the remains are with his a statement, the Galway Diocese thanked everyone "for their understanding of the situation, for their patience and for their respect as this process was undertaken and brought to a conclusion".
Yahoo
4 days ago
- Politics
- Yahoo
Major overhaul flagged for Aussie childcare
The Federal Government's top lawyer is vowing 'action' on a national Working With Children check system following allegations of sexual abuse at a Melbourne childcare centre. Earlier this month, Victoria Police revealed it charged Joshua Dale Brown, 26, with more than 70 offences, including child rape and possession of child abuse material. He was a worker at Creative Garden Early Learning Centre in Point Cook and had a working with children check. The alleged abuse has stoked outrage, prompting Attorney-General Michelle Rowland to respond by saying a national system was the 'first item on the agenda' when she meets with state and territory counterparts. 'This is something we are actively doing now,' she told Sky News on Sunday. 'I've been in direct contact with my counterparts … engaging with them about the need to have reform in this area.' Ms Rowland said many would be 'shocked' to learn this was actually a recommendation coming out of a 2015 series of responses on the Royal Commission into child sexual abuse. 'We're now in 2025. What is important here is that we have action,' Mr Rowland said. 'The federal government has not been idle. 'We have been undertaking work to ensure that we do have some mechanisms that are in place.' Currently, Working With Children checks take place at a state and territory level. States and territories do not need to talk to each other about their processes or violations and there is no federal oversight. Ms Rowland said was working 'to ensure that we have a solution that allows near real time reporting, access to data, making sure that we've got consistency and uniformity'.Meanwhile, Education Minister Jason Clare has pledged to introduce legislation that would let Canberra cut federal funds to childcare centres that 'aren't up to scratch' on children's safety. He has said funding was one big lever the federal government could pull. Parliament will resume next week for the first time since the federal election.
