King Charles's late great uncle accused of abusing 11-year-old boy, angry at 'systemic state cover-up on abuse'

Arthur Smyth has publicly come out as a victim of child abuse and alleges that Lord Louis Mountbatten was one of his tormentors. Smyth has waived his anonymity and is saying he was abused twice by the Mountbatten when he was just 11 years old. He claims that these abuses took place at the notorious Kincora children's home in Belfast.

The Mirror reports that Kevin Winters of KRW Law is pursuing a case of civil action for the negligence and breach of duty of care being taken against several state bodies. On behalf of Smyth, pre-action letters of claim have been sent to the UK Secretary of State, Belfast Health, Business Services Organisation, Social Care Trust, Chief Constable of PSNI and The Department of Health. These letters outline the alleged abuse that happened during Arthur's time in Kincora and North Road Children's Home. Mr Smyth was a Kincora home resident in Belfast, Northern Ireland, in the 1970s.

Mr Winters explained, "central to the case are our client's allegations of abuse by the late Lord Louis Mountbatten. Understandably many abuse survivors, for reasons of obvious sensitivity, choose to remain anonymous. Arthur's decision to reveal his identity must be set against this backdrop.

"It is borne out of anger at systemic state cover-up on abuse at these institutions. He alleges to have been abused twice as an 11-year-old by the deceased royal. It's the first time that someone has stepped forward to take allegations against Lord Mountbatten into court."

"That decision hasn't been taken lightly as Arthur understands only too well that it will be a deeply unpopular case with many people coming as it does within weeks of the passing of the Queen," he added.

In October 1980, the Kincora home was closed after a sex abuse scandal. The Firstpost reports that a young Smyth was "made available" to Mountbatten by William McGrath, one of the three men who ran Kincora. He, Joseph Mains and Raymond Semple were convicted of child abuse in December 1981.

At present, no evidence has been found to prove that security agencies were complicit in the abuse, but Police Ombudsman Anderson says that the reports of the failure of police to investigate allegations of sexual abuse at Kincora are "legitimate and justified."