EDWARD O’DONOGHUE SCOUT LEADER FROM UPPER NORWOOD STRIPPED OF NURSING LICENCE AFTER ABUSING TEENAGE BOY IN WALES

In a disturbing case that has shocked the community of Upper Norwood and beyond, Edward O’Donoghue, a former nurse and scout leader, has been permanently removed from the nursing profession following allegations of prolonged sexual abuse against a teenage boy. The abuse, which spanned over a two-year period in the late 1980s, involved more than 50 separate incidents and included a particularly heinous attack during a camping trip in Wales.

The case was brought before the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC), where it was revealed that O’Donoghue’s misconduct was both extensive and deeply troubling. The NMC panel, led by chair Lesley White, concluded that his actions were “fundamentally incompatible” with the responsibilities and ethical standards expected of a registered nurse. The panel emphasized the gravity of the case, noting that the abuse was carried out by a trusted scout leader who owed a duty of care and trust to the victim.

According to evidence presented during the hearing, the abuse began after the victim, who was only 14 at the time, confided in O’Donoghue about being sexually abused by another scout leader since he was just four years old. The victim, who later married and sought counselling in 2006, disclosed that O’Donoghue had assaulted him multiple times, including during a scouting trip to Wales where they shared a tent. It was during this trip that O’Donoghue committed a series of sexual acts on the young boy, acts which he later admitted to the police.

The NMC’s case was supported by Louise Campbell, who explained that O’Donoghue, then in his early thirties, was leading a scout group in south London at the time of the offences. She detailed how the victim had been subjected to abuse from the age of four by the same scout master, and that the victim had confided in O’Donoghue about this trauma at age 14, requesting secrecy. Despite this, O’Donoghue continued his abusive behaviour, culminating in the assault during the camping trip in Wales.

Following the revelations, O’Donoghue was arrested and charged. He admitted to multiple counts of indecent assault on a person under 16 and appeared before Bromley Magistrates’ Court on February 20, 2007. Subsequently, on March 27, 2007, he was sentenced at Croydon Crown Court to two years in prison. The court also disqualified him from working with children and mandated his registration on the Sex Offenders’ Register for a period of ten years.

This case underscores the importance of safeguarding vulnerable individuals and highlights the devastating impact of abuse by trusted figures. The community of Upper Norwood and the wider public are left to reflect on the breach of trust and the lasting scars inflicted by Edward O’Donoghue’s actions.