The Detail About Arron Banks That Disgusts James O'Brien
5 November 2018, 14:30
James O'Brien doesn't care about allegations over Arron Banks' finances. But this detail about the Brexit backer really sickened him.
Mr Banks is facing a criminal investigation into the origin of £8m of donations he made to the Leave.EU campaign he co-founded in the run-up to the 2016 EU referendum.
A TV interview left more questions than answers, but James found one element far more concerning.
Speaking on his LBC show, James said: "I know we're supposed to be talking about his financial affairs, but I do find myself looking at this story of Arron Banks giving a character reference to a paedophile and wondering how on earth this slimy little toad has been allowed to take a place in public life in our country.
"Here is Arron Banks taking to Facebook to criticise pupils who gave evidence that led to the imprisonment of four teachers in two separate trials for sexual offences against boys. Arron Banks appeared as a character witness in defence of Philip Cadman, the school's headteacher and owner when he and two other teachers were tried in 1990 for sex offences.
"It's unbelievable. I think back to my own school and - forgive me for using a word you might not like - the nonces that have been jailed from schools that I went to and the idea of one of my mates, my peers turning up in court and giving them a character reference? It's actually disgusting.
"Even if he is completely innocent of any of the current allegations and accusations he's facing with regards to his financial affairs, the idea that you would go to a school where a paedophile ring was operating and then giving a character reference for one of the paedophiles...
"You know what they say... you can judge a man by the company he keeps."
