This article is from the source 'independent' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.

You can find the current article at its original source at http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/crime/chris-denning-interview-what-should-i-do-live-my-whole-life-on-my-own-i-wasnt-prepared-to-do-that-9929395.html

The article has changed 2 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.

Version 0 Version 1
Chris Denning interview: ‘What should I do? Live my whole life on my own? I wasn’t prepared to do that’ Chris Denning interview: ‘What should I do? Live my whole life on my own? I wasn’t prepared to do that’
(35 minutes later)
When Operation Yewtree began investigating historical child sexual abuse allegations, it was inevitable that Chris Denning would appear on Scotland Yard’s radar. The former BBC Radio 1 DJ had already been convicted for paedophilia offences back in 1974, and has served prison sentences in the UK, as well as the Czech Republic and Slovakia.When Operation Yewtree began investigating historical child sexual abuse allegations, it was inevitable that Chris Denning would appear on Scotland Yard’s radar. The former BBC Radio 1 DJ had already been convicted for paedophilia offences back in 1974, and has served prison sentences in the UK, as well as the Czech Republic and Slovakia.
What made Denning stand out most among other suspects was his lack of regret or admission of shame. Today, the 73-year-old was sentenced to 13 years in prison after confessing to 41 more charges including indecent assault, committed in the 1960s, 1970s and 1980s – one allegedly in a house belonging to Jimmy Savile.What made Denning stand out most among other suspects was his lack of regret or admission of shame. Today, the 73-year-old was sentenced to 13 years in prison after confessing to 41 more charges including indecent assault, committed in the 1960s, 1970s and 1980s – one allegedly in a house belonging to Jimmy Savile.
Today The Independent publishes a disturbing interview he gave to James Pitkin of The Prague Post in 2001, after being released from Pankrac jail in the Czech capital. Recalling his days working as a “rent boy” aged 13, Denning claims his victims enjoyed their experiences, arguing he should not be made to feel guilty.Today The Independent publishes a disturbing interview he gave to James Pitkin of The Prague Post in 2001, after being released from Pankrac jail in the Czech capital. Recalling his days working as a “rent boy” aged 13, Denning claims his victims enjoyed their experiences, arguing he should not be made to feel guilty.
Chris Denning sees a red phone. Everyone else insists it is blue. Police. Judges. Psychologists. The whole of society around him. But no matter what anyone else says, Denning still sees a red phone.Chris Denning sees a red phone. Everyone else insists it is blue. Police. Judges. Psychologists. The whole of society around him. But no matter what anyone else says, Denning still sees a red phone.
“If everyone else in the world is wrong and thinks that phone is blue, and I know for a fact it’s red, I might be the only person who knows that, but I’m still right,” he says. “Why should I change?”“If everyone else in the world is wrong and thinks that phone is blue, and I know for a fact it’s red, I might be the only person who knows that, but I’m still right,” he says. “Why should I change?”
Why? Because at 60, Denning’s view of the world has landed him in jail three times. He was first convicted of having sexual relations with minors in 1974, though he wasn’t sentenced to jail for that offence.Why? Because at 60, Denning’s view of the world has landed him in jail three times. He was first convicted of having sexual relations with minors in 1974, though he wasn’t sentenced to jail for that offence.
In those days, he was riding the crest of a brilliant career in the music business. After gaining fame in the BBC’s original line-up of DJs in the late 1960s, the London native went on to promote some of the biggest acts in British pop.In those days, he was riding the crest of a brilliant career in the music business. After gaining fame in the BBC’s original line-up of DJs in the late 1960s, the London native went on to promote some of the biggest acts in British pop.
Since then, his life has been marred by a string of convictions for abuse – a term Denning despises. The most recent came in Prague, a city he describes as a paradise for its lax morals and booming gay-club scene. It is infamous among foreign men seeking teenage boys.Since then, his life has been marred by a string of convictions for abuse – a term Denning despises. The most recent came in Prague, a city he describes as a paradise for its lax morals and booming gay-club scene. It is infamous among foreign men seeking teenage boys.
But it was here that Denning again ran afoul of the law. Police arrested him in a downtown cafe in November 1997. He was jailed at the city’s Pankrac prison awaiting trial. Chris Denning at a gathering of ex-Radio 1 DJs in 1997 (PA) But it was here that Denning again ran afoul of the law. Police arrested him in a downtown cafe in November 1997. He was jailed at the city’s Pankrac prison awaiting trial.
