PETER RIGHTON'S SHOCKING CHILD PORNOGRAPHY SCANDAL IN EVESHAM AND BEYOND

In September 1992, a prominent figure in the field of residential childcare, Peter Righton, found himself at the center of a serious legal controversy in Evesham, Worcestershire. The incident involved the illegal importation and possession of explicit material depicting young boys, which led to his being fined a substantial sum of pounds 900 by local magistrates.

During the court proceedings, it was revealed that Righton, aged 66 and residing on Badsey Road in Evesham, had admitted to two charges related to the illegal importation of obscene material, as well as a charge of possessing such material. The magistrates also ordered that the magazines involved be destroyed and imposed costs of pounds 75 on the defendant. The chairman of the bench, Robert Rowland, acknowledged Righton’s previously good character but emphasized the gravity of the offenses, stating, “We are aware that you are of previous good character, but we think these are serious matters and the penalty we impose must reflect that.”

Righton, who was known publicly as Peter but appeared in court under his full name, Paul Pelham, had a distinguished career prior to these events. He served as a consultant to the National Children’s Bureau, with notable patrons including the Secretary of State for Health, Virginia Bottomley. Additionally, he was a lecturer at the National Institute for Social Work in London and provided guidance to social-work managers through the Open University on issues concerning children in care.

However, the investigation that led to his conviction uncovered disturbing evidence of his involvement with child pornography. In April of that year, customs officers intercepted packages at the Dover postal depot containing a book and a magazine featuring images of young men, which were addressed to Righton. The following month, police raided his residence and discovered one copy of a magazine titled The Stud Boys and three copies of another publication called Ben, both containing material of a paedophilic nature.

Despite his professional standing, Righton’s past associations cast a shadow over his reputation. He was a former director of education at the National Institute for Social Work and a consultant for the National Children’s Bureau. Yet, he was also a founding member of the Paedophile Information Exchange (PIE), an organization advocating for the reduction of the age of consent to just four years old. Righton had authored essays that attempted to justify paedophilia, describing it as no more mysterious than “a penchant for redheads.”

PIE’s ideology aimed to reframe paedophilia as a form of “child love,” promoting the idea of liberating children from sexual repression. Their propaganda sought to align with broader liberation movements, attempting to persuade gay men, women, feminists, and radicals that they shared common interests in challenging traditional societal structures like patriarchy. Many of Righton’s colleagues were influenced by this rhetoric, and some later admitted to feeling intimidated into silence about his enthusiasm for sexual activities involving children.

Serious allegations against Righton surfaced over the years, culminating in a police investigation triggered by customs officers who intercepted child pornography sent from Holland in 1992. This led to a police raid on his home, where officers uncovered hundreds of letters exchanged between Righton and other paedophiles, revealing that he had engaged in the abuse, prostitution, and sharing of numerous boys.

The correspondence included individuals from various backgrounds, such as an assistant bishop, artists, aristocrats, and teachers from public schools. Further investigations revealed that Righton’s personal life was intertwined with institutions for emotionally disturbed children. His lover was involved in running a school called New Barns School in Gloucestershire, which was attended by many children from London care homes. The school was eventually shut down on child welfare grounds.

A subsequent criminal trial saw all eight staff members, including Righton’s lover, cleared of conspiracy charges related to false imprisonment. However, other staff members faced convictions for the sexual abuse of girls. The case highlighted systemic failures, with critics arguing that earlier intervention by authorities, particularly a far-left council in London, could have prevented much of the harm. The case remains a stark reminder of the dangers posed by individuals in positions of trust abusing their roles to exploit vulnerable children.