A worker at a children’s home who sexually assaulted a 15-year-old boy, who later died by hanging, allegedly received protection from fellow members of the Freemasons within the legal system, according to a campaign by survivors.
The teenager was discovered deceased in a bathroom at the infamous Shirley Oaks children’s home in Croydon in 1977, following the acquittal of Donald Hosegood, a confirmed Freemason, on charges of rape and indecent assault involving multiple children in 1975.
Additional accusations of sexual misconduct against Hosegood emerged in 1998 during the Operation Middleton investigation in Lambeth, but law enforcement officials falsely reported his death. Hosegood eventually passed away in 2011 without facing prosecution.
The Shirley Oaks Survivors Association is now urging the Metropolitan Police to look into the case, prompted by Commissioner Sir Mark Rowley’s call for officers affiliated with secret societies to disclose their memberships. Concerns have been raised about Masonic connections in a case involving a detective sergeant accused of molesting a colleague and two other officers suspected of concealing the incident.
Raymond Stevenson, the founder of SOSA, alleged a deliberate effort to shield police officers associated with secret societies, including the Masons, at the expense of justice for victims. The association’s investigations uncovered a severe child abuse scandal at Shirley Oaks, leading to the establishment of the Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse.
SOSA’s report, “Justice Is Above The Law,” identifies law enforcement members allegedly involved in child abuse or its cover-up due to ties with secret organizations like the Masons and the Catenians. Efforts are underway to share this information with lawmakers and relevant entities.
Compensation has been provided by Lambeth Council to survivors abused by Hosegood, including a victim who suffered repeated assaults at a young age. Former residents have also implicated other individuals, such as swimming instructor William Hook and deputy superintendent Fred Cummins, in a network of abuse at Shirley Oaks.
Numerous survivors have come forward with accounts of abuse, linking Hosegood and his associates to a pattern of misconduct. Concerns have been raised about the influence of secret societies in obstructing justice and protecting perpetrators within the system.
The revelations from SOSA’s investigations have shed light on systemic failures and cover-ups within care institutions, prompting calls for thorough investigations and accountability for those involved in heinous acts against vulnerable individuals.
