Why did they lie? FURY AT COUNCIL WHO LET BOY BE FOSTERED BY PAEDOS
ANGRY survivors confronted council chiefs over the death of a foster boy who killed himself after he was placed in the care of paedophiles.
Former care home residents shouted “blood on their hands” and “murderers” when James McCourt’s Cou t s c case se w was s raised at a council meeting eting this week.
The Sunday People revealed last week how James, right, ht, ended his life aged just 30 after being unable to live with searing memories of how he suffered d from two abusers.
Council chiefs in Lam Lambeth, South London, wer were still denying early th this year that officials h had employed one of the perverts, disgraced teac teacher John Michell. Campaigners’ spokesm ma n Ra y m o n d Stevenson told coun- cillors at the packed meeting: “Have you seen the newspaper article about James McCourt? It says that the council lied to us. Why did they lie?”
Mr Stevenson said documents showed the council privately accepted before James’s suicide in 1999 that he had been abused but failed to tell him he was believed. James’s sister Liz shouted: “You’ve got blood on your hands.” Councillors have voted for a £100million compensation scheme for the estimated 3,000 abuse victims but lawyers say it will allow a cover-up.
Council leader Lib Peck apologised to the meeting at the Oval cricket ground for failing to protect children.