What Is Happening To Our Country?

[Saint86]

20 hours ago, whelk said:

Why aren’t these cunts being named?

https://news.sky.com/story/two-men-arrested-in-connection-with-golders-green-arson-attack-13523827

Presumably because they haven't been charged as yet, and the police/government don't want to create further tension in the community 🤷‍♂️.

Its going to come out eventually...

Edited March 26 by Saint86

[Turkish]

40 minutes ago, sadoldgit said:

Which would be absolutely spot on if I had said he shouldn’t be allowed to vote, which I hadn’t. Still, I guess you have taken a lead from Trump when it comes to “fake news.”

As for insulting their views, guilty as charged. Anyone supporting Farage and his cronies deserves to have their views insulted. As you say, freedom of speech etc which, apparently, Farage is all for (unless he is on the receiving end of things he doesn’t like).

😘

yes you're right you didn't directly say he shouldn't be allowed to vote, you said "people like him" so not just him but anyone like him, therefore anyone who doesn't agree with you. Here he goes again with the Trump & Farage nonsense. You're in no position to take the moral high ground with anyone given your comments and views on paeodophilia and domestic violence. Absolute prick of a bloke. 

Edited March 26 by Turkish

[sadoldgit]

17 hours ago, Turkish said:

I'm wondering if someone who has suggested posters on here would film acts of pedophilia from behind a mirror, has suggested other posters would be weeding out the ones too old and the Muslims for said acts and who has describes being caught child pornography as "hardly the crime of the century" has a rather disturbing view of this sort of behaviour.

Oh dear, here we go again. Just when I think that nutty nic is the dimmest poster in here, up you pop.

My comment was made in relation to the fact that the BBC  ran the Edwards story as the main feature every day for the best part of a week. Now perhaps you agree with the BBC News editor that the story was the most important news item both nationally and internationally for the best part of a week? I don’t. After a day or two there was no reason to continue use it as the lead story. It seems to me that the BBC overreacted because they were scared of the kick back from anti BBC types.

As for the not the crime of the century comment, it clearly wasn’t. As abhorrent as being in possession of indecent chill images is, it is not considered, under the law, as serious as murder. That is why murder cases are tried in the Crown Court and attract longer sentences and the case that he was charged with was heard in the Magistrate’s Court. As said, he received a suspended sentence. If he had committed a more serious act under the law, do you think he would have avoided a custodial sentence?

I have explained this all previously. Clearly it went over both your and your mate’s (hypochondriac) heads.

As regards disturbing behaviour, following people around on the internet on a daily basis and desperately trying to score points off them by dredging up long past posts and twisting them into something they weren’t seems to me to be disturbing behaviour. You even managed to drag another poster’s wives into one of your stalky posts a while back!
At a time when the misuse of social media is coming under such scrutiny, you might like to consider the fact that someone your age really should not be using public forums to deal with your own personal insecurities and issues.

[sadoldgit]

28 minutes ago, badgerx16 said:

Surely the most important aspect of a joke is that it is funny, not that it does not cause offence. If things have gone so far then surely characatures must also comply ; no more Manuel on Fawlty Towers, no more Four Yorkshiremen from Monty Python, no more Father Ted, etc

Would you laugh at a joke using the n word? There are plenty of things we laughed at in the 70’s but we wouldn’t dream of laughing at now. Bob Monkhouse was of that era. We have no idea about the content of the book, but someone has made the call that some of the jokes could be seen as offensive now. 

[Turkish]

21 minutes ago, sadoldgit said:

Oh dear, here we go again. Just when I think that nutty nic is the dimmest poster in here, up you pop.

My comment was made in relation to the fact that the BBC  ran the Edwards story as the main feature every day for the best part of a week. Now perhaps you agree with the BBC News editor that the story was the most important news item both nationally and internationally for the best part of a week? I don’t. After a day or two there was no reason to continue use it as the lead story. It seems to me that the BBC overreacted because they were scared of the kick back from anti BBC types.

As for the not the crime of the century comment, it clearly wasn’t. As abhorrent as being in possession of indecent chill images is, it is not considered, under the law, as serious as murder. That is why murder cases are tried in the Crown Court and attract longer sentences and the case that he was charged with was heard in the Magistrate’s Court. As said, he received a suspended sentence. If he had committed a more serious act under the law, do you think he would have avoided a custodial sentence?

I have explained this all previously. Clearly it went over both your and your mate’s (hypochondriac) heads.

As regards disturbing behaviour, following people around on the internet on a daily basis and desperately trying to score points off them by dredging up long past posts and twisting them into something they weren’t seems to me to be disturbing behaviour. You even managed to drag another poster’s wives into one of your stalky posts a while back!
At a time when the misuse of social media is coming under such scrutiny, you might like to consider the fact that someone your age really should not be using public forums to deal with your own personal insecurities and issues.

