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Child abuse royal butler jailed | Child abuse royal butler jailed |
(about 1 hour later) | |
A former royal butler to the Queen and Queen Mother has been jailed for child abuse offences. | A former royal butler to the Queen and Queen Mother has been jailed for child abuse offences. |
Paul Kidd, 55, of Stalybridge, Greater Manchester, pleaded guilty to charges including indecent assault and sexual activity with a child. | Paul Kidd, 55, of Stalybridge, Greater Manchester, pleaded guilty to charges including indecent assault and sexual activity with a child. |
He was given an indeterminate prison term for the public's protection and ordered to serve at least six years. | |
Manchester Minshull Street Crown Court heard Kidd even took one of his victims to tea with the Queen Mother. | Manchester Minshull Street Crown Court heard Kidd even took one of his victims to tea with the Queen Mother. |
Kidd, of Castlehall View, worked as a butler from 1977 to 1979 and was senior footman to the Queen Mother from 1979 to 1984. | Kidd, of Castlehall View, worked as a butler from 1977 to 1979 and was senior footman to the Queen Mother from 1979 to 1984. |
The offences were committed between 1974 and 1977, 1981 and 1983 - when he was in the employ of the Queen Mother - and 2005 to 2008. | The offences were committed between 1974 and 1977, 1981 and 1983 - when he was in the employ of the Queen Mother - and 2005 to 2008. |
Kidd faced nearly 30 charges relating to sexual abuse against three children, who were under 16 when the offences took place. | |
A victim of Paul Kidd speaks out. Clip courtesy of ITN | |
The charges included nine offences of indecent assault on a boy under 16, three counts of sexual activity with a boy under 16 and three counts of sexual activity with a boy under 16. | |
Kidd also admitted 11 counts of making indecent photographs of a child and two charges of possessing indecent photographs of children. | |
Judge Mushtaq Khokhar told Kidd: "You were someone who had influenced your victims to such an extent they were under your spell. | |
"They would do anything you asked them to do. I regard you as someone who is dangerous and presents a risk to all the young people you may come across." | "They would do anything you asked them to do. I regard you as someone who is dangerous and presents a risk to all the young people you may come across." |
The court heard Kidd started grooming one of the boys when the victim was 12 after he had met him as a patient on a hospital ward where Kidd worked as a trainee nurse. | |
Another victim was 14 years old when he first spoke to Kidd on the CB radio airwave, the court heard. | |
The levels of abuse Kidd and Hobday subjected their victims to is nothing short of monstrous Det Con James Teggart | |
Kidd was caught after one of his three abuse victims read a newspaper interview which he gave on the 10th anniversary of the death of Diana, Princess of Wales. | Kidd was caught after one of his three abuse victims read a newspaper interview which he gave on the 10th anniversary of the death of Diana, Princess of Wales. |
Evidence of further abuse was uncovered during a search of Kidd's home. | Evidence of further abuse was uncovered during a search of Kidd's home. |
Among items found on his computer were 18,019 images of unknown children and a video recording of him abusing another youngster as recently as 2006. | Among items found on his computer were 18,019 images of unknown children and a video recording of him abusing another youngster as recently as 2006. |
Kidd introduced his most recent victim to a friend, David Hobday, who also abused the child. | Kidd introduced his most recent victim to a friend, David Hobday, who also abused the child. |
Hobday, 57, of St John Street, Dukinfield, was jailed for three years after he pleaded guilty to six counts of sexual activity with a child and one count of possessing an indecent image of a child. | Hobday, 57, of St John Street, Dukinfield, was jailed for three years after he pleaded guilty to six counts of sexual activity with a child and one count of possessing an indecent image of a child. |
Kidd introduced friend Hobday to one of his victims | |
Summing up his sentence, Judge Khokhar said to Kidd: "Each case involved grooming followed up by sexual abuse. | |
"In each case you gained the trust of the parents of the young victims so they could spend more time with you without expecting anything untoward was taking place." | |
He said he agreed with a pre-sentence report which found Kidd was "dangerous" because of his continued protestations he had done no damage to his three victims. | |
"There is a significant risk of you posing serious harm by the committing of sexual offences of this kind," Judge Khokhar added. | |
Speaking outside court, Det Con James Teggart of Greater Manchester Police's Child Protection Unit said: "The levels of abuse Kidd and Hobday subjected their victims to is nothing short of monstrous. | |
"The pair are sexual predators who have manipulated their victims and subjected them to the most horrific abuse time and again. | "The pair are sexual predators who have manipulated their victims and subjected them to the most horrific abuse time and again. |
"The victims have had their childhoods taken away from them and will have to deal with what they've been put through for the rest of their lives." | "The victims have had their childhoods taken away from them and will have to deal with what they've been put through for the rest of their lives." |