FACT was born during the era of ‘The Great Children’s Home Panic’ (described in Richard Webster’s book of the same name. Police ‘trawled’ ex-residents of children’s homes in the North West of England to search for possible victims. Tragically, trawling operations such as ‘Operation Care’ caught many innocent teachers and carers in their net.
FACT History Timeline
The origins of FACT
FACT has its roots in the decisions of various police forces in the UK to undertake historical investigations into alleged abuse in former children’s homes and residential schools.
The first to do this was the North Wales Police Force who began their inquires in 1991. They were followed by Merseyside and Cheshire Police. Within a decade virtually every police force in the UK was either undertaking retrospective investigations into alleged abuse, or planning to do so. In North Wales and in Liverpool the scale of the investigations was so great and misinformed that huge numbers of carers and teachers banded together for mutual support. The first support group was set up in North Wales in 1992.
In the late 1990’s several people from Merseyside and surrounding area banded together following the decision of Merseyside and Cheshire Police to establish Operation Care in which they trawled for allegations from former residents of care homes throughout the Northwest. FACT was formed in late 1999.
In the Spring of 2000 hundreds attended the first ever FACT National Conference held at St Helens. The huge numbers struck a chord with other carers and teachers throughout the UK in a similar position. Local activists were joined by concerned academics, lawyers, professionals and politicians.
As more individuals were accused and the injustices became more apparent other local groups and individual campaigns merged to form a powerful and respected national network, and an organization to be reckoned with.
FACT Timeline
1998
Police Trawling Operations Catch Innocent Victims
November 1999
First FACT meeting
40 supporters of Basil Williams-Rigby, a victim of ‘Operation Care’ met at Kensington Community Centre in Liverpool.
December 1999
The Campaign on behalf of Victims of Operation Care
The Campaign on behalf of Victims of Operation Care met for a second time and demonstrated outside the court where Dave Jones, manager of Southampton was making an appearance. There was much local press coverage and a TV item.
Spring 2000
First National Conference of FACT
FACT met at St Helen’s for their first ever national conference
July 2000
Second FACT Conference
Claire Curtis-Thomas, concerned by the number of allegations and arrests in her constituency, courageously identified herself with FACT.
November 2000
FACT demonstrates at Dave Jones’ Trial
FACT attended in numbers and took part in a most impressive silent walk through Liverpool. To great jubilation, on 5 December, the trial collapsed.
2001
A new genre of miscarriages of justice’
The then Lord Chief Justice, Lord Woolfe warned that the convictions of dozens of men for child sexual assault, years after the alleged assault had supposedly taken place, could be unsafe. The Home Affairs select Committee stated that they believed that a new genre of miscarriages of justice had arisen from the over enthusiastic pursuit of allegations of historical abuse in care homes.
October 2001
All Party Group for Abuse Investigations meets for first time
The inaugural meeting of the All Party Group for Abuse Investigations took place at Portcullis House where FACT was introduced to another sympathetic and courageous politician, Earl Howe.
2002
FACT gives evidence to Home Affairs Select Committee
2002 was the year of the Home Affairs Select Committee when FACT presented its evidence into the methods used by police forces to collect information. Many FACT supporters gave testimonies to this select committee including Richard Webster and Bob Wolfenden.
2003
National Committee for FACT was formed
The FACT AGM was held in Warrington on 31 May 2003, the Conference requested a Working Party to look into FACT’S future constitution. This was set up in June and reported back to the Dinas Powys Conference on 6 September. As a result, a new National Committee was selected and formed.
2004
FACT’s strategies re-examined
The Conference and AGM at Dinas Powys on 11 September 2004 concentrated on a broader overall strategy, a re-examination of FACT’s methodology, promotion of academic research, and the Innocence Project. A new lobbying campaign was also launched.
March 2005
‘The Secret of Bryn Estyn’ launched at Portcullis House
In March 2005 FACT was encouraged by the launching at Portcullis House of Richard Webster’s beautifully researched and immensely compelling “The Secret of Bryn Estyn”.
The rights to the book were bought by Tony Garnett, a producer of television dramas. Garnett had planned a three-hour drama based for Channel 4, but the project was cancelled. Cancellation of planned documentaries and dramas about wrongful allegations was to be a recurring experience for FACT.
2006
Mother’s intervention at FACT conference leads to successful appeal
Darryl Gee died in prison in 2002 after a second appeal against his rape conviction failed. When John Weeden, a CCRC commissioner gave a key note speech at a FACT conference his mother made a heartfelt plea to him on her late son’s behalf. Darryl was posthumously exonerated in 2006.