You said people on this forum would be filming acts of peaodphila from behind a mirror you said other posters would be weeding out the ones who were too old, too ugly and muslims, Your post was so abhorrent you were condemned by everyone who read it and the thread was deleted. It was described as one of the most disgusting posts ever read on this forum, which is some achievement., No apology, no thought that maybe you got it wrong. 

You defended and continue to defend someone caught with indecent images of children as "not the crime of the century"

Yet you continue to criticise other posters, you continue to preach and be pious whilst holding these views, along with your views on domestic violence and your racist comments, meanwhile saying people who pull you up on it are stalkers. Alll these things togther it's not a good look for you is it?

Edited March 26 by Turkish

[Saint86]

The two men who were arrested have now been released on bail. Assumption being that there wasn't enough evidence to charge them at this time, and therefore probably for the best that their identities were not relseased.

[badgerx16]

2 hours ago, sadoldgit said:

Would you laugh at a joke using the n word? There are plenty of things we laughed at in the 70’s but we wouldn’t dream of laughing at now. Bob Monkhouse was of that era. We have no idea about the content of the book, but someone has made the call that some of the jokes could be seen as offensive now. 

Is the first joke on the Crap Jokes thread funny or offensive ? If the 'N' word is now off limits an I allowed to watch Richard Prior ?

[Turkish]

14 minutes ago, badgerx16 said:

Is the first joke on the Crap Jokes thread funny or offensive ? If the 'N' word is now off limits an I allowed to watch Richard Prior ?

Check out the last "joke" could this not be considered sexist and misogynistic?  

 

I mean one of Bob Monkhouses jokes was about getting a horse for his wife being a fair swap, joking that your wife has fallen off a motorbike is surely worse? At very least wives and mother in law jokes are definitely "of that era" which seems to be considered offensive by some when it suits them

Edited March 26 by Turkish

[sadoldgit]

2 hours ago, badgerx16 said:

Is the first joke on the Crap Jokes thread funny or offensive ? If the 'N' word is now off limits an I allowed to watch Richard Prior ?

We (the forum) has had this discussion before. Black people have appropriated it for their own use. When white people use it it is racist.

I used to laugh at a lot of things in the 60’s and 70’s that aren’t remotely funny in 2026. Times change and most change with them don’t they? I know we still have some posters rooted in the last century though.

Is the first joke funny? No. It is just not remotely funny even if it were told in the 1970’s. Is it offensive? Not to me. Maybe to gay people, but then the ones I know don’t have a problem with making fun of their sexuality.

It raises another point. Just because something is not offensive to one person, it doesn’t mean it isn’t offensive to someone else? Where do you draw the line? For the younger generations, they won’t know what humour was like in the 60’s and 70’s so will have a completely different attitude towards what is socially acceptable. We would probably sit stony faced through comedy acts from the 20’s and 30’s. Is there anything intrinsically funny about people with different colour skin or sexuality? Of course not. It is all about attitudes. Attitudes change.

Edited March 26 by sadoldgit

[badgerx16]

28 minutes ago, sadoldgit said:

We (the forum) has had this discussion before. Black people have appropriated it for their own use. When white people use it it is racist.

So I CAN laugh at a joke using the "N" word. Thanks for thst.

I assume laughing AT white people using that word in a racist manner, such as in Blazing Saddles, is still allowed to be considered amusing.

Edited March 26 by badgerx16

[sadoldgit]

1 hour ago, badgerx16 said:

So I CAN laugh at a joke using the "N" word. Thanks for thst.

I assume laughing AT white people using that word in a racist manner, such as in Blazing Saddles, is still allowed to be considered amusing.

You can laugh at what you like Badger. If you went to live in Africa and were one of the few white people living in the town, would you feel comfortable if the locals made fun of you because of your colour?

Blazing Saddles was making fun of racism wasn’t it? Just as Mel Brookes poked fun at the Nazis in The Producers. I am sure you are bright enough to know the difference.

[badgerx16]

11 minutes ago, sadoldgit said:

You can laugh at what you like Badger. If you went to live in Africa and were one of the few white people living in the town, would you feel comfortable if the locals made fun of you because of your colour?

Blazing Saddles was making fun of racism wasn’t it? Just as Mel Brookes poked fun at the Nazis in The Producers. I am sure you are bright enough to know the difference.

Yes, which was exactly the point I was making. You made a generalised statement and seemed completely oblivious to the effect of nuance and context.

Edited March 26 by badgerx16

[Turkish]

54 minutes ago, sadoldgit said:

You can laugh at what you like Badger. If you went to live in Africa and were one of the few white people living in the town, would you feel comfortable if the locals made fun of you because of your colour?

