Warning ‘predatory paedophiles’ are exploiting aid sector as 120 charity workers ‘accused of sexual abuse in past year’

MORE than 120 workers for Britain's leading charities were accused of sexual abuse in 2017 alone, it was revealed last night.

The damning figures raise fears that paedophiles are systematically applying to become overseas aid workers as part of a sick plot to access vulnerable kids.

Last night former international development secretary Priti Patel warned that "predatory paedophiles" have been allowed to exploit the aid sector.

Figures collected by four of Britain's leading overseas aid charities reveal that 125 allegations of sex abuse were made last year.

Scandal-hit Oxfam recorded a staggering 87 incidents, while Save The Children and Christian Aid reported 31 and two respectively.

The British Red Cross admitted there had been a "small number of cases of harrasment reported in the UK", believed to be as many as five.

Of the 31 cases recorded by Save The Children, just 10 were reported to the police - while Oxfam reported 53 of 87.

All four charities receive vast sums from the Department for International Development.

Yesterday International Development secretary Penny Mordaunt vowed to axe funding to Oxfam and "any other organisation that has safeguarding issues".

She added that sexual abuse in the charity sector as ";utterly despicable", and vowed to meet the charity commission to discus what more could be done to fight it.

The scale of abuse in the charity sector was revealed last week when it emerged that shamed Oxfam Haiti director Roland van Hauwermeiren, 68,left the charity with six other men after getting caught using prostitutes, downloading “pornographic and illegal material”.

A damning internal report into their conduct concluded: “It cannot be ruled out that any of the prostitutes were under-aged.”

Former Red Cross aid worker Andrew McLeod told The Sunday Times that there was a lack of response to "institutionalised paedophilia" among charity workers.

He blasted: "Many aid workers will have to ask themselves: 'what did I do to stop it?"

Save The Children said all 31 abuse allegations took place in foreign countries and that 16 people had been dismissed as a result.

A Christian Aid spokesman added: "In the past 12 months, Christian Aid has investigated two incidents of sexual misconduct, both of which occurred overseas.

"One investigation led to the dismissal of a staff member, while the other case resulted in disciplinary action.

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