Counter Pedophilia Investigate Unit

Mark Berndt appeared in court today on charges that he committed lewd acts on 23 boys and girls, ages 6 to 10, between 2008 and 2010. The Miramonte third grade school teacher was arrested Monday at his home in Torrance and is being held on $23 million bail.

His alleged crimes include gagging students aged 7 to 10 with tape, putting 3-inch long Madagascar cockroaches on their faces and in their mouths and forcing them to taste semen. (more…)

BERLIN—A German court has convicted a Roman Catholic priest of some 250 counts of sexually abusing children over a several-year period and sentenced him to six years in prison.

German news agency dapd reported that the state court in Braunschweig on Thursday convicted the priest, who was found guilty of abusing three boys aged 9 to 15 between 2004 and 2011. (more…)

Stating that the Crime Branch-CID of the State police had not properly investigated a case relating to the alleged sexual abuse of a four-year-old child by two school teachers, the Madras High Court on Tuesday ordered transfer of investigation to the CBI.

In its judgment on a writ petition, the First Bench comprising Chief Justice M.Y.Eqbal and Justice T.S.Sivagnanam, said the victim should not be subjected to any further medical test. Investigation should proceed based on the available medical opinion. (more…)

AN INTERNATIONAL karate champion from York has been jailed for five years for child abuse against a 13-year-old girl.

Liam O’Grady, was sentenced today at York Crown Court, after being convicted by a jury last month. O’Grady, 30, of Osbaldwick, has taught hundreds of children karate at after-school clubs and won gold at World and European level.

A jury had heard earlier that he sent sexual texts and pictures of himself to the girl and sexually abused her in his house, his car and men’s toilets. (more…)

A preacher who stood as a Conservative candidate for Holyrood has been jailed for eight years for a 15-year campaign of child abuse.

John Smart, 48, preyed on three youngsters he met at the Edinburgh City Mission.

He began abusing one of his victims when the boy was just three years old. Judge Lady Dorrian put Smart on the sex offenders’ register and ordered him to be monitored in the community for three years after his release.

(more…)

A MARRIED man who has been accused of child abuse has been described as a “fun loving” and “friendly” teacher by former colleagues.

Susan Wilkey and Barbara Probert are former colleagues of David Griffiths, 50, who is facing child sex abuse charges at Wood Green Crown Court.

Speaking about Mr Griffiths as a teacher, Mrs Wilkey told the court: “I wouldn’t say he was very strict. He was fun loving and enjoyed a joke with the children. It was quite a happy and relaxed atmosphere in David’s classroom.” (more…)

COLUMBIANA, Ala. — Daniel Montague Acker, Jr, – who is a former Shelby County teacher – is in the Shelby County jail charged with three counts of sexual child abuse.

He is the son of Shelby County Commissioner Daniel Acker, Sr. Acker, Jr, was a fourth grade teacher for 25 years, he drove a school bus for 15 years and had been a substitute bus driver since he retired in 2009.

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FRANKFORT — All deaths and near-deaths of children who have been abused would be reviewed by an 11-member panel, and information about children who died as a result of abuse or neglect would be public, under a proposal before the legislature.

House Bill 200, filed Wednesday, would create an external panel that would include the attorney general, doctors, prosecutors and judges.

After the review, the panel would develop recommendations to address systemic issues and child-welfare practices. Any problems the panel identified in the actions of state and local agencies would be referred to authorities for review. (more…)

Fan dressed in provocative outfit at Penn State’s 30-14 defeat in Ticketcity Bowl, Dallas
Student carried sign saying: ‘Keep quiet and don’t tell anyone’
Former assistant coach Jerry Sandusky denies more than 50 charges of alleged abuse of young boys
Two college authorities face charges over cover-up of alleged abuse

There was double humiliation at Penn State’s final football game of the season, after one student dressed up as anti-paedophile mascot ‘Paedobear’ to protest at the sex scandal cover up at the college. (more…)

The Assembly Judiciary Committee is scheduled today to consider a bill that would eliminate the two-year statute of limitations on lawsuits brought by victims of child sexual abuse.

A state Senate committee backed the bill Iate 2010, and the Assembly panel should follow suit. In fact, this is one of those proposals that seems so obvious that we can only wonder why it took so long for legislators to get around to acting on it.

But as so often happens, this is a case of lawmakers reacting to high-profile events rather than anticipating them. We can, however, at least appreciate the wisdom of the reaction. (more…)