2007
FACT’s role continues to evolve
By now FACT’s role was evolving and becoming clearer: on one hand, it was providing a wealth of advice, help and emotional support, it was campaigning to have innocent prisoners released and to bring an end to false allegations and wrongful convictions. At the same time, the investigative focus was moving from children’s homes, residential and non-residential schools to welfare and community-based services. The challenge was increasing.
2012
FACT makes submission to Independent Advisory Panel on the Disclosure of Criminal Records
FACT has made many submissions during its history, some of them are listed here.
2013
CPS introduces ‘believe the victim’ policy
Keir Starmer told prosecutors they should start from a position of believing complainants of alleged sexual offences.
Submission to Criminal Cases Review Commission
Ros Burnett from Oxford University helped FACT prepare a submission to the Criminal Cases Review Commission.
2016
Sister Frances becomes president
Sister Frances, an innocent victim of a false allegation, became our president.
Publication of “The Impact of The Impact of Being Wrongly Accused of Abuse” by Oxford University
This publication of research by Caroyn Hoyle, Naomi-Ellen Speechly and Dr Ros Burnett captured the damage done and wreckage inflicted to individual lives and families caused by unfounded allegations. Today it is a much-used reference document.
September 2016
The first Wrongful Allegation and Conviction Day
The first Wrongful Allegation and Conviction Day was on 9th September 2016, later this became Falsely Accused Day
October 2016
Henriques Report into Operations Midland and Yewtree published
After two disastrous investigations into prominent politicians and personalities, Lord Henriques published his report recommending changes in investigative practice, including ending the instruction for police to ‘believe the victim‘.
2017
Simon Warr campaigns on behalf of FACT
FACT met with the Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse in London. Simon Warr, a radio presenter, travelled round the country giving interviews and used his TV and other media contacts to further FACT’s cause.
FACT’s first Service of Support and Encouragement
St James’s Church Piccadilly, London hosted FACT’s first service for those of all faiths and none. In the service there was an opportunity to light a candle to remember a loved one who had been falsely accused. This service remains popular to this day.
November 2017
APPG on Miscarriages of Justice set up
An All Party Parliamentary Group on Miscarriages of Justice is formed by Barry Shearman, MP for Huddrsfield. The APPG led to the Westminster Commission
2018
FACT members surveyed on their coping strategies
43 members and their friends or family were surveyed to discover how they coped with the trauma of a false accusation. The results were used to make an advice sheet on coping strategies.
2019
Liam Allan’s trial collapses
Liam Allan was wrongly accused of rape and his trail collapsed in an 11th hour disclosure of evidence by the prosecutor. Disclosure failings became big news. Later Liam spoke at a FACT conference.
February 2020
Simon Warr dies
Simon Warr, during a last interview before his death, described his experience as a victim of a false allegation as worse than his cancer. Falsely Accused Day was instituted in his memory.
2020
FACT becomes a not-for-profit Limited Company by Guarantee
Besides becoming a Limited Company, FACT set up a ‘buddy befriending’ scheme to offer support to victims of false accusations.
2021
The Westminster Commission Report Published
‘Robbed of Everything’ published
‘Robbed of Everything‘ was published, an academic report on the experience of the wrongly convicted, by Oxford University Centre for Criminology with support from FACT members.
Speakers at our AGM this year were Matthew Scott (barrister blogger) and Dr Kiron Griffin who gave an astonishing talk on mental health and why abuse allegations damage the individual more than other traumatic life events.
Harvey Proctor speaks at FACT conference and becomes Vice President
His opening comments were, “there can be no better use of scarce time and resources than to combat those who bear false witness against others”.
2023
Submissions to Law Commission
Andrew Malkinson won his appeal against his conviction for rape after spending 17 years in prison maintaining his innocence. Following this, FACT made a submission to the Law Commission’s consultation paper on Issues within the criminal appeal system.
FACT also made a submission to the Law Commission’s consultation on Evidence in Sexual Offence Prosecutions.
2024
FACT celebrates 25 years of service to the innocent victims of false allegations
FACT continues to support victims and survivors of false allegations after 25 years.
2025
FACT renamed
FACT is renamed as ‘Facing Allegations in Contexts of Trust’ to recognize that it supports anyone whose professional life has exposed them to the risk of false allegations, not just teachers and carers.
May 2025
FACT 2nd Submission to the Law Commission on Criminal Appeals consultation
FACT makes another submission to the Law Commission on their review of the Criminal Appeal system. While the 2023 paper discussed issues, this paper contained draft proposals for comment by ‘stakeholders’ with an interest in justice. Final proposals expected in 2026