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October 1, 2012

Esther Rantzen: Teacher anonymity law could let abusers go unpunished

By Press Gazette

Journalist Esther Rantzen has warned that a new law giving teachers accused of offences against children anonymity would have stopped the exposure of paedophile teachers by the TV show she fronted, That's Life.

Provisions of the Education Act 2011 come into force today meaning that teachers accused by children of abusing them cannot be named in the media until they are charged. The law would mean that teacher Jeremy Forrest,who last week went on the run with a 15-year-old pupil, could not have been named until permission was granted by a magistrate.

Writing in the Daily Mail today Rantzen described the law as “appalling” saying: “Had that law been in force in 1989, I could never have exposed the paedophiles abusing children in the boys' boarding school, Crookham Court.

“Because…we publicised their crimes, the paedophile teachers were convicted and imprisoned, and the school was closed down.”

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