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'''Peter Righton,''' (1926-2007) alias Paul Pelham, [[homosexual]], "gay rights" campaigner, founder member of UK [[Pedophile Information Exchange]], convicted on [[pedophile]] offences. From 1974-1982 Righton was Director of Education for the National Council of Social Work and he was a top UK government adviser on child protection. <ref>‘In Residence’, Social Work Today, February 4th, 1985</ref>  

'''Peter Righton''' (known as '''Paul Pelham'''; 1926–2007) [[homosexual]], "gay rights" campaigner, founder member of UK [[Pedophile Information Exchange]], convicted on [[pedophile]] offences. From 1974–1982, Righton was Director of Education for the National Council of Social Work and he was a top UK government adviser on child protection. <ref>‘In Residence’, Social Work Today, February 4th, 1985</ref>  

His career illustrates the close, inextricable links between homosexuality and pedophilia.   

His career illustrates the close, inextricable links between homosexuality and pedophilia.   

<ref>Information from Peter McKelvie, child protection officer who researched him during Operation Fairbank. https://ianpace.wordpress.com/2014/08/21/peter-righton-his-activities-up-until-the-early-1980s/</ref>

<ref>Information from Peter McKelvie, child protection officer who researched him during Operation Fairbank. https://ianpace.wordpress.com/2014/08/21/peter-righton-his-activities-up-until-the-early-1980s/</ref>

Righton trained in the probation service from 1951 to 1952, and served as a Probation Officer in Gray’s, Essex from 1952 to 1955, where he also ran a project to develop reading skills for children with learning difficulties. [This looks like his first attempt to get access to children.] In January 1956 he began teaching at Gaveston Hall, near Horsham in West Sussex, In Righton’s diaries, he lists boys he abused at Gaveston Hall. After six months he left the school for reasons not recorded and retreated for six months to the Society of Saint Francis, a monastery. In January 1957 Righton started teaching at Cuddesdon College near Oxford. After a few months he moved to teach English at Redhill, a school for disturbed boys in Maidstone, Kent. Righton was deliberately targeting vulnerable pupils, one of whom Mark Thewliss claims he was abused by Righton there from the age of 12. Righton’s diaries list boys he abused at both Cuddesdon and Redhill. He resigned from Redhill on April 8th, 1963, and in July, a police investigation began into complaints against Righton. However, with his well-bred manner and Oxford education, he was able to talk the police into dropping the investigation.  

Righton trained in the probation service from 1951 to 1952 and served as a Probation Officer in Gray’s, Essex from 1952 to 1955, where he also ran a project to develop reading skills for children with learning difficulties. [This looks like his first attempt to get access to children.] In January 1956 he began teaching at Gaveston Hall, near Horsham in West Sussex, In Righton’s diaries, he lists boys he abused at Gaveston Hall. After six months he left the school for reasons not recorded and retreated for six months to the Society of Saint Francis, a monastery. In January 1957 Righton started teaching at Cuddesdon College near Oxford. After a few months, he moved to teach English at Redhill, a school for disturbed boys in Maidstone, Kent. Righton was deliberately targeting vulnerable pupils, one of whom Mark Thewliss claims he was abused by Righton there from the age of 12. Righton’s diaries list boys he abused at both Cuddesdon and Redhill. He resigned from Redhill on April 8th, 1963, and in July, a police investigation began into complaints against Righton. However, with his well-bred manner and Oxford education, he was able to talk the police into dropping the investigation.  

In 1963-65 Righton worked as a tutor and organizer for the Workers’ Educational Association in Wiltshire, then from 1965-68 became a tutor in charge of a two-year course for child care officers at Keele University although his qualifications in this field remain a complete mystery.

In 1963-65 Righton worked as a tutor and organizer for the Workers’ Educational Association in Wiltshire, then from 1965-68 became a tutor in charge of a two-year course for child care officers at Keele University although his qualifications in this field remain a complete mystery.

==Senior Position in Social Work Profession==

==Senior Position in Social Work Profession==

Qualified or not, Righton rapidly rose to the top in the Social Work profession. From 1968 to 1971 he was a Senior Lecturer at the National Institute of Social Work, a government-funded institution. In 1968, as Paul Pelham Righton, he gave a talk at Shotton Hall, Peterlee, entitled ‘A New Deal for Children: Thoughts on the White Paper ‘Children in Trouble” <ref>Paul Pelham Righton, A new deal for children Reflections on the White Paper ‘Children in trouble’ a paper given at Shotton Hall on 11th October 1968 (Shrewsbury: Shotton Hall Publications, 1968</ref>. He he also published other articles on similar subjects. <ref>‘The Need for Training’, F.G. Lennhoff and J.C. Lampen (eds), Learning to Live: A Sketchbook of Residential Work with Children (Shrewsbury: Shotton Hall, 1968), 13-16, reproduced on the Online Journal of the International Child and Youth Care Network, Issue 95 (December 2006).‘Social work and scientific concepts’ in Social Work, 1969, Vol. 26:3. </ref>  

Qualified or not, Righton rapidly rose to the top in the Social Work profession. From 1968 to 1971 he was a Senior Lecturer at the National Institute of Social Work, a government-funded institution. In 1968, as Paul Pelham Righton, he gave a talk at Shotton Hall, Peterlee, entitled "A New Deal for Children: Thoughts on the White Paper 'Children in Trouble.'"<ref>Paul Pelham Righton, A new deal for children Reflections on the White Paper ‘Children in trouble’ a paper given at Shotton Hall on 11th October 1968 (Shrewsbury: Shotton Hall Publications, 1968</ref> He also published other articles on similar subjects. <ref>‘The Need for Training’, F.G. Lennhoff and J.C. Lampen (eds), Learning to Live: A Sketchbook of Residential Work with Children (Shrewsbury: Shotton Hall, 1968), 13-16, reproduced on the Online Journal of the International Child and Youth Care Network, Issue 95 (December 2006).‘Social work and scientific concepts’ in Social Work, 1969, Vol. 26:3.</ref>  

In the late 1960s until 1970 Righton taught at North London Polytechnic (now London Metropolitan University).

