Viscount Tonypany abuse claims still being investigated, say police
SOUTH Wales Police have confirmed they are continuing to look into historic sex allegations made against the Viscount Tonypandy, George Thomas.
Detectives started to investigate the allegations, involving a young boy who was aged nine at the time, in 2014.
The alleged victim, now in his 50s, made claims dating back to the 1960s and early 1970s against the politician, who he said had befriended his foster parents.
The peer, then still known as George Thomas, was a teacher before becoming an MP in Car- diff and a long-standing Speaker of the House of Commons.
Speaking to the Mirror in 2014, the man who made the allegations said: “Things started small but then got a lot worse. It has been with me all my life.”
He said the alleged incidents were also carried out at another address in the city.
Earlier this week a number of people – including Rhondda AM Leanne Wood – called upon Crown Carveries to change the name of its Rhondda outlet from the Lord Tonypandy.
A number of people are also calling on the George Thomas Hospice Care in Treorchy to also consider changing its name.
Writing on Facebook, Sarah Broome said: “Why should the hospital in Treorchy be named after him?”
Mike Walsh, chief exec- utive of George Thomas Hospice Care, said the hospice was considering changing its name following its general meeting in September.
He said the hospice was considering changing its name to resonate more with the local community’s younger generation, and it was merely “incidental” that the issue was raised around the time of the Aberfan disaster’s 50th anniversary.
“A review into the corporate identity of the hospice included the possibility of changing the name to something more current,” Mr Walsh said.