National

Defending The Indefensible

Soon after receiving a sentence of life imprisonment on charges of child sex abuse, an unfazed Freddy Peats defended himself, maintaining that nudism keeps the body healthy. Excerpts from an interview:

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Defending The Indefensible
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On his conviction:
I'm convicted because of the press. I'm an innocent man. For 20 years, I've been doing public work openly and publicly. There is not one complaint against me.

On the incriminating photographs found in his flat:
I don't know what was taken from my residence and what was not. The photos came from abroad...mostly. I don't know how I figure in a lot of them. What could have happened was that foreigners had taken (random) photos of my kids and juxtaposed them later (through trick photography).

On the charge that he sent boys abroad:
I'm not sending them abroad. When the parents send them abroad, what can I do? The boys were my co-residents. I'm not a boss, nor a daddy. There was not even one boy who complained against me. I have looked after 200 boys in 20 years...all alone.

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On where he got the money for all this:
First, I used my own money. Then there was a shortage of money. I started in 1974. There were only a few boys. Then some more came on recommendation. Does any criminal get children on recommendation? I don't recall how much I earned from selling stamps and coins. God helped us. God showed me how to do it.

On his defence of having 'body joy' with the unclad boys, and why he opposes what he calls 'dressism':
Look at the hawala case. Isn't that much more rotten? God made naked people and saw it as very good. We put on dress, which is very bad. I told the kids that clothing impedes breathing (through the skin). In my house, you are free to decide to be naked, I told them. I did not abuse children.

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On his reputation in society:
I was a member of the (Colva) Lions Club since 1976-77, when I was invited to be one. I was three times treasurer, once secretary, third vice-president, second vice-president and first vice-president. Every year, I was chairman against drug abuse.

On whether he is really an Anglo-Indian as he claims:
I do speak German. My grandparents came from there. But I am an Indian national. My family grave is in Calcutta in the big cemetery, I don't remember the name.

On why he feels action was taken against him:
The police are doing this to cover up what they've done. They were trying to rob our flat. I'm only fighting corruption. Like Mahatma Gandhi, I'm fighting for the nation.

On his future plans:
How can I have plans? My reputation has been murdered. I can only wait for my death or for justice....

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