Blazing Saddles was making fun of racism wasn’t it? Just as Mel Brookes poked fun at the Nazis in The Producers. I am sure you are bright enough to know the difference.

Is making jokes about peadophiles and your wife having a motorbike accident funny?

[Saint86]

Seems topical 🙃

[Turkish]

8 minutes ago, Saint86 said:

Seems topical 🙃

The first time saw that I was crying with laughter for hours, genius

[AlexLaw76]

UK War footing update.

Not a f-ing clue

 

[badgerx16]

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/clyxeqpzz2no

 

"There was "no evidence" of "family voting" or voter coercion at the Gorton and Denton by-election, police have concluded after an investigation.......

GMP said there was "no evidence to suggest any intent to influence or refrain a person from voting as stated in the Ballot Secrecy Act 2023" but Farage called it an "establishment whitewash"."

Edited Friday at 19:08 by badgerx16

[sadoldgit]

On 26/03/2026 at 16:15, badgerx16 said:

Yes, which was exactly the point I was making. You made a generalised statement and seemed completely oblivious to the effect of nuance and context.

As I said, things change. Blazing Saddles wouldn’t get made now despite it being anti racist.  Alf Garnet was set up for us to laugh at a bigot but you couldn’t make a programme with a main character like that now. However, we actually have a bigot in the White House supported by millions of Americans so god knows what is going on.

[badgerx16]

4 minutes ago, sadoldgit said:

As I said, things change. Blazing Saddles wouldn’t get made now despite it being anti racist.  Alf Garnet was set up for us to laugh at a bigot but you couldn’t make a programme with a main character like that now. However, we actually have a bigot in the White House supported by millions of Americans so god knows what is going on.

And is the World a better place because of that ? I suggest not.

As for Blazing Saddles, i think the main issue with trying that today would be Mel Brooks' Jewish Indian chief.

[sadoldgit]

Trigger alert. This article uses the term “far right.”

https://www.aljazeera.com/amp/news/2026/3/28/hundreds-of-thousands-march-through-london-in-stand-against-the-far-right

[Lord Duckhunter]

Cheers Soggy, I was wondering what Aljazeera would make of this historic event. Thanks for saving me the time of  looking it up, well appreciated….

[iansums]

2 hours ago, sadoldgit said:

Trigger alert. This article uses the term “far right.”

https://www.aljazeera.com/amp/news/2026/3/28/hundreds-of-thousands-march-through-london-in-stand-against-the-far-right

The Islamic regime of Iran will be pleased it has so much support in the UK

[egg]

55 minutes ago, iansums said:

The Islamic regime of Iran will be pleased it has so much support in the UK

And the ever so sweet Israel probably has less. 

[iansums]

45 minutes ago, egg said:

And the ever so sweet Israel probably has less. 

I think not.

[egg]

1 hour ago, iansums said:

I think not.

How you think isn't necessarily how others do mate. 

[iansums]

1 hour ago, egg said:

How you think isn't necessarily how others do mate. 

Obviously 

[Farmer Saint]

4 hours ago, iansums said:

I think not.

Israel has very few supporters I believe. From people I know (of all walks of life) who I have chatted about with this, I know of one person that supports the way they have dealt with Gaza - literally one - and that is (very unfortunately) my FIL. 

Edited Sunday at 21:21 by Farmer Saint

[iansums]

14 hours ago, Farmer Saint said:

Israel has very few supporters I believe. From people I know (of all walks of life) who I have chatted about with this, I know of one person that supports the way they have dealt with Gaza - literally one - and that is (very unfortunately) my FIL. 

I don’t disagree, this right wing Israeli government has won few friends. The point I was making is that more people would side with Israel than Iran, IMO.

[Gloucester Saint]

16 minutes ago, iansums said:

I don’t disagree, this right wing Israeli government has won few friends. The point I was making is that more people would side with Israel than Iran, IMO.

It’s like the question - ‘If Saints ceased to exist, would you support Pompey or Millwall, if that was the only choice?’.

I’d go for option 3 - football free life.

[aintforever]

4 hours ago, iansums said:

I don’t disagree, this right wing Israeli government has won few friends. The point I was making is that more people would side with Israel than Iran, IMO.

You don’t have to pick sides, it’s not a fucking football match.

Both governments are a shit-stain on humanity, I feel sorry for the good people who live in either country.

[iansums]

2 hours ago, aintforever said:

You don’t have to pick sides, it’s not a fucking football match.

Both governments are a shit-stain on humanity, I feel sorry for the good people who live in either country.

I’m not sure who Iran will play up front, they keep losing important players.

[Gloucester Saint]

53 minutes ago, iansums said:

I’m not sure who Iran will play up front, they keep losing important players.

