On Monday 22/03/2021 an ‘Information’ was laid at Westminster Magistrates Court, under Section 6 of the prosecution of offences act 1985, with an application for a summons against Gavin Williamson MP and Secretary of State for Education, requiring him to face allegations of having committed the offence of Misconduct in Public office, contrary to Common law.
It is alleged that Gavin Williamson, as an MP and Secretary of State for Education misconducted himself on not less than 5 occasions, between 23/01/2019 and 22/03/2021, in that he wilfully neglected his duty, to take reasonable steps to protect children from harm, and to protect children who’s lives were at risk, by wilfully failing to investigate and act to address, alleged failings in the safeguarding complaints/recording systems of the Department for Education (DfE), in addition to complaints of a possible cover up of the issues.
The alleged failures that involved two Prime Ministers, Opposition leaders, Attorney Generals, Cabinet and Shadow Cabinet Ministers, The Mayor of London, the London Metropolitan Police Commissioner and a number of individuals within the DfE, including former Education Ministers and Officials, is alleged to have potentially resulted in serious harm and potentially to the deaths of a number of children, mainly through suicide, and continued to leave others at risk. The failures to act are alleged to have been so serious, as to have amounted to an abuse of public trust in Mr Williamson as the Public Office holder, without reasonable excuse or justification.
In layman’s terms the allegations are that there has been a wilful failure to investigate concerns and to cover up any possible failures and misconduct that may have led to the harms and deaths of numerous children across the UK. The case is that these actions are not as a result of incompetence or error on anyone’s part but deliberately done, so as to amount to a criminal offence. The offence of Misconduct in Public office is a serious indictable offence and carries a maximum sentence of life imprisonment.
Gavin Williamson remains innocent until proven guilty of all allegations and we would ask all media to report in a way that does not interfere with the proper administration of Justice or that would risk prejudicing any trial in the future and contempt of court charges.
