Numerous attempts to hold Smith accountable for the 144 complaints made against him were blocked. As stated by the ''Manchester Evening News'', the [[establishment]] were aware of Smith's crimes and covered them up.<ref>[https://www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/news/greater-manchester-news/establishment-knew-cyril-smith-abusing-17811996 The establishment knew Cyril Smith was abusing children but covered it up, damning inquiry finds]</ref> Smith was notably protected by Liberal parliamentary colleague [[David Steel]], the man best known as the architect of taxpayer-funded [[abortion]] in the UK. According to detective Jack Tasker, Smith was never prosecuted because of fears it would expose other child abusers within the political establishment.<ref>[https://webcache.googleusercontent.com/search?q=cache:6D3mGA2HIAgJ:https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2997971/Cyril-Smith-held-paedophile-sex-party-police-told-cover-face-prosecution-Official-Secrets-Act.html&cd=3&hl=en&ct=clnk&gl=uk Cyril Smith was spared court because he would have exposed other high-profile child abusers says former police detective ]</ref> | Numerous attempts to hold Smith accountable for the 144 complaints made against him were blocked. As stated by the ''Manchester Evening News'', the [[establishment]] were aware of Smith's crimes and covered them up.<ref>[https://www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/news/greater-manchester-news/establishment-knew-cyril-smith-abusing-17811996 The establishment knew Cyril Smith was abusing children but covered it up, damning inquiry finds]</ref> Smith was notably protected by Liberal parliamentary colleague [[David Steel]], the man best known as the architect of taxpayer-funded [[abortion]] in the UK. According to detective Jack Tasker, Smith was never prosecuted because of fears it would expose other child abusers within the political establishment.<ref>[https://webcache.googleusercontent.com/search?q=cache:6D3mGA2HIAgJ:https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2997971/Cyril-Smith-held-paedophile-sex-party-police-told-cover-face-prosecution-Official-Secrets-Act.html&cd=3&hl=en&ct=clnk&gl=uk Cyril Smith was spared court because he would have exposed other high-profile child abusers says former police detective ]</ref> |