I’ll tell you what is a serious business between nations - farting on a ✈️ 

 

[ecuk268]

Kemi, the North Sea gas expert......

 

[Gloucester Saint]

32 minutes ago, ecuk268 said:

Kemi, the North Sea gas expert......

 

She doesn’t understand markets bless her, any more than Nigel Redknapp understands blast furnaces. 

Edited yesterday at 15:24 by Gloucester Saint

[tdmickey3]

16 hours ago, ecuk268 said:

Kemi, the North Sea gas expert......

 

She really cant be that stupid can she?  

The tory rags will back it up along with the dense voters

[sadoldgit]

8 hours ago, tdmickey3 said:

She really cant be that stupid can she?  

The tory rags will back it up along with the dense voters

Yes she can. Have you heard her on Prime Minister’s Questions?

[sadoldgit]

What is wrong with these people? It happened in Birmingham too apparently.

https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/crime/clapham-teenagers-chaos-met-police-london-b2949750.html

[sadoldgit]

Will the same people who kicked off about sexual abuse carried out by migrants also kick off about this?

(Long report - avoid if you have a short attention span)

Vulnerable children exposed to sexual abuse on 'industrial scale' at hundreds of illegal care homes

More than 800 illegal children’s care homes are operating on an “industrial scale”. In one case uncovered by LBC, two ex-soldiers sexually abused a 15 year-old girl and we found holes drilled in children's bedroom doors allowing carers to spy on them

01 April 2026, 06:00 | Updated: 01 April 2026, 10:06

Want LBC stories before everyone else? Set us as your Preferred Source on Google

LBC uncovers scandal of 'unregulated' care homes

By Andy Hughes, LBC Crime Correspondent, and Tom Wall

The most vulnerable children in society are being sent to illegal and unregulated care homes, some of which are staffed by convicted criminals, a joint investigation between LBC and The Bureau of Investigative Journalism has discovered.

Listen to this article

More than 800 illegal children’s care homes are operating on an “industrial scale” in towns and cities across the UK, none of which are registered with independent regulator Ofsted, exposing young people to exploitation and abuse with no scrutiny.

In one case, we discovered a 15-year-old girl was brutally sexually abused over several hours by two ex-soldiers at an illegal care home in County Durham. Both were employed despite having criminal convictions for violence, in one of the worst safeguarding failures of the UK’s care system. 

 

LBC tracked down and confronted the care home's owner, Paul McGrory, about the failures. He denied any wrongdoing, insisting that these carers had "amazing references". There is no evidence to suggest he was aware of the abuse. 

As well as this, LBC gained access to the care home itself, where neighbours alleged children were assaulted and filmed in distressed states while trying to escape.

We discovered holes drilled in the bedroom doors of the children’s rooms, allowing carers to spy on the children, as well as permanently locked windows.

Read more: Parents should not be only ones to ensure children stay safe online – watchdog

Read more: French Senate votes to block social media access for under-15s

We discovered holes drilled in the bedroom doors of the children’s rooms, allowing carers to spy on the children. Picture: LBC

The care home, which was run by a company called MAP Adventures, was told the girl was “at the highest risk of child sexual exploitation”. That assessment was signed by Liam Ramsay and Stephen Hurst, two former soldiers in their 40s. We can reveal the pair had been recruited to look after vulnerable children despite holding seven previous convictions between them, including four violent offences. 

Alice – which is not her real name – was moved to the care home by her local authority in south Wales. It was not registered with Ofsted and so not subject to inspections. Alice was to live at this home, with no other children, under the supervision of two MAP Adventures carers.

When Hurst saw a message on the company’s WhatsApp group asking for staff to cover a shift on 3rd October 2024, he immediately alerted Ramsay.

That day, the two men drove Alice into Durham city centre, telling their duty manager they were taking her on a river walk. In fact, they took her to a pub. And then on to two more. They bought her wine, cocktails, and shots. As the afternoon wore on, Alice became increasingly drunk. 

At the final pub, the conversation turned to drugs. Ramsay knew where to get some cocaine, the court was told, and they drove to pick it up. Alice took some. Hurst went to a supermarket and bought more alcohol; this time vodka and gin. They headed back to the property.

When they arrived, Alice was plied with more drink and drugs until she was, in her words, “totally out of it”. Then the two men sexually assaulted her for hours. 

In the morning, Ramsay and Hurst made efforts to cover their tracks before the next shift arrived. They removed empty bottles and traces of drugs from the house. They cleaned blood caused by Alice’s nosebleed. 

The following day, Alice ran away from the home, called her mum for help, and was picked up by police at a nearby railway station. 

