'Betrayal' of LGBT Youth Scotland by paedophile ex-chief
Joe Lepper
Thursday, October 29, 2009
LGBT Youth Scotland has spoken of its "sense of betrayal" concerning its former chief executive, who was today jailed for masterminding the UK's largest known child abuse ring.
James Rennie, 38, was handed a life sentence and told he would serve at least 13 years for his role in the child abuse ring as well as sexually assaulting a three-month old.
The child abuse network has led police to trace around 200 paedophiles, 70 in the UK. Rennie was one of eight men convicted for their part in the network.
A statement from the national board of LGBT Youth Scotland, which offers advice to gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender young people, said: "It is with a particular sense of betrayal of our organisational purpose and values that we learned of the crimes committed by James Rennie, and we are utterly appalled by his abuse and exploitation of children. We wholeheartedly welcome the conviction of all eight accused in this trial."
Rennie was immediately suspended from his post at the organisation when he was arrested in February 2008 and he resigned during a subsequent disciplinary process.
The statement added: "Lothian and Borders Police have been clear that their investigations related to James Rennie personally, and not to his work role, nor the organisation he worked for at the time of his arrest. We had no suspicion whatsoever of the crimes James Rennie was committing."
