TV star in child abuse case

Alison Roberts

SEVEN people, including one of Portugal’s most popular television presenters, went on trial yesterday on charges of sexual abuse in state-run children’s homes.

The defendants — six men and a woman — include Carlos Cruz, a veteran broadcaster once known as Mr Television, who was so highly regarded that he fronted the Government’s information campaign for the introduction of the euro. He has spent several months in custody and is subject to a court order to remain near his home in Cascais.

“I have never lied and I don’t intend to start now,” Senhor Cruz, 63, said as he arrived at court yesterday to face television cameras, photographers and journalists.

Other defendants include a former Ambassador to South Africa and the director of the Casa Pia network of ten homes for troubled or orphaned children. Charges include child sexual abuse, procurement and rape involving 32 victims.

The trial comes after a two-year investigation into allegations of decades of sexual abuse at Casa Pia, a 224-year-old institution. It is the country’s first major paedophile case and some of the court proceedings will take place in camera to protect the identities of some of the victims.

Carlos Silvino, a former driver at Casa Pia, faces more than 600 charges. He is alleged to have been the main contact for paedophiles seeking children to abuse.

The case, which is expected to last until the middle of next year, involves 800 witnesses and thousands of pages of evidence. Hundreds of hours of telephone calls were taped by police and prosecutors during the investigation, including some made by Eduardo Ferro Rodrigues, the leader of the opposition Socialist Party. His aide, Paulo Pedroso, a deputy,was a suspect in the case but charges against him were subsequently dismissed.

Catalina Pestana, who took over as head of Casa Pia after the scandal broke, said it was very important for the children that the trial should finally get under way. Casa Pia normally cares for 4,000 children.

Public trust in the authorities was shattered when it emerged that children had been complaining about sexual abuse since the mid-1970s. They had even complained to a former President, but no action was taken. The many delays in the start of the trial and the fact that charges against three other people were dropped this year have led many in Portugal to speculate on a cover-up.

The judge has severely restricted media coverage. No sound or images may be recorded inside the court and no interviews may be conducted in or near the building with anyone involved.

Hundreds of members of the public applied to attend the hearing.