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February 23, 2009 — "Moral panic" did not happen overnight when it comes to child sex abuse allegations in Cornwall. Citizens For Community Renewal Helen Daley made that argument during final submissions at the Cornwall Public Inquiry today. She says there were a number of components that led the public to lose faith in public institutions and "patterns of weakness" fed the view that institutions were covering up sexual offences by prominent people. Daley noted some institutions did not go to the police with child sex abuse allegations before 1992 but chose to deal with them internally. She says local institutions failed. (Hear audio clip below) Daley also says homophobia was prevalent in the area and activities that would be seen as benign in less homophobic communities became evidence of a pedophile ring in Cornwall. Meanwhile, the Coalition for Action believes there was a combination of deliberate conspiracy and cover-up. Lawyers for the group say there was negligence and in some cases reluctance to take action against other institutions when child sex abuse allegations were brought forward. Submissions continue.

Final Submissions Begin Today At Cornwall Public Inquiry