The story revolves around a distrubed family, 'Family X', who had regular dealing with social services. One of the accused, Peter Nelson, had once contacted social services several years ago, when he became concerned about the children's welfare, but the scariest part concerns Ian Campbell, a self-professed Pagan, and the attitude of the police towards him. His wife recalled that five years earlier at the birthday party one of the girls sat on Ian's lap. He didn't like this and stood up, something the police were to interpret very differently indeed. The Sunday Herald obtained a copy of the transcript of his police interrogation, four-and-a-half hours in total, during which Campbell was illegally denied the services of a solicitor. They constantly insisted that his wife had said that he had had physical contact with a child. Then they come up with a bunch of interesting accusations:

He is then told by the police that they have information that you were involved in devil-worshipping ceremonies. They also ask him if he owns a white gown or a ceremonial mask. Campbell is asked if he has taken part in any form of dancing during ceremonies, or if he dressed his children in gowns and masks. There is a lot of information you've got there, says Campbell, which ain't bloody true.

He's told that Penny took part in these ceremonies with him, that Indian music was played, that chanting took place, that the event was recorded. Campbell is then asked if he has watched snuff movies, with the officer saying the videos showed serious sexual abuse ... people being killed and I'm not talking acting here ... as I say, the information we have is that this has happened and that some of it has been videoed either by yourself or others. Campbell again denies everything.

A later part of the interview becomes a litany of bizarre allegations put to Campbell. To each question he simply replies no. He's told by police that he and Mr X sacrificed chickens, rams and lambs with hammers and knives as part of ceremonies, and that they abused dogs. Campbell is asked if he has ever drunk the blood of a chicken.

Why do they think Campbell behaves like this? Because they are bigots who think that's what Pagans do, or, as the Sunday Herald more politely put it, it appears as if the police are either confused about what paganism is or are deliberately trying to appear ignorant, interpreting what is almost cetainly a direly fluffy book on Pagan parenting as how to bring up your children in witchcraft.

They then hit a clearly broken Campbell with a barrage of questions and allegations. Is it any coincidence that some of the evidence that's come out here has been about ritualistic abuse and the fact that we find a book related to witchcraft in your house?

Campbell can only reiterate: That's, that's paganism, that's got nothing to do with ... At this point he starts repeating I have never touched a child some 30 times. Accused again of raping the X children, he says: I have never done anything like that, I swear.

The officer replies: You can swear all you want for me. Campbell says: I've got nothing to be ashamed of, I've not touched anybody.

Officer: I think you have ... your wife says otherwise. Explain that. Because you can't ... I will put it to you that you are a liar and that this has happened and you just don't want to admit it.

Fortunately for Campbell, his wife Penny stood by his side throughout the ordeal.

Our fight, is on all sides at the moment. Against an incompetent, biased and politically motivated police force, against social services and against ignorant people who, through no fault of their own are unaware that such injustices can happen. Since then she has issued press statements, enlisted the help of Bill Thompson, and attempted to fuse the fellow-accused in solidarity. Just as on Orkney, perhaps, they think they can win an apology and compensation. They want to have their names cleared.

She has also founded an organisation, False Allegations Action Scotland, and campaigns for the Scottish Parliament to monitor abuse allegations.

Many families are being destroyed by false allegations of abuse made by malicious accusers, she said, adding that she believed investigators were obsessed with an erroneous belief in widespread organised ritual and satanic abuse rings. She said this meant prosecutors repeated the same mistakes over and over again.

The saddest thing of all is that there is apparently evidence that the children were sexually abused - by someone else - but now in the cloud of smoke and the feverish cries of "satan", it looks as if the perpetrator(s) is/are set to disappear.

Go read the full story by Neil Mackay and Vicky Allan. Now.

Orkney expert slams Lewis 'sex abuse' fiasco—Sunday Herald, 11th July 2004; 'We were accused of raping little girls, having orgies, killing cats and chickens and drinking their blood ... it was all lies but they wouldn't believe us'—Sunday Herald, 11th July 2004; 'I've never done anything, I swear'—Sunday Herald, 11th July 2004.