FRANK BECK'S REIGN OF TERROR IN LEICESTERSHIRE CHILDREN'S HOMES: SHOCKING DEATH AND SCANDAL IN LEICESTERSHIRE

In May 1994, the notorious child sex offender Frank Beck, aged 52, tragically passed away while serving his sentence in prison. His death, which occurred on the 31st of May at Whitemoor Prison in Cambridgeshire, was reportedly due to a heart attack sustained during a game of badminton. Beck's body was subsequently cremated in a private ceremony at Gilroes Crematorium in Leicester on June 9th, attended by a small gathering of family members. The circumstances surrounding his sudden death sparked widespread speculation, with some suggesting foul play, especially given the relatively short period he had been incarcerated.

Frank Beck's criminal record is among the most severe in British history, as he was convicted in November 1991 of 17 charges encompassing sexual and physical abuse of children in his care at Leicestershire's children’s homes. His conviction led to a sentence of five life terms, a punishment considered one of the harshest ever handed down in the UK since the abolition of the death penalty for murder. The judge, Mr. Justice Jowitt, described Beck as a man with considerable talents but marked by 'very great evil,' entrusted with the care of some of the most vulnerable children, many of whom had already suffered sexual abuse.

Beck's systematic abuse spanned from 1973 to 1986, during which he employed a disturbing form of 'regression therapy.' This involved dressing children in pyjamas, giving them bottles and dummies, and sometimes dressing younger children in nappies. Staff would mimic infant feeding routines, cut up food on plates as if feeding infants, and encourage bodily contact under the guise of therapy. Beck believed that emotions should not be bottled up, and he deliberately provoked children into temper tantrums, creating opportunities for violent physical restraint. Several of his staff, some of whom were also paedophiles and sadists, supported his methods, including individuals like Colin Fiddaman, who later committed suicide in Amsterdam while on the run in 1991.

The trial revealed that Beck's abuse was not limited to children but extended to male staff members as well, with reports of physical and sexual assaults on colleagues. His regime of terror included physical violence, sexual exploitation, and emotional manipulation, often under the pretext of therapy. The court heard harrowing testimonies from victims as young as eight, who recounted being forced into sexual acts, including rape, by Beck and his accomplices. Many victims testified from behind screens, reliving their trauma during the 11-week trial, which involved dozens of witnesses, some of whom were in their twenties and thirties at the time of giving evidence.

The investigation into Beck's activities was extensive, involving police inquiries across Europe, the Middle East, and the United States. Police officers, including Detective Sergeant Michael Creedon, faced scrutiny over their handling of the case, with reports criticizing their initial inaction and alleged incompetence. Two independent reports published in February 1993 condemned the police and social services in Leicestershire for their failure to uncover Beck's activities earlier, citing negligence, prejudice, and naivety among social workers and police officers.

Further complicating the case were allegations of a cover-up involving high-profile figures. Notably, Beck claimed that Labour MP Greville Janner had sexually abused a boy in care over a two-year period. Beck alleged that Janner, a prominent politician and barrister, had engaged in sexual acts with a boy at his London home and during trips abroad, including a two-week lecture tour in Scotland. Beck's testimony included claims that Janner had sent the boy gifts, letters, and had been involved in a two-year affair, which Janner's legal representatives strongly denied, asserting that the matter was sub judice and that Janner would not comment publicly.

Throughout the trial, Beck maintained his innocence, asserting that he was the victim of a conspiracy to frame him. His supporters, including the controversial Labour peer Lord Longford, believed in his innocence, citing Beck's charisma and perceived good intentions. Beck's legal team argued that many witnesses' testimonies were unreliable, influenced by motives such as financial gain or personal vendettas. They also questioned the integrity of police investigations, suggesting that some witnesses had fabricated allegations or exaggerated their claims.

The court proceedings uncovered a disturbing pattern of abuse, with victims recounting being subjected to violent beatings, sexual assault, and psychological torment. The use of regression therapy, which was intended as a treatment for disturbed children, was revealed to be a cover for exploitation and abuse. Experts criticized the therapy as dangerous and unethical, with some describing it as a 'fad' that left children vulnerable to manipulation and harm.

In the final verdicts, Beck was convicted of multiple charges, including buggery, attempted buggery, rape, indecent assault, and causing actual bodily harm. His deputies, Peter Jaynes and George Lincoln, also faced convictions related to abuse and assault. The trial's outcome confirmed the extent of the abuse and the failure of the institutions responsible for safeguarding children in Leicestershire during that era. Beck's death in prison marked the end of a dark chapter in the history of child care in Britain, but the scars left on his victims and the systemic failures that allowed such abuse to occur continue to resonate.