In April 2025, Ramsay and Hurst were found guilty of numerous offences, including sexual activity with a child. Ramsay, 40, was jailed for 11 years while Hurst, 46, was jailed for nine years. Both men were placed on the sex offenders register for life.

“Rather than do your duty,” the judge told them, “you both behaved absolutely appallingly and in a way that would make right-thinking members of the public hearing about it recoil, firstly in abject disbelief and then probably in horror.” 

“I was in care to be looked after, taken care of and protected from harm,” the girl said, in a victim’s statement read out in court. “These men have done the exact opposite to that. They have sexually abused me for hours and have caused me so much pain and destruction.”

Their assault, the court heard, had left Alice with injuries that caused her pain for months. But the physical damage was only part of it. Her parents said that after giving evidence at the trial, she overdosed. 

“After [our daughter] provided evidence during her trial, we received a call to say that she was en-route to hospital after taking an overdose,” they said in a statement read out in court. “[Our daughter] was screaming down the phone, saying that she’d been raped, having flashbacks, and shouting that she could see Liam and Stephen. This is just one small example of our day-to-day lives now.”

Ramsay and Hurst’s convictions were made public by Durham Constabulary, but the press release omitted key information about how Alice came to be in the care home, the company that ran it, the local authority responsible for placing her there, and Ramsay and Hurst’s criminal history. 

Liam Ramsey (right), 40, and Stephen Hurst (left), 46, took the 15-year-old into Durham city centre and plied her with wine and cocktails. Picture: Durham Constabulary

We have obtained these details – and have connected Alice’s nightmare to the growing nationwide scandal of illegal children’s homes.

The Welsh local authority which placed Alice with MAP Adventures claimed the company was registered to provide outdoor pursuits – including short periods of respite no more than 28 days in length – for children in care. We have not been able to substantiate this. The company was not registered with Ofsted or the Adventure Activities Licensing Authority, which accredits outdoor activity centres for young people in the UK. 

We have spoken to two former MAP Adventures staff. They said the company had looked after Alice beyond the 28-day legal limit at the request of the council involved. 

Homes providing these breaks, which are supposed to allow children in care to take part in recreational or sporting activities, do not need to be registered with Ofsted. But Alice was put in the care of MAP Adventures because she was at risk of sexual exploitation. She was there for her own protection. This means the firm’s home should have been registered and checked – yet it had never been visited by an Ofsted inspector.

“We were told [our daughter] would have a chance of resetting and it would be an opportunity for [her] to engage in outdoor activities,” Alice’s parents told the court. “However, the reality is both Stephen Hurst and Liam Ramsay jointly decided to supply our daughter with copious amounts of alcohol and drugs, knowing her vulnerabilities, before sexually abusing her.”

After we identified MAP Adventures by obtaining a transcript of the court case, we contacted Alice’s local authority again. Despite the nature of the events we were asking about, the council refused to answer any further questions or give a public statement. It said it would be making no further comment. 

LBC gained access to the care home itself, where neighbours alleged children were assaulted and filmed in distressed states while trying to escape.Picture: LBC

Ofsted is responsible for prosecuting illegal care home providers. There is no public record of any successful cases brought by the regulator, although a spokesperson said it has now started “several” prosecutions.

The spokesperson said it would not comment on individuals but told LBC: “Too many children are being placed in unlawful settings where they’re at risk of harm. The use of these placements must stop. 

“Ofsted is working hard to investigate unregistered children’s homes and compel them to either register or close. The test for prosecution is high, and gathering enough evidence to ensure a conviction can be a lengthy and expensive process. 

“But we hope that measures in the Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill will allow us to act more quickly and help make sure all children are placed in safe, regulated homes that provide the care they need.”

MAP Adventures went bust in August last year, with unpaid tax bills. It was run by Paul McGrory, himself an ex-serviceman. The company’s website is no longer live but internet archives show that it once boasted of his track record of working with children in the UK, Ireland, Oman and the UAE. It said his team were “highly qualified and share their knowledge and skills to give the best possible adventure experiences”.

McGrory, a former sergeant from the Royal Army Physical Training Corps, spoke to us over a video call from the terrace of a bar in Cyprus, where he moved after his company collapsed. He said he was “sickened to the core” by the abuse, which he said had ruined lots of people's lives. 

“Could I have stopped it?” he told us. “No. There’s nothing I could have done ... my company couldn’t have done anything.”

He claimed only one conviction was picked up by the company’s background checks but that he judged it to be immaterial. “Ramsay had a criminal record and that was for assault,” he said. “I knew that. I did 22 years in the Army, did I scrap? One hundred percent. That doesn’t mean you’re not fit to work with anybody.”

McGrory claimed he carried out spot checks on the properties himself and paid for independent inspections. “We were not regulated but… I would get care home managers at my own cost… and they would come and inspect our homes,” he said.