Last year, after he’d lingered two-and-a-half years at Pankrac, a backlogged Prague court convicted him of sexually abusing seven boys younger than 15 – the legal age of consent in the Czech Republic. The youngest were 13. In all, he spent four years in jail, where he suffered a heart attack and a minor stroke.Last year, after he’d lingered two-and-a-half years at Pankrac, a backlogged Prague court convicted him of sexually abusing seven boys younger than 15 – the legal age of consent in the Czech Republic. The youngest were 13. In all, he spent four years in jail, where he suffered a heart attack and a minor stroke.
He was finally freed on 27 November and expelled from the country. Before leaving, he defended his lifestyle in a lengthy interview with The Prague Post.He was finally freed on 27 November and expelled from the country. Before leaving, he defended his lifestyle in a lengthy interview with The Prague Post.
Chris Denning is not an apologist. On the contrary, he is eager to explain his taste for young men, without whom he says he grows terribly unhappy.Chris Denning is not an apologist. On the contrary, he is eager to explain his taste for young men, without whom he says he grows terribly unhappy.
It’s an inclination he insists he never chose. “It’s just what happened,” he says. “And what am I supposed to do? Live my whole life on my own? I wasn’t prepared to do that.”It’s an inclination he insists he never chose. “It’s just what happened,” he says. “And what am I supposed to do? Live my whole life on my own? I wasn’t prepared to do that.”
Instead, Denning spent many Prague evenings in gay clubs, where he says boys always approached him first. Denning, who was a “rent boy,” or male prostitute, from the age of 13, says he related to their lives and often formed lasting friendships with them.Instead, Denning spent many Prague evenings in gay clubs, where he says boys always approached him first. Denning, who was a “rent boy,” or male prostitute, from the age of 13, says he related to their lives and often formed lasting friendships with them.
Though Denning usually started out offering the boys payment or gifts, he says they would often linger at his apartment in their free time.Though Denning usually started out offering the boys payment or gifts, he says they would often linger at his apartment in their free time.
One of the boys was 14 when he first met Denning in a Prague club, but admits he lied to Denning about his age. Though he was one of the boys who testified against Denning in last year’s trial, he still phoned Denning as soon as the older man was released from prison, and remained close to him during his last days in Prague.One of the boys was 14 when he first met Denning in a Prague club, but admits he lied to Denning about his age. Though he was one of the boys who testified against Denning in last year’s trial, he still phoned Denning as soon as the older man was released from prison, and remained close to him during his last days in Prague.
“Chris is my good friend,” he says. “I had to testify against him. The pressure from the police was really heavy.”“Chris is my good friend,” he says. “I had to testify against him. The pressure from the police was really heavy.”
Denning knows perfectly well what most people think. “These poor boys,” he says in a mock contralto. “They’re trapped in this life; they’re probably into drugs and this horrible man comes along and he preys on them.”Denning knows perfectly well what most people think. “These poor boys,” he says in a mock contralto. “They’re trapped in this life; they’re probably into drugs and this horrible man comes along and he preys on them.”
From his own experience on the streets, Denning insists the public has a naive view of male prostitution. Of his own days as a prostitute, Denning says that, like most boys, he did it for the thrills, the sex and most of all for the feeling of acceptance from an older man. The money, he says, was always secondary.From his own experience on the streets, Denning insists the public has a naive view of male prostitution. Of his own days as a prostitute, Denning says that, like most boys, he did it for the thrills, the sex and most of all for the feeling of acceptance from an older man. The money, he says, was always secondary.
Above all, he insists that for men, prostitution is a choice. “The press always talks about being forced into it, as if they were reluctant,” he says. “They do it because they enjoy it.”Above all, he insists that for men, prostitution is a choice. “The press always talks about being forced into it, as if they were reluctant,” he says. “They do it because they enjoy it.”
But Dr Petr Weiss, a psychologist at Prague’s Institute of Sexology who testified against Denning, says most of the prostitutes at his trial were “heterosexually oriented boys who prostituted themselves for money to adult foreigners”, suffering serious psychological damage in the process.But Dr Petr Weiss, a psychologist at Prague’s Institute of Sexology who testified against Denning, says most of the prostitutes at his trial were “heterosexually oriented boys who prostituted themselves for money to adult foreigners”, suffering serious psychological damage in the process.