In the late 1960s until 1970 Righton taught at North London Polytechnic (now London Metropolitan University).

In 1970, Righton was acting as an adviser to government and credited as giving ‘considerable assistance’ to a Home Office report <ref>Advisory Council on Child Care: Research and Development Committee; Community Homes Project, Second Report (London: Home Office Children’s Department, April 1970. Mentioned in BBC Today program 20th August 2014. </ref>.  

In 1970, Righton was acting as an adviser to government and credited as giving ‘considerable assistance’ to a Home Office report <ref>Advisory Council on Child Care: Research and Development Committee; Community Homes Project, Second Report (London: Home Office Children’s Department, April 1970. Mentioned in BBC Today program 20th August 2014. </ref>.  

In October 1971, Righton was described as a ‘lecturer in residential care’ for the National Institute for Social Work, and ‘director-designate of the centre to be established by the National Children’s Bureau later this year’. In these exalted capacities he addressed social services conferences. In 1972, Righton published ‘Parental and other roles in residential care’,<ref> The Parental Role: Conference Papers (London: National Children’s Bureau, 1972),13-17</ref>

In October 1971, Righton was described as a ‘lecturer in residential care’ for the National Institute for Social Work, and ‘director-designate of the centre to be established by the National Children’s Bureau later this year’. In these exalted capacities, he addressed social services conferences. In 1972, Righton published ‘Parental and other roles in residential care’,<ref> The Parental Role: Conference Papers (London: National Children’s Bureau, 1972),13-17</ref>

In 1972 Righton wrote a reference for his friend Charles Napier, whom he knew to be a fellow-pedophile, to enable him to continue working as a teacher despite having been convicted for molesting a boy. He corresponded with Napier for many years about their pederast tastes and plan for a network of schools, national and international, where their pederast activities could go on undetected. He visited Napier in Sweden and was filmed with boys there. <ref>

In 1972 Righton wrote a reference for his friend Charles Napier, whom he knew to be a fellow-pedophile, to enable him to continue working as a teacher despite having been convicted for molesting a boy. He corresponded with Napier for many years about their pederast tastes and plan for a network of schools, national and international, where their pederast activities could go on undetected. He visited Napier in Sweden and was filmed with boys there. <ref>

Righton's chapter "The Adult" made it clear that he was writing from personal experience and not in a detached academic fashion. He brushed aside any idea that pedophilia was harmful and compared an attraction to children to “a penchant for redheads”. This charming analogy seems to have been suggested by a poem by A. E. Housman, which compares homosexuality to having red hair, an equally absurd comparison in its way.

Righton's chapter "The Adult" made it clear that he was writing from personal experience and not in a detached academic fashion. He brushed aside any idea that pedophilia was harmful and compared an attraction to children to “a penchant for redheads”. This charming analogy seems to have been suggested by a poem by A. E. Housman, which compares homosexuality to having red hair, an equally absurd comparison in its way.

Despite this book, and being publicly identified as a member of PIE, Righton continued to hold his professional posts and be a respected "expert". In 1984, he was one of the major speakers at a conference on Child Sexual Abuse and until at least 1985 Righton and other PIE members such as Keith Hose were frequently invited to speak on child protection or prestigious conferences. In 1991 Righton was invited to give "expert" evidence to the Pindown inquiry into sexual and physical abuse in Staffordshire <ref>‘Britain’s top kiddies home expert is evil child-sex perv’, The Sun, September 17th, 1992 </ref>.

Despite this book, and being publicly identified as a member of PIE, Righton continued to hold his professional posts and be a respected "expert". In 1984, he was one of the major speakers at a conference on Child Sexual Abuse and until at least 1985 Righton and other PIE members such as Keith Hose were frequently invited to speak on child protection or prestigious conferences. In 1991 Righton was invited to give "expert" evidence to the Pindown inquiry into sexual and physical abuse in Staffordshire <ref>‘Britain’s top kiddies home expert is evil child-sex perv’, The Sun, September 17th, 1992 </ref>.

In the 1990s Righton became a senior tutor with the Open University which published his book Working with Children and Young People in 1990. (The same post had been held by PIE chair [[Tom O’Carroll]]. The OU employed him on a project concerning children in residential care.  

In the 1990s Righton became a senior tutor with the Open University which published his book Working with Children and Young People in 1990. (The same post had been held by PIE chair [[Tom O’Carroll]]. The OU employed him on a project concerning children in residential care.  

<ref>http://www.eadt.co.uk/news/suffolk-drive-to-discover-more-about-child-sex-predator-peter-righton-s-time-in-suffolk-and-the-links-to-national-abuse-inquiries-1-3716846</ref>

<ref>http://www.eadt.co.uk/news/suffolk-drive-to-discover-more-about-child-sex-predator-peter-righton-s-time-in-suffolk-and-the-links-to-national-abuse-inquiries-1-3716846</ref>

See also [[Pedophile Information Exchange]] [[Benjamin Britten]]

==See also==

*[[Pedophile Information Exchange]]

*[[Benjamin Britten]]

==References==

==References==