MAP Adventures’ application to sign the MoD’s Armed Forces Covenant, pledging to ensure former service personnel are treated fairly, was approved in 2022. The company displayed the covenant logo on its website alongside the emblem of the Career Transition Partnership, a scheme which helps people transition from a military career into civilian employment. 

The MoD said it did not have the powers to check if companies were operating illegally. It added it had removed MAP Adventures from its covenant database. The firm’s pledge, which was previously published by the MoD, has also been deleted.

A MAP Adventures deputy manager gave evidence in the trial. He said around 30 people lost their jobs when the company shut down after the offences were committed. 

“The whole incident has tainted my view of the care sector to such an extent I couldn’t work in it again,” he told the court. “I had faith in my colleagues, most of them being veterans, and I didn’t believe I could be working alongside men capable of carrying out such heinous crimes against a vulnerable child.” 

in 2024, nearly 800 children in England were sent to live in illegal accommodation, for an average of six months each. Picture: LBC

Councils say unregistered homes are only ever used as a last resort when no lawful accommodation is available. Yet this understates the shocking prevalence of illegal homes in the UK. In 2024, nearly 800 children in England were sent to live in illegal accommodation, for an average of six months each. 

The Public Accounts Committee said the figure was “unacceptable” and children were being put in danger by a broken system. But earlier this month, the government rejected the committee’s call for the Department for Education to set out how it will reduce the number of children in illegal homes to zero by 2027. 

“The idea that there could be other children in a similar position to the victim in this case at this very second should simplify things for the government,” said Sir Geoffrey Clifton-Brown, chair of the committee. “We call on the government to reconsider our recommendation. The number of children placed in illegal homes should be zero by the end of 2027. Period.”

Dame Rachel de Souza, the children’s commissioner for England, said serious questions must be asked about how people with criminal records were allowed to work with children. “This case is a deeply distressing example of profound failures by systems and services intended to keep the most vulnerable children safe,” she said. 

“This child was sent hundreds of miles from home, exposed to unimaginable harm and left without the curiosity from the professionals involved in her care to step in to protect her.”

A Department for Education spokesperson said: “Running an unregistered children’s care home is illegal and all children’s homes and supported accommodation providers must be registered with Ofsted or face serious consequences. 

“Our Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill is the most ambitious piece of child protection legislation in a generation and will bring important additional safeguards for children in care, as well as giving Ofsted the power to issue fines and take decisive action against illegal providers. 

“We are also working to establish a new Child Protection Authority in England, as well as introducing mandatory reporting of child sexual abuse through the Crime and Policing Bill and investing £50 million in the expansion of the Child House model to support victims of child sexual abuse.”

© Global 2026

Edited 1 hour ago by sadoldgit
Typo

[whelk]

15 minutes ago, sadoldgit said:

Long report - avoid if you have a short attention span

No I will just ignore due to who posted it.

You really don’t understand forums

[Turkish]

44 minutes ago, whelk said:

No I will just ignore due to who posted it.

You really don’t understand forums

He's going on about peaodophiles again, trying to score points or making jokes about it once again. A truly vile person.

[egg]

1 hour ago, sadoldgit said:

Will the same people who kicked off about sexual abuse carried out by migrants also kick off about this?

(Long report - avoid if you have a short attention span)

Vulnerable children exposed to sexual abuse on 'industrial scale' at hundreds of illegal care homes

More than 800 illegal children’s care homes are operating on an “industrial scale”. In one case uncovered by LBC, two ex-soldiers sexually abused a 15 year-old girl and we found holes drilled in children's bedroom doors allowing carers to spy on them

01 April 2026, 06:00 | Updated: 01 April 2026, 10:06

Want LBC stories before everyone else? Set us as your Preferred Source on Google

LBC uncovers scandal of 'unregulated' care homes

By Andy Hughes, LBC Crime Correspondent, and Tom Wall

The most vulnerable children in society are being sent to illegal and unregulated care homes, some of which are staffed by convicted criminals, a joint investigation between LBC and The Bureau of Investigative Journalism has discovered.

Listen to this article

More than 800 illegal children’s care homes are operating on an “industrial scale” in towns and cities across the UK, none of which are registered with independent regulator Ofsted, exposing young people to exploitation and abuse with no scrutiny.

In one case, we discovered a 15-year-old girl was brutally sexually abused over several hours by two ex-soldiers at an illegal care home in County Durham. Both were employed despite having criminal convictions for violence, in one of the worst safeguarding failures of the UK’s care system. 

 

LBC tracked down and confronted the care home's owner, Paul McGrory, about the failures. He denied any wrongdoing, insisting that these carers had "amazing references". There is no evidence to suggest he was aware of the abuse. 

