Great Ormond Street Hospital porter admits more sexual abuse of young boys

A former porter at Great Ormond Street Hospital exposed as a prolific paedophile has admitted a fresh raft of abuse allegations young boys.

Paul Farrell, 55, is facing a lengthy prison term after admitting 69 charges of sexual abuse of boys over the course of 35 years.

He entered a raft of guilty pleas at a hearing last November, and was back in the dock at Wood Green crown court today to admit further allegations.

He pleaded guilty to more than 180 indecent assaults on one boy in the 1990s. He also admitted indecently assaulting another boy in the mid-1980s.

The children’s hospital in Bloomsbury issued a statement calling the revelations “awful” following Farrell’s earlier guilty pleas.

“We can confirm that the individual who has been charged was dismissed from the trust and we are continuing to work closely with the police”, the hospital said.

"Safeguarding children is fundamental to the care we provide and our policies are in line with national best practice.

"If patients, their families or colleagues raise concerns about staff there is a clear and swift process to manage these concerns when they are raised. This includes involving the police where needed."

Farrell has now pleaded guilty to a raft of heinous crimes, including charges of attempted rape and indecent assault, committed between 1985 and 2020.

Some of the victims say they were abused at Great Ormond Street itself, but Judge Noel Lucas QC told an earlier hearing: “This is not a case where it is alleged that Mr Farrell was targeting children at the Great Ormond Street Hospital, rather that children were abused in parts of the hospital in which he had access.”

Today, Farrell pleaded guilty to 11 charges of indecent assault on a boy between 1992 and 1998, as well as an indecent assault of another boy in the mid-1980s.

Farrell, from Camden, has pleaded not guilty to 20 more allegations, which are due to be left to lie on the court file.

He is still due to face trial for a further five allegations of gross indecency with a child, which he denies.

Judge Joanna Greenberg QC remanded Farrell in custody until a further hearing at the same court on March 12.