Bedfordshire 'hero' of 7/7 bombings loses MBE honour for sexually assaulting child

CREDIT: PA
Parry supported the families of the victims of the 7/7 terror attacks, but has had his MBE revoked. Credit: PA

A Transport for London worker who was hailed a "hero" for his work following the 7/7 bombings has been stripped of his MBE because of his conviction for a sex offence against a child.

Raymond Parry was made an MBE in 2007 for providing support and assistance to the families of the 52 victims of the 2005 terror attack.

However, on Tuesday the Cabinet Office announced that Parry, from Leighton Buzzard, Bedfordshire, had forfeited his honour as a result of a "criminal conviction".

In November 2020, Parry was given a suspended eight month prison sentence and banned from working with children after admitting to sexual assaulting a child under 13.

In 2019, a 12-year-old boy told his mother he had been touched inappropriately by Parry while he was being measured for a uniform at an activity centre.

After Parry's sentencing, Bedfordshire Police said the sexual assault was a "clear case of the grooming of a vulnerable child by an older man in a position of trust, purely for the purpose of abusing him".

He is among a dozen people to be stripped of their honours, including former Crewe Alexandra manager Dario Gradi who had his MBE revoked after he was suspended from football due to allegations he failed to act on rumours of sexual abuse by coaches he worked alongside.

Parry, who was the London Underground emergency planning manager, said in 2007 that he was "very shocked but very proud" to receive the MBE.

He added: “At the very worst time in their lives, the least we could do was our very best.”

Recognising Parry as one of the TfL "heroes" at the time, London's then-Transport Commissioner Peter Hendy said he was "delighted" Parry's work had been highlighted.

In 2020, Parry was handed a 10-year sexual harm prevention order and added to the sex offenders' register, as well as being made to complete a sex offenders' rehabilitation programme.

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