As well as this, LBC gained access to the care home itself, where neighbours alleged children were assaulted and filmed in distressed states while trying to escape.

We discovered holes drilled in the bedroom doors of the children’s rooms, allowing carers to spy on the children, as well as permanently locked windows.

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We discovered holes drilled in the bedroom doors of the children’s rooms, allowing carers to spy on the children. Picture: LBC

The care home, which was run by a company called MAP Adventures, was told the girl was “at the highest risk of child sexual exploitation”. That assessment was signed by Liam Ramsay and Stephen Hurst, two former soldiers in their 40s. We can reveal the pair had been recruited to look after vulnerable children despite holding seven previous convictions between them, including four violent offences. 

Alice – which is not her real name – was moved to the care home by her local authority in south Wales. It was not registered with Ofsted and so not subject to inspections. Alice was to live at this home, with no other children, under the supervision of two MAP Adventures carers.

When Hurst saw a message on the company’s WhatsApp group asking for staff to cover a shift on 3rd October 2024, he immediately alerted Ramsay.

That day, the two men drove Alice into Durham city centre, telling their duty manager they were taking her on a river walk. In fact, they took her to a pub. And then on to two more. They bought her wine, cocktails, and shots. As the afternoon wore on, Alice became increasingly drunk. 

At the final pub, the conversation turned to drugs. Ramsay knew where to get some cocaine, the court was told, and they drove to pick it up. Alice took some. Hurst went to a supermarket and bought more alcohol; this time vodka and gin. They headed back to the property.

When they arrived, Alice was plied with more drink and drugs until she was, in her words, “totally out of it”. Then the two men sexually assaulted her for hours. 

In the morning, Ramsay and Hurst made efforts to cover their tracks before the next shift arrived. They removed empty bottles and traces of drugs from the house. They cleaned blood caused by Alice’s nosebleed. 

The following day, Alice ran away from the home, called her mum for help, and was picked up by police at a nearby railway station. 

In April 2025, Ramsay and Hurst were found guilty of numerous offences, including sexual activity with a child. Ramsay, 40, was jailed for 11 years while Hurst, 46, was jailed for nine years. Both men were placed on the sex offenders register for life.

“Rather than do your duty,” the judge told them, “you both behaved absolutely appallingly and in a way that would make right-thinking members of the public hearing about it recoil, firstly in abject disbelief and then probably in horror.” 

“I was in care to be looked after, taken care of and protected from harm,” the girl said, in a victim’s statement read out in court. “These men have done the exact opposite to that. They have sexually abused me for hours and have caused me so much pain and destruction.”

Their assault, the court heard, had left Alice with injuries that caused her pain for months. But the physical damage was only part of it. Her parents said that after giving evidence at the trial, she overdosed. 

“After [our daughter] provided evidence during her trial, we received a call to say that she was en-route to hospital after taking an overdose,” they said in a statement read out in court. “[Our daughter] was screaming down the phone, saying that she’d been raped, having flashbacks, and shouting that she could see Liam and Stephen. This is just one small example of our day-to-day lives now.”

Ramsay and Hurst’s convictions were made public by Durham Constabulary, but the press release omitted key information about how Alice came to be in the care home, the company that ran it, the local authority responsible for placing her there, and Ramsay and Hurst’s criminal history. 

Liam Ramsey (right), 40, and Stephen Hurst (left), 46, took the 15-year-old into Durham city centre and plied her with wine and cocktails. Picture: Durham Constabulary

We have obtained these details – and have connected Alice’s nightmare to the growing nationwide scandal of illegal children’s homes.

The Welsh local authority which placed Alice with MAP Adventures claimed the company was registered to provide outdoor pursuits – including short periods of respite no more than 28 days in length – for children in care. We have not been able to substantiate this. The company was not registered with Ofsted or the Adventure Activities Licensing Authority, which accredits outdoor activity centres for young people in the UK. 

We have spoken to two former MAP Adventures staff. They said the company had looked after Alice beyond the 28-day legal limit at the request of the council involved. 

Homes providing these breaks, which are supposed to allow children in care to take part in recreational or sporting activities, do not need to be registered with Ofsted. But Alice was put in the care of MAP Adventures because she was at risk of sexual exploitation. She was there for her own protection. This means the firm’s home should have been registered and checked – yet it had never been visited by an Ofsted inspector.

“We were told [our daughter] would have a chance of resetting and it would be an opportunity for [her] to engage in outdoor activities,” Alice’s parents told the court. “However, the reality is both Stephen Hurst and Liam Ramsay jointly decided to supply our daughter with copious amounts of alcohol and drugs, knowing her vulnerabilities, before sexually abusing her.”

