British Airways to compensate 38 victims of paedophile pilot, in Kenya and Uganda. Molested victims aged 4 to 18, in schools and orphanages between 2001 and 2013, during stopovers

 

Pilot Simon Wood (pictured), 54, molested scores of young girls on overseas trips
British Airways agrees to pay damages to 38 victims of paedophile pilot

Abused victims aged four to 18 in schools and orphanages during stopovers in Kenya and Uganda between 2001 and 2013 while flying for BA ...charged with separate child sex offences in the UK

Groomed victims with BA-branded toys, colouring books


'Apparently Wood wasn't just a dispicable molester. He was a coward too. He died when he threw himself under a train days after appearing in a London court, August 2013, charged with the abuse.'
Story after the cut ....

British Airways has agreed to pay substantial damages to 38 child victims of a paedophile pilot who abused them on stopovers in Africa. The settlement comes two and a half years after the Daily Mail revealed how First Officer Simon Wood, 54, had molested scores of young girls on overseas trips. Wearing a bogus captain's uniform, the bachelor groomed victims with BA-branded toys and colouring books before subjecting them to horrific ordeals at five-star hotels used by the airline. After the Mail revealed the enormity of his crimes, BA faced a damaging lawsuit brought by 38 of his victims. They argued that the airline had failed to protect them from his abuse.

 Wood's 13-year campaign of terror ended when he was charged with separate child sex offences in the UK. Days after appearing in court in London in August 2013 charged with the abuse, he died after throwing himself under a train. Leigh Day, the law firm that represented Wood's victims in Africa, claimed he molested victims aged four to 18 in schools and orphanages during stopovers in Kenya and Uganda between 2001 and 2013 while flying for BA.

The lawsuit centred on whether BA could be held liable for the actions of Wood and whether BA 'had a duty of care for the children abused in the countries Wood visited whilst working for the airline and taking part in charity work'.

Nichola Marshall, of Leigh Day, said: 'For three years we have been fighting for compensation for these young girls, whose childhoods were destroyed by the sexual abuse they were subjected to by Simon Wood, a British Airways pilot.

'Now British Airways has agreed to compensate our clients, these girls will be able to complete their education, which for many was seriously disrupted because of the abuse. They will also be able to access therapeutic treatment to help relieve the psychological pain that has resulted from the abuse.

'This settlement should send a message to organisations which send employees to work or volunteer with children. They need proper safeguards to prevent such horrific acts.'

Responding to the news of the settlement, one of the girls said: 'The money will help my school fees because it has been a problem to me. 

And when I finish schooling I would like to start a business which could help me in the future.' 

Leigh Day said a confidentiality agreement meant it could not reveal the exact amount of compensation.

In a statement, BA said: 'The allegations against Simon Wood have been shocking and horrifying.  

The settlement comes two and a half years after the Daily Mail revealed how First Officer Simon Wood, 54, had molested scores of young girls on overseas trips

Though we do not bear any legal responsibility for Simon Wood's actions, we recognise the impact they had on his victims and the distress and suffering they caused.'

After his crimes came to light, questions were asked over why he was allowed to work near children.

During his 16-year career with BA, Wood chose unpopular routes in and out of East Africa, using his stays there to prey on vulnerable children in the slums.

His first known contact with children in Africa came in 2001 when he began visiting an orphanage in the Karen area of Nairobi, the Kenyan capital.

At Easter 2002, he was among 20 crew members who volunteered to spend the holiday with the youngsters, showering the orphanage with presents, medicines and donations raised at home.

Wood first came to the attention of police when he was accused of an indecent assault on an eight-year-old girl. He met her while volunteering for Diabetes UK, escorting children on a trip to North Yorkshire in 2000.

British Airways (file photo) has agreed to pay substantial damages to 38 of Wood's child victims

Following a tip-off, officers rearrested him over the allegation at Heathrow in July 2013. In a search, explicit images of African youngsters were found on his laptops.

He appeared in court on August 16, 2013, charged with possessing indecent images and indecently assaulting an eight-year-old girl. 

But two days later he threw himself under a train near his home in Potters Bar, Hertfordshire.

Credit: Mail