Ex-Great Ormond Street Hospital porter Paul Farrell jailed for abusing boys

Paul Farrell targeted his victims between 1985 and 2020, committing offences at addresses across London

A Great Ormond Street Hospital porter who befriended the parents of his young victims to allow him to abuse boys across London has been jailed for life.

Paul Farrell, 55, kept a diary of threats and bribes used to keep one of the children under control, Wood Green Crown Court heard.

Farrell admitted 76 offences against eight victims, from 1985 to 2020. He must spend at least 18 years in jail.

He used an area of the hospital for abuse but did not target patients.

Prosecutors linked Farrell, of Camden, north London, to at least 500 instances of abuse, although they estimate the true figure is "likely to be in the thousands".

His 35-year campaign of abuse included attempted rape, sexual assault of a child under 13 and making indecent photographs of children.

Farrell worked at Great Ormond Street Hospital between 1994 and 2020

Farrell, who pleaded guilty at a previous hearing, acted as a babysitter to people he had befriended in order to gain access to their children.

He kept a diary of threats and bribes made to one of his victims, who was aged 12 when the abuse began.

To stop the boy from telling anyone about the attacks, Farrell hid a camera in the boy's room.

Prosecutors said Farrell had "groomed" the entire family to enable him to abuse the boy and his two younger brothers, setting reminders to buy members of the family presents or to offer himself as a babysitter.

Another victim, who was five years old when the abuse began, told Farrell in court: "Innocent children like me and my brother will be profoundly scarred by your actions for the rest of our lives.

"I now feel hopeless, lost and disgusted at my silence that has allowed you to ruin the lives of so many innocent children."

Paul Farrell was sentenced to a minimum term of 18 years in prison at Wood Green Crown Court

Judge Noel Lucas said Farrell had a "deep-seated fixation with sexual activity with very young boys".

The judge said: "It is difficult to fully comprehend the fear, confusion and vulnerabilities your young victims must have suffered as you repeatedly used and abused them to satisfy your sexual desires.

"For the whole of your adult life you have pursued your predatory interest in committing intimate sexual acts with very young boys with an all-consuming determination, irrespective of their attempts to make you desist."

A Great Ormond Street Hospital spokesman said: "Our thoughts remain with the brave victims and their families whose stories have been shared in court.

"While we have heard in court that Paul Farrell did not target children at GOSH, his association with our hospital is distressing for the hospital community.

"We are deeply sorry that he was able to exploit his position and use our hospital to commit some of his crimes.

"Our safeguarding practices will remain rigorous and under regular review and we are actively considering whether anything more can be done to prevent crimes like this."