After we identified MAP Adventures by obtaining a transcript of the court case, we contacted Alice’s local authority again. Despite the nature of the events we were asking about, the council refused to answer any further questions or give a public statement. It said it would be making no further comment. 

LBC gained access to the care home itself, where neighbours alleged children were assaulted and filmed in distressed states while trying to escape.Picture: LBC

Ofsted is responsible for prosecuting illegal care home providers. There is no public record of any successful cases brought by the regulator, although a spokesperson said it has now started “several” prosecutions.

The spokesperson said it would not comment on individuals but told LBC: “Too many children are being placed in unlawful settings where they’re at risk of harm. The use of these placements must stop. 

“Ofsted is working hard to investigate unregistered children’s homes and compel them to either register or close. The test for prosecution is high, and gathering enough evidence to ensure a conviction can be a lengthy and expensive process. 

“But we hope that measures in the Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill will allow us to act more quickly and help make sure all children are placed in safe, regulated homes that provide the care they need.”

MAP Adventures went bust in August last year, with unpaid tax bills. It was run by Paul McGrory, himself an ex-serviceman. The company’s website is no longer live but internet archives show that it once boasted of his track record of working with children in the UK, Ireland, Oman and the UAE. It said his team were “highly qualified and share their knowledge and skills to give the best possible adventure experiences”.

McGrory, a former sergeant from the Royal Army Physical Training Corps, spoke to us over a video call from the terrace of a bar in Cyprus, where he moved after his company collapsed. He said he was “sickened to the core” by the abuse, which he said had ruined lots of people's lives. 

“Could I have stopped it?” he told us. “No. There’s nothing I could have done ... my company couldn’t have done anything.”

He claimed only one conviction was picked up by the company’s background checks but that he judged it to be immaterial. “Ramsay had a criminal record and that was for assault,” he said. “I knew that. I did 22 years in the Army, did I scrap? One hundred percent. That doesn’t mean you’re not fit to work with anybody.”

McGrory claimed he carried out spot checks on the properties himself and paid for independent inspections. “We were not regulated but… I would get care home managers at my own cost… and they would come and inspect our homes,” he said.

MAP Adventures’ application to sign the MoD’s Armed Forces Covenant, pledging to ensure former service personnel are treated fairly, was approved in 2022. The company displayed the covenant logo on its website alongside the emblem of the Career Transition Partnership, a scheme which helps people transition from a military career into civilian employment. 

The MoD said it did not have the powers to check if companies were operating illegally. It added it had removed MAP Adventures from its covenant database. The firm’s pledge, which was previously published by the MoD, has also been deleted.

A MAP Adventures deputy manager gave evidence in the trial. He said around 30 people lost their jobs when the company shut down after the offences were committed. 

“The whole incident has tainted my view of the care sector to such an extent I couldn’t work in it again,” he told the court. “I had faith in my colleagues, most of them being veterans, and I didn’t believe I could be working alongside men capable of carrying out such heinous crimes against a vulnerable child.” 

in 2024, nearly 800 children in England were sent to live in illegal accommodation, for an average of six months each. Picture: LBC

Councils say unregistered homes are only ever used as a last resort when no lawful accommodation is available. Yet this understates the shocking prevalence of illegal homes in the UK. In 2024, nearly 800 children in England were sent to live in illegal accommodation, for an average of six months each. 

The Public Accounts Committee said the figure was “unacceptable” and children were being put in danger by a broken system. But earlier this month, the government rejected the committee’s call for the Department for Education to set out how it will reduce the number of children in illegal homes to zero by 2027. 

“The idea that there could be other children in a similar position to the victim in this case at this very second should simplify things for the government,” said Sir Geoffrey Clifton-Brown, chair of the committee. “We call on the government to reconsider our recommendation. The number of children placed in illegal homes should be zero by the end of 2027. Period.”

Dame Rachel de Souza, the children’s commissioner for England, said serious questions must be asked about how people with criminal records were allowed to work with children. “This case is a deeply distressing example of profound failures by systems and services intended to keep the most vulnerable children safe,” she said. 

“This child was sent hundreds of miles from home, exposed to unimaginable harm and left without the curiosity from the professionals involved in her care to step in to protect her.”

A Department for Education spokesperson said: “Running an unregistered children’s care home is illegal and all children’s homes and supported accommodation providers must be registered with Ofsted or face serious consequences. 

“Our Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill is the most ambitious piece of child protection legislation in a generation and will bring important additional safeguards for children in care, as well as giving Ofsted the power to issue fines and take decisive action against illegal providers. 

“We are also working to establish a new Child Protection Authority in England, as well as introducing mandatory reporting of child sexual abuse through the Crime and Policing Bill and investing £50 million in the expansion of the Child House model to support victims of child sexual abuse.”

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