A former Ireland and Ulster rugby player trying to recoup his legal fees after being acquitted of rape has offered no evidence to support his claims of financial hardship, a court has heard.A prosecution barrister said lawyers for Stuart Olding, 25, had been given "ample opportunity" to detail the extent…

A former orphanage resident has told an inquiry he was sexually assaulted by three men over a number of years during his time in care.The witness, who cannot be named for legal reasons, was giving evidence to the Scottish Child Abuse in Inquiry in Edinburgh.The inquiry heard he was admitted…

A financial compensation scheme for victims of child abuse in care is to be set up by the Scottish Government.Ministers also intend to make fast-track payments to survivors aged 70 and over, and those approaching the end of their lives through illness.An independent inquiry is currently examining historical allegations of…

More than 360 people have made complaints of physical and sexual abuse against people at orphanages run by three voluntary organisations in Scotland, police have said.The announcement was made during the opening statements in phase three of the Scottish Child Abuse Inquiry (SCAI) in Edinburgh on Tuesday.It is now looking…

An "opportunistic and predatory" sex offender who attacked a fellow resident at a care home was able to enter bedrooms "night or day" despite requiring 24/7 supervision, a court heard.Hillgreen Care Limited knew the man, who cannot be named for legal reasons, needed constant one-on-one supervision to protect vulnerable residents…

The third phase of hearings in the Scottish Child Abuse Inquiry (SCAI) is to open with an investigation of residential childcare establishments run by large-scale care providers.The inquiry is tasked with examining historical allegations of the abuse of children in care and began taking statements from witnesses in the spring…

The Government is failing to address the problem of sexual harassment in public places, despite evidence that it is "deeply ingrained" in British culture, affecting the lives of nearly every woman, a parliamentary report has found.The report from the House of Commons Women and Equalities Committee found evidence of "routine…

Huddersfield has joined a long list of English towns and cities where the same grim story has emerged of the sexual exploitation of teenage girls on a shocking scale.The stories of the victims in the Huddersfield prosecution are almost identical to those told in Rochdale, Rotherham, Newcastle, Oxford, Aylesbury, Telford…

A gang of men who embarked on a "campaign of rape and other sexual abuse" against vulnerable teenage girls in Huddersfield has been given lengthy jail sentences, it can now be reported.Ringleader Amere Singh Dhaliwal, 35, was jailed for life earlier this year and told he must serve a minimum…

A "ruthless" sexual predator who had images of children being abused as the screensaver on his computer has been jailed for 14 years.Robert Hawkins was described by a judge as an "unrepentant paedophile" as he was sentenced at the High Court in Edinburgh on Friday.The 58-year-old was convicted of the…

A husband and wife described as the "Fred and Rose West of Barry" have been jailed for a total of 36 years for grooming and raping teenage girls.Peter Griffiths, 65, and Avril Griffiths, 61, (pictured) abused the girls in a number of locations including at a sex party on a…

The Charity Commission has spoken of its ongoing "concerns" regarding a significant and systemic underreporting of alleged serious incidents by charities which may include claims of sex abuse, harassment and harm to children.The Oxfam and Save the Children abuse scandal which rocked the aid sector this year saw charities submit…