William McGrath

In the notorious Kincora Boys' Home scandal in east Belfast, Northern Ireland, William McGrath, the former housemaster, perpetrated horrific sexual abuse against boys in his care. Known as the 'Beast of Kincora', McGrath led a paedophile ring that targeted vulnerable young residents at the children's home on Newtownards Road from the 1950s through to the 1980s. The home, which closed in 1980 and was demolished in 2022, became synonymous with systemic failures and cover-ups that allowed such abuses to continue unchecked.

McGrath, who also held a leading role in the far-right loyalist group Tara, was eventually brought to justice and imprisoned in 1981 for his crimes. Court records and subsequent investigations revealed that he abused at least 29 boys, exploiting his position of authority to groom and assault them. Allegations surfaced that McGrath was protected from prosecution due to his alleged role as an MI5 agent, with claims that Royal Ulster Constabulary officers were prevented from investigating him to gather intelligence on loyalist activities. This protection reportedly enabled him to continue targeting victims, deepening the betrayal felt by survivors.

The case gained renewed attention in June 2025 when victim Gary Hoy, aged 63, received an undisclosed settlement from the Home Secretary and the Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) following legal action over the abuse he endured in the 1970s. Speaking outside Belfast's High Court, Hoy stated, 'This case was never about the money, it was about holding them to account.' The settlement, reached on confidential terms with no admission of liability, resolved claims of negligence and misfeasance in public office against the PSNI, Home Office, and Department of Health. Mr Justice Simpson commended the parties for resolving the difficult case without a full three-day trial.

Broader inquiries, including historical reports from the BBC and other sources, have highlighted how authorities' inaction contributed to the ring's operations. McGrath died in the early 1990s, but his legacy remains a stark reminder of institutional failures in protecting children from sexual exploitation. The Kincora scandal underscores ongoing demands for transparency and accountability in cases involving state complicity in child sex offences.