BBC report club sacked a scout accused of sexual abuse 1988 but didn't report it

[Diablo]

Upsetting and disturbing report on the BBC that Aston Villa sacked a scout (in 1988) accused of sexually abusing boys but did not go to the police at the time.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-38770506

[dave17]

This is the post I thought I'd never read

[Concrete Tom]

Dissapointing news. I do hope that GT was not involved.

I wonder why they chose to release the story in the middle of the night.

[ldavfc4eva]

Sickening reading, it beggars belief that such things could happen like this and not be taken seriously at the time. For a man in the position this guy was in to have had "a different boy in his bed each night" makes for vile reading - it's shocking this sort of thing ever happened but even more shocking is the length of time it's taken for the allegations to come out.

[sid1964]

Awful feel so sorry for anyone who was exploited by this piece of filth

[Zouch Villa]

I'm not defending the club, but have only skimmed through the report. Am I right in thinking that the issue was raised by a player not at the club, and that the parents asked not to take the matter further?

It is a sickening issue that we'd all hoped would not have reached the Villa.

[maidstonevillain]

I'm not defending the club, but have only skimmed through the report. Am I right in thinking that the issue was raised by a player not at the club, and that the parents asked not to take the matter further?

It is a sickening issue that we'd all hoped would not have reached the Villa.

It does seem that Villa are being criticised because they did take action, and probably more action than other clubs would have done at that time.  It seems the perpetrator was only employed as a part-time scout.  The children involved were not, it seems, part of the Villa youth set up, and none of the parents it seems wanted the matter reported to the place. Villa had there own enquiry, and they sacked him. It seems that Villa had no more of a duty to report it to the Police than the parents did.  And indeed Leicester City it seems. 

[olaftab]

I bet we are no different from how other clubs and most institutions behaved in that era. Not good enough I am afraid but let's make sure if that was the case it's never repeated.

[ColinMac]

I went to school with Tony. Sickening story.

[peter w]

I'm not defending the club, but have only skimmed through the report. Am I right in thinking that the issue was raised by a player not at the club, and that the parents asked not to take the matter further?

It is a sickening issue that we'd all hoped would not have reached the Villa.

It does seem that Villa are being criticised because they did take action, and probably more action than other clubs would have done at that time.  It seems the perpetrator was only employed as a part-time scout.  The children involved were not, it seems, part of the Villa youth set up, and none of the parents it seems wanted the matter reported to the place. Villa had there own enquiry, and they sacked him. It seems that Villa had no more of a duty to report it to the Police than the parents did.  And indeed Leicester City it seems. 

Again i don't know the ins and outs and also have skim read the story so have probably missed the bits that will shoot what i'm saying down - but also, was there anything that had actually happened for Villa to report the scout? Wasn't he previously convicted, or rumours, and as soon as we became aware we sacked him? Are we now not running the risk of judging a club by laws and attitudes of the 1980s? What people actually knew of the law and what to do in those circumstances? Sweeping things under the carpet was not just the preserve of entities like football clubs but also victims and their families as there was a shame involved and a lack of support for those being abused.

[Smithy]

I think the key thing here is that the club consulted with the parents of the children involved before going to the police, and they did not want it reported to the police.  If it turns out the club 'encouraged' them to stay quiet - then that's terrible and someone needs to be held accountable.  If it turns out the parents didn't want it going to the police as they feared for their child and hoped they could forget about it, then I'm not sure what else the club could have done, apart from go against the wishes of the parents, which is dodgy ground to say the least...

[dave.woodhall]

Without wishing to defend the indefensible, I wonder if the timing of this story has anything to do with Sir Graham's death - the dead can't sue, neither can they put their side of the story. I also seee that the solicitors involved are Slater & Gordon, who always strike me as a particularly rapacious bunch of ambulance chasers.

[Drummond]

These days all the clubs follow strict safeguarding procedures. They wouldn't ask the parents for permission, they are duty bound to report it regardless.

[lovejoy]

Also coaching youngsters these days I am required to do a child protection course (amongst other things). I have to say the FA are taking it seriously.

[maidstonevillain]

Without wishing to defend the indefensible, I wonder of the timing of this story has anything to do with Sir Graham's death - the dead can't sue, neither can they put their side of the story. I also seee that the solicitors involved are Slater & Gordon, who always strike me as a particularly rapacious bunch of ambulance chasers.

Slater and Gordon are it seems representing Richardson.  Not Tony Brien.