Recent e-mails concerning child-protection measures within an LGBT History Month project in Exeter
Friday, 23 January 2009
Some people may have seen e-mails circulated over the last week which are very hostile to Intercom. We don’t want to leave them unanswered, though we don’t want to give them more importance than they deserve; so we have written this brief statement for any supporters or other members of the public who are interested. If anyone needs more information please contact the Trust.
There was a successful Crown Court prosecution recently of a local man who was accused of possessing 1700 indecent images of young people. We discovered that the accused had attended an LGBT community project steering group. Attending that group had given him no access to young people. However, since we host and support that group I attended their next meeting to inform them of this development, and to suggest steps that they could take to ensure that the group was indeed a safe place for children, young people and vulnerable adults. The group considered the situation and took steps that its members unanimously regarded as appropriate.
As a minor part of the discussion there was reference to the artworks of a Cornish artist whose works have been seen by some as encouraging the sexual exploitation of children and young people. The group decided that under the circumstances they did not feel that such artworks could play any appropriate rôle in an LGBT History Month exhibition.
The fact that some of these hostile e-mails are signed by a Mr Malcolm Lidbury (a.k.a the “Pink Pasty”) in Cornwall, a man who on the public record is a registered sex offender living under a Sexual Offences Prevention Order for the protection of vulnerable young people, does not encourage us to rethink our position.
Michael Halls
Executive Director