[Omah]

http://www.guardian.co.uk/society/20...-liberal-party

The former Liberal party leader, Lord Steel, heard rumours that Cyril Smith used to deliver punishment beatings to boys, but the party did not investigate the claims.

Steel said a lack of substantive complaints meant the party leadership did not look into Smith's involvement in corporal punishment, which was understood to have taken place when he was a councillor in Rochdale.

The admission will add to widening concern at institutional responses to allegations of abuse against the MP who died in 2010. This week Greater Manchester police acknowledged that "young boys were victims of physical and sexual abuse committed by Smith". Three files of evidence were passed to prosecutors but no charges were brought. The first 80-page file on Smith compiled in 1970 contained allegations from eight men that they were abused as teenagers by Smith on the pretexts of either a medical examination or punishment for misbehaviour.

"All I can recall was rumour surrounding his previous behaviour relating to corporal punishment of boys, but we received no substantive complaints on which to make inquiries," Steel told the Guardian. "The suggestion related to the 60s when Smith was not an MP and not even a member of our party. He had reportedly been investigated at the time, so what reason would I have had to try an investigation?"

Corporal punishment was banned in state-funded schools in 1987. In the late 1960s and early 70s when Smith was a prominent and powerful figure in Rochdale it has been reported that some people in the town used to send their unruly children to Smith's home on Emma Street to be chastised.

"chastised" .....