JOHN MOSELING'S HORRIFIC ABUSE IN PECKHAM AND LONDON COURT SENTENCE

In a deeply disturbing case that has shocked the community, John Moseling, a 61-year-old former staff member at the Ivydale children’s home located in Peckham, southeast London, has been sentenced to ten years in prison for a series of severe sexual offenses committed against vulnerable young boys. The court proceedings revealed a pattern of predatory behavior that spanned several years, involving the exploitation of children as young as nine years old.

According to court testimony, Moseling would often lure children into his control by offering them alcohol, creating an environment of manipulation and abuse. His victims, including a man now 35 years old named Tony Lewis, who resides in Elizabeth Court, Layton, bravely came forward to share their harrowing experiences. Lewis, who was just ten years old when he was transferred to Ivydale in 1976, recounted how the abuse began during a routine activity—brushing his teeth—before escalating into daily sexual assaults carried out by Moseling.

Despite being moved from Ivydale to a care home in North Wales, Lewis’s suffering did not end. Moseling continued to assault him during holiday visits back to the London home until Lewis reached the age of 17. Today, Lewis publicly waived his right to anonymity—a right protected by law for victims of sexual assault—to speak openly about the trauma inflicted upon him. His aim was to inspire others who have endured similar abuse to find the strength to come forward and seek justice.

Expressing his feelings about the conviction, Lewis stated, “I feel nothing but pure hatred for him – that man has ruined my life.” His words echoed the pain and anger that many victims carry long after the abuse has ended. The investigation, led by Detective Inspector Tim Duncan, was praised for the bravery of the victims who relived their traumatic experiences in court to ensure justice was served. Duncan remarked, “I pay tribute to the three victims in this case who were very courageous in reliving their traumatic experiences in court in order to expose John Moseling.”

Currently residing in Blackpool with his partner David, Lewis shared that the conviction has allowed him to begin rebuilding his life, stating, “It feels like I can put my life back together.”

Moseling’s conviction marks the third time staff members at Ivydale have been found guilty of abuse. Earlier, in March, his colleagues George Simpson, 60, from North Shields, and Alan Essex, 59, from Hampshire, received six-year sentences for their roles in similar offenses. Judge Austin Issard-Davies, presiding over the case, condemned Moseling’s abuse of his position of trust, emphasizing the devastating impact on his victims. The judge stated, “You were appointed by social services of the London borough of Southwark to a position which carried with it great responsibility. You greatly abused that responsibility. The impact of these offences has been to disadvantage or wreck the lives of your victims. You put them through the ordeal of giving evidence and there is almost no mitigation that I can see.”