Episode 4: Member 51
Episode 4 focuses on Peter Righton, a highly respected social worker and government advisor who was also a BL and member of PIE.
Renton talks with another Peter, in this case Peter McKelvey, who was involved with investigating Righton and failed to put the
sinister monster behind bars. We learn that their house was unkempt.
Righton had a long-partner, Richard Alston; they met when Alston was 16, which is disclosed to us in a very judgmental tone. The two stayed together for 40 years, but of course that is not mentioned in the podcast. As a teacher, the appalling Alston apparently put his arms around boys affectionately.
McKelvey alleges that he was, at one point, in possession of a notebook written by Righton that contained a list of the boys he'd had sex with and how far they'd gone. It was absolutely damning. He then apparently destroyed this absolutely vital evidence because it "sickened" him. He's angry that Righton wasn't imprisoned. Authorities tried to talk to the boys, but the boys refused!
We are told that Righton and Alston would allegedly have boys over to their home, where they would be really nice to the boys. They would give them money, gifts, and tell them they were special. They would tell the boys to keep their sex games a secret. According to an e-mail address coincidentally discovered by Renton among the investigatory documents (from the 90s?), that still works, he was able to track down one of the boys.
The boy, now of course a man, talks about how he was treated really well, 'groomed' with adult pornography, and how reappearing podcast guest star Charles Napier would show up, and the men would give the boys hand jobs. Renton describes these interactions as non-consensual, but the accounts don't support that claim.
We hear that libraries still stock books written by Righton. We also find out that this episode was the fourth of five,
which is by far the most interesting disclosure in this episode by implication.
Thoughts
1. “The house was obviously unkempt, untidy”. I am very curious as to why a MAP's house must be unkempt? Mine is kept in pretty good order.
2. Righton and Alston met at 35 and 16… so what? The French president's relationship with his wife started when he was 15 and she was his teacher.
3. Did McKelvey
really admit to
destroying evidence that would implicate Righton in a serious of sex crimes, and then complain that he was never able to have the man incarcerated? Seriously?
4. Does Renton stand in front of a mirror practicing increasingly sinister ways to say '
pedophile friends'? And what is his obsession with Charles Napier? Leave the poor man alone!
5. Righton and Alston were nice to the boys, told them they were special to the men, and encouraged them not to talk about their sex games. This is treated like an evil conspiracy, but taking a step back, it sounds quite like how any sexual relationship would work if criminalized. The accounts don't sound non-consensual.
6. A teacher being ‘touchy-feely’ and putting his arm around students affectionately is normal where I live, even viewed positively. Why problematize it?
7. Why should Righton’s books be taken off shelves? View them with repulsion if you want, but they are a valid part of social work history.
8.
One of the planned episodes has been pulled! What happened? Originally, six episodes were planned, and the final two episodes were intended to expose BBC journalists in PIE. Another big 'pedo cover-up' by the BBC?