While the age of consent varies from 12 to 16 in most European nations, Denning believes puberty should signal the right to make personal sexual choices. Legislating otherwise, he insists, denies “nature’s law”.While the age of consent varies from 12 to 16 in most European nations, Denning believes puberty should signal the right to make personal sexual choices. Legislating otherwise, he insists, denies “nature’s law”.
For Denning, sex does no harm as long as it is consensual. “If anyone could prove that this hurts anyone, I would never do it again and I never would have done it in the first place,” he says. “They base their prejudice on pseudo-science and preposterous notions.”For Denning, sex does no harm as long as it is consensual. “If anyone could prove that this hurts anyone, I would never do it again and I never would have done it in the first place,” he says. “They base their prejudice on pseudo-science and preposterous notions.”
Weiss disagrees. He says youths younger than 15 are too impressionable and calls Denning and others like him “deviants” who harm the “personal, moral and psychological development of their victims”.Weiss disagrees. He says youths younger than 15 are too impressionable and calls Denning and others like him “deviants” who harm the “personal, moral and psychological development of their victims”.
Denning says this is the same sort of talk he heard as a child, when homosexuality was banned in England.Denning says this is the same sort of talk he heard as a child, when homosexuality was banned in England.
“I think the root of my condition, if you can call it that, is that I only felt comfortable with boys who wanted to do the same thing,” he says. “I felt I was a dirty boy. I should never have been made to feel like that.”“I think the root of my condition, if you can call it that, is that I only felt comfortable with boys who wanted to do the same thing,” he says. “I felt I was a dirty boy. I should never have been made to feel like that.”
Denning’s own sexual career started at a young age. In boarding school, he says relationships with other young boys were commonplace. At eight, he was visiting an elderly museum curator for “favours”, and as a teenager, he was hitting the streets and clubs of London on weekends, getting paid for sex but often giving it away free.Denning’s own sexual career started at a young age. In boarding school, he says relationships with other young boys were commonplace. At eight, he was visiting an elderly museum curator for “favours”, and as a teenager, he was hitting the streets and clubs of London on weekends, getting paid for sex but often giving it away free.
He says there was no abuse in his middle-class childhood, but remembers a father who was rarely around and a mother who made him feel inferior to women. As he passed through puberty, his tastes went from older men to younger boys.He says there was no abuse in his middle-class childhood, but remembers a father who was rarely around and a mother who made him feel inferior to women. As he passed through puberty, his tastes went from older men to younger boys.
After his latest prison term, Denning has no intention of changing. “I just came out and carried on as if it had been just an annoying interruption,” he says. “It doesn’t affect anything, with one small exception – I now make sure anyone who doesn’t look at least 60 shows me their ID.”After his latest prison term, Denning has no intention of changing. “I just came out and carried on as if it had been just an annoying interruption,” he says. “It doesn’t affect anything, with one small exception – I now make sure anyone who doesn’t look at least 60 shows me their ID.”
But his legal woes are not over yet. When his prison term was coming to an end, British police tried unsuccessfully to have Denning extradited to face charges of sex abuse dating back three decades.But his legal woes are not over yet. When his prison term was coming to an end, British police tried unsuccessfully to have Denning extradited to face charges of sex abuse dating back three decades.
Denning says he’ll eventually return to England to clear his name. For now, he’s in an undisclosed European country preparing to appeal against his Czech conviction at the European Court for Human Rights in Strasbourg.Denning says he’ll eventually return to England to clear his name. For now, he’s in an undisclosed European country preparing to appeal against his Czech conviction at the European Court for Human Rights in Strasbourg.
After his health problems in prison, Denning knows he may not have much time left. He says he’ll devote the rest of his days to changing public opinion. “I’m a bizarre person,” he says with a grin. “I feel so innerly confident I’ve never done anything harmful, that I feel these others are crazed people who don’t know what’s going on.After his health problems in prison, Denning knows he may not have much time left. He says he’ll devote the rest of his days to changing public opinion. “I’m a bizarre person,” he says with a grin. “I feel so innerly confident I’ve never done anything harmful, that I feel these others are crazed people who don’t know what’s going on.
“I’m about the only person I know in the world who can fight this. Most people have reasons to go along with society, at least openly. I don’t need to do that. It doesn’t make any difference to my life.”“I’m about the only person I know in the world who can fight this. Most people have reasons to go along with society, at least openly. I don’t need to do that. It doesn’t make any difference to my life.”
This interview was originally published in ‘The Prague Post’ in 2001This interview was originally published in ‘The Prague Post’ in 2001