A former employee at a children’s home, accused of raping a 15-year-old boy who later died by suicide, allegedly received protection from fellow members of the Freemasons within the justice system, according to a campaign by survivors.
The young boy was discovered deceased in a bathroom at the infamous Shirley Oaks children’s home in Croydon in 1977, two years after the man he had accused of abuse was acquitted. The accused, Donald Hosegood, a confirmed Freemason, faced trial in 1975 on multiple charges of rape and indecent assault involving four children, but the case was dropped.
In 1998, additional allegations of sexual abuse against Hosegood surfaced during the Operation Middleton inquiry in Lambeth, South London, where officers reportedly falsely claimed he was deceased. Hosegood passed away in 2011 without facing legal consequences.
The Shirley Oaks Survivors Association is now urging the Metropolitan Police to investigate the case following demands by Commissioner Sir Mark Rowley for law enforcement officers associated with secret societies, particularly the Freemasons, to disclose their memberships. The campaign alleges Masonic connections between a detective sergeant accused of misconduct and two other officers implicated in concealing the case.
Founder of SOSA, Raymond Stevenson, a friend of the deceased boy, expressed concerns over the handling of Operation Middleton, suggesting a deliberate strategy to shield law enforcement officers involved in the abuse. Stevenson emphasized the need for accountability and criticized the perceived protective nature of secret societies like the Freemasons.
The investigation by SOSA, led by Stevenson and Lucia Hinton, uncovered a significant child abuse scandal at Shirley Oaks, which came to light in 2014. The association’s report, “Justice Is Above The Law,” identifies police officers allegedly linked to child abuse or cover-ups due to their ties with secret societies like the Masons and the Catenians.
SOSA intends to share its findings with Members of Parliament and relevant organizations. Their advocacy led to an independent inquiry into child sexual abuse, revealing widespread mistreatment of children under Lambeth Council’s care.
The inquiry, which SOSA chose not to participate in, revealed details about Hosegood’s behavior, including his alleged display of a Masonic handbook to arresting officers. Stevenson suspects foul play in his friend’s death and believes that Hosegood may have been involved, citing personal experiences with the accused.
Lambeth Council has compensated several survivors of abuse by Hosegood, including a victim who endured years of assault starting from a young age. Former residents also implicated other abusers, such as William Hook and Fred Cummins, receiving compensation for the trauma they endured.
Individual accounts from survivors like Shayne Donnelly and Tony Brown shed light on the pervasive abuse within Shirley Oaks, linking multiple perpetrators to a network of abusers. The survivors’ testimonies underscore the challenges in seeking justice due to the alleged influence of secret societies within the police force.
SOSA’s investigations have raised concerns about the interference of organizations like the Catenian Association in child abuse cases, indicating a broader systemic issue within law enforcement. The role of secret societies in obstructing justice has been a subject of ongoing scrutiny and calls for transparency within the police force.
Overall, survivors and advocates continue to push for accountability and reforms to address historical injustices and prevent future instances of abuse within institutional settings.
