William Hague stifled 1996 paedophile report, says 'victim'

A man who claims to have been abused as a boy by a senior Conservative has accused William Hague of "stifling" a 1997 paedophile inquiry by preventing it from examining claims beyond the care system in north Wales.

William Hague, the Foreign Secretary 

Steve Messham said Mr Hague had "questions to answer" over why a public inquiry by Sir Ronald Waterhouse was restricted under terms of reference laid down by the then Welsh secretary.

Mr Messham believes that Sir Ronald's three-year inquiry would have unearthed evidence of high-profile figures abusing children in collusion with care home staff had it not had such a narrow remit.

Earlier this week, David Cameron announced a review of Sir Ronald's inquiry following claims by Mr Messham on the BBC's Newsnight that a high-ranking member of the Tory Party was among his abusers.

Mr Messham, 49, claimed he was raped "more than a dozen times" by the politician when he was 13 years old.

The politician in question, who is still alive, has vehemently denied the allegation, and said he had only been to Wrexham, where the rapes are alleged to have taken place, once in his life.

When Mr Hague announced the Waterhouse Inquiry in 1996, he said its job was to "inquire into the abuse of children in care in the former county council areas of Gwynedd and Clwyd since 1974". Mr Messham said the remit prevented Sir Ronald, a former judge, from looking into abuse outside the two areas but which was linked to staff at the care homes.
He said: "These terms of reference sti-fled the inquiry and meant that my allegations and others were not fully investigated. Mr Hague has some questions to answer about the terms of reference of the report."
A spokesman for Mr Hague said: "The terms of reference were proposed by officials in the Welsh Office and agreed by ministers and widely supported by Parliament. There were no serious representations from MPs or the judge to challenge them at any time."
Mr Messham made allegations about the senior Tory to Sir Ronald's inquiry but the judge said at the time he thought they were in the "realm of fantasy".

NWN: So is this why he has resigned from the tories ? My God Thatchers regime was stuffed full with paedophiles !