BISHOP AUCKLAND, UK, RITUAL ABUSE CASE
Four Families from Bishop Auckland, County Durham were accused
of Satanic Ritual Abuse in 1993.
The trigger for this MVMO case was a teenager who was accused, charged and
convicted of molesting children. This, plus neighborhood animosities led
to charges of Satanic Ritual Abuse against four families who were in fact
not Satanists, but Atheists, Baptists and Roman Catholics. Their accusers
were other families who lived on the same street. They were supported by an
Evangelical Christian minister who coached the children to reenact Satanic
ritual scenes. The accused faced multiple charges of rape and sodomy.
Additional allegations included:
- genital mutilation with fishhooks
- useage of plastic inflatable demons
- cutting off the tails of three rats
- cutting up rats and smearing bodies with blood
- shooting people in the anus with airguns
- rituals of Satanic, Witchcraft and Voodoo origin
The original investigation was performed by the police. They found no
evidence to support the charges. The girls were medically checked and
found to be virgins. A joint team of police officers and social workers
was organized. They were able to obtain allegations from the children. A
pediatrician from Newcastle, Dr. C. de San Lazaro, supported the accusing
families; Dr. Lazaro was also active in the Newcastle MVMO case described
above.
As in previous MVMO cases, this one was investigated with a large commitment
of personnel. Charges were laid, even though physical evidence was totally
missing and the interviewers used unreliable techniques. However, this case
is different. In the United Kingdom, a separation is maintained between
the Crown Prosecution Service and the prosecuting counsel in court.
In 1995-JAN, the senior prosecutor, David Robson decided to not prosecute
because:
- he felt the jury would not be persuaded by the "evidence"
- the allegations were unbelievable; he said that they were reminiscent of
the Witchhunts which occurred in Salem MA about 500 years ago
- there may have been cross-contamination of evidence among the children
- the interview techniques were suspect
The accusing parents started proceedings to bring a civil suit against the
accused.
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Ritual Abuse Cases