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| Paedophile claims 'ruined my life' A former nursery nurse seeking damages for libel over allegations of child abuse, has told the High Court there was no truth in claims against her. Dawn Reed, 31, denied she had ever sexually abused children in her care at the council-run Shieldfield nursery in Newcastle-upon-Tyne. Ms Reed and another former nursery nurse, Christopher Lillie, 37, are suing Newcastle City Council over the publication of a "devastating" report, Abuse in Early Years. The 1998 report claimed the pair had been members of a paedophile ring and had sexually, physically and emotionally abused a large number of children in their care. Dabbing away tears Ms Reed said she had waited almost nine years for the chance to declare her innocence. She told the court that the effect of the claims had been "to ruin my life". The allegations appeared in the report four years after Ms Reed and Mr Lillie were acquitted of sexual offences against children on the direction of a judge at Newcastle Crown Court. Their counsel, Adrienne Page QC, told the judge hearing the libel action, Mr Justice Eady, that the report accused Ms Reed and Mr Lillie of "serious" and "repugnant" crimes. 'Sickening' conclusions Miss Page asked Ms Reed in court on Friday how she felt about the claims. Ms Reed said: "I think it was incredible and ridiculous how they could come to such conclusions. "They don't even know me at all." Ms Reed said all the abuse allegations were "completely untrue" and had caused problems in relationships with family and friends. She added: "I cannot cope with this going on and on. I felt that unless I did something it just would never go away." Ms Reed and Mr Lillie are also suing the four authors of the council-commissioned report and Newcastle Chronicle and Journal Ltd over a series of articles in the Evening Chronicle in the wake of its publication. Mr Justice Eady has heard that the report's authors stand by their abuse conclusions. The newspaper argues that it was perfectly entitled to tell its readers about a report which came to the "most devastating and sickening" conclusions, and to follow it up. The hearing continues. 19th January 2002 |
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