Child Abuse, Corruption and Collusion in Britain and Northern Ireland, written by Dr Niall Meehan from Griffith College in Dublin, focusses on Dr Roderick Morrison Fraser, who worked at Royal Victoria Hospital in Belfast.

It examines how Dr Fraser was able to continue working as the hospital’s senior psychiatric registrar despite convictions for child abuse in 1972 in London and in 1974 in New York.

According to Dr Meehan’s report, the hospital was never informed by the General Medical Council, London’s Metropolitan Police or the Royal Ulster Constabulary (RUC).

Dr Meehan has alleged that Dr Fraser was protected by British intelligence agencies in exchange for information, citing a Freedom of Information (FOI) request to the PSNI about Dr Fraser which was refsued on national security grounds.

In the conclusion to his report, he states: “Fraser’s crimes were hidden from public scrutiny and he was treated leniently when his abuse could no longer be hidden. Probably, that is because Fraser was of use against the IRA as both an agent for gathering intelligence and also as someone who could invent and disseminate believable propaganda with long lasting influence.”

It finishes: “It is clear from this investigation that official protection of abusers and abuse for intelligence purposes spread wider than merely the fringes of unionist politics.

“The lid on this can of worms should be fully prised open.

“It appears that current inquiries into child abuse in both Britain and Northern Ireland are designed to exclude such matters.

“If that is so, what is their point?”