Victim says bosses failed to act

A PAEDOPHILE who preyed on teenage boys over a 30-year period could have been brought to justice ten years earlier - but nursing bosses failed to act, it was revealed today.

And officials of the profession's governing body defended their decision not to take action because of the difficulty of proving allegations in such cases.

John Kyle, 60, of Coach Road, Waterfoot, was sentenced to eight years yesterday after admitting ten counts of indecent assault and one of a serious sexual assault.

One of Kyle's victims reported his ordeal to health bosses more than 10 years ago but nothing was done, Preston Crown Court was told.

The man, a solicitor who does not want to be named, made a complaint to the English National Board of Nursing, Midwifery and Health Visiting in 1987.

He had asked for his treatment under Kyle, who retired as a nurse in 1993, to be investigated, but the board decided not to take any action. He told the Lancashire Evening Telegraph: "I feel very aggrieved that no action was taken against this man and he remained free to abuse others."

In 1993 the English National Board handed over all their investigations to the United Kingdom Central Council.

Tony Gales, case officer for the UKCC, said: "In 1987 the English National Board would have been dealing with this case.

"It is possible that no action was taken because John Kyle had not been convicted of a criminal offence and it is often very difficult to prove these allegations on the evidence available.

"However as soon as we received a letter about Mr Kyle from the police in October 1997 he was immediately suspended as a nurse, and now it is quite probable that he will be removed from the nursing register altogether."

Detective Sergeant Brian Davies, who led the investigation, said: "This case could have been brought to a conclusion a long time ago if Kyle had pleaded guilty earlier, but he waited until the last moment to do so.

"During the course of this investigation he showed no remorse whatsoever. The sentence handed down reflects horror of the public at the depravity of his actions."

Sex monster's place in army and sea cadets

CAREER paedophile John Kyle was a trusted member of both Blackburn Sea Cadets and Burnley Army Cadets.

Kyle achieved a high ranking position at Burnley and was in constant contact with young people who were unaware of the dangers he posed.

He was also part of the Blackburn group's management team.

After working as a psychiatric nurse at Queen's Park Hospital, Blackburn, during the 1960s and 70s, Kyle then worked for social services before moving to work for the former Burnley, Pendle and Rossendale Health Authority in the 1980s.

During that time, Kyle worked under the disgraced Dr James Gordon Maden, who was jailed for three years in 1993 for ten sex crimes against male patients in his care, although detectives found no link between the two investigations.

Kyle retired in1993 but the police and health authorities were unaware of the catalogue of crimes he had committed against vulnerable teenagers in his care and other boys he had come into contact with.

It was not until October 1997, when one of his victims came forward to tell police of his nightmare at the hands of Kyle, that the floodgates opened. During the police investigation officers traced more of Kyle's victims and others came forward as a result of publicity about the case.

Some of his victims had kept their suffering to themselves for 30 years.

Detective Sergeant Brian Davies, who led the investigation, said: "Kyle is what we call a career paedophile. He has been quite prolific and has been doing this for most of his adult life.

"During the eight or nine months of our investigation we uncovered a long line of victims.

"This investigation has been very long and drawn-out for some of the witnesses, some of whom are now professional people including a policeman and a solicitor.

"He sexually abused teenage boys in his care and betrayed the position of trust and power he had over these vulnerable young people."

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