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Letter from Dorothy Parker to Complainant From the Editor, Frontline Scotland, 16/09/03 British Broadcasting Corporation BBC Scotland 16 Sept 2003 Dear Complainant, Thank you for writing to us regarding the programme 'Secrets and Lies'. We made this programme because a number of people came to us expressing their concerns about the conviction of John Porteous. These people included brothers and sisters of the men and women who had accused him. They had lived in the Porteous' house at the same time and stated that they did not think the alleged abuse had happened. Their stories were substantiated by a number of other people who lived at Quarriers at the time. There were a number of other concerns about the conviction. We thought very carefully about this programme. We felt it was right to report that there were doubts about the conviction because of the strength and number of concerns being raised to us. The report about Irene Whelan in the Sunday Herald was incorrect. Irene Whelan's interview was not manipulated by the BBC. She told us that: IRENE: "I never suspected my brother was ever sexually abused by John Porteous..." Yours sincerely, 
Dorothy Parker Editor Frontline Scotland. NOTE: The BBC took as fact and evidence the testimony of Irene Whelan who had been in care with her brother for only FIVE WEEKS in the Porteous houshold in all her time in Quarriers Homes. |