Alleged Cyril Smith victim speaks out

A man who claims he was abused by the late Rochdale Liberal Democrat politician Sir Cyril Smith has spoken out about the alleged ordeal - and said the Jimmy Savile affair has brought it back into the forefront of his mind.

Barry Fitton, 66, is one of three alleged victims who claim the MP abused them at a care home during the 1960s.

In an interview with the Manchester Evening News, Mr Fitton accused Sir Cyril of slapping and stroking his naked buttocks and fondling him when he was 15. He said when he first turned up at Cambridge House boys' hostel in Rochdale he was ordered to take a medical examination.

"I turned up and was asked to go into this room and they said you have to have a medical examination," he told the newspaper.

"I thought it would be a doctor, but it was Cyril. He told me to take my pants down and he started to fondle me. I thought it was odd and not right, but as far as I was concerned, Cyril was completely powerful."

On another occasion, Mr Fitton said he was disciplined by the politician, who died two years ago aged 82.

He continued: "There was an incident when I took the day off with another lad and went into Manchester and he heard about it because the place we worked approached him when we didn't turn up to work.

"So then we got back and I was told to go into the front room and wait for Cyril. He said 'take your pants down', put me over his knee and gave me a good spank. I cried and he stroked my bottom and said you're all right now, I'm sorry, it had to be done."

Mr Fitton, who waived his right to anonymity, added: "Then the other boy went in and I assume the same thing happened to him. When I sit watching the Jimmy Savile affair, it all comes back to me."

The allegations were investigated by Lancashire Police in the 1960s but no action was taken. Police have urged anyone who believes they were the victim of sexual abuse by Sir Cyril to come forward.