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 29 July 2014 Last updated at 19:40 ET
 [image: Simon Wood]
Simon Wood was found dead after being charged with sexually abusing children

   - Dead pilot faced child abuse charges
   <http://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-beds-bucks-herts-23929144>

 British Airways is to be sued for damages over claims one of its pilots
sexually abused children in African schools and orphanages.

Lawyers claim the airline bears responsibility because the alleged victims
were assaulted by First Officer Simon Wood while on stopovers.

Mr Wood, 54, from Potters Bar, Herts, died when he was hit by a train on 18
August last year.

BA said it was "shocked and horrified" by the allegations.

An inquest is due to be held into the death of Mr Wood, who had been
charged with one count of indecent assault of a girl under 16, two counts
of making indecent photographs of a child and one count of possessing
indecent images of a child.
'Shocked and horrified'

Law firm Leigh Day said Mr Wood allegedly molested youngsters during
stopovers in Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania while flying for British Airways.
Some of their clients are aged just eight.

Lawyer Nichola Marshall said: "We allege that Wood was able to abuse the
victims, by reason of his employment with the airline, in particular
through his involvement with the airline's community relations work.

"The schools and orphanages that our clients attended were all in receipt
of charitable donations from the airline, and Wood played a key role in
administering those donations, on behalf of British Airways."

The Crown Prosecution Service said Mr Wood was first arrested over an
indecent assault allegation in November 2001 but prosecutors ruled there
was insufficient evidence to charge him.

It reconsidered the case after receiving new details of similar alleged
offences committed overseas and apparent evidence of indecent images.

A British Airways spokesman said: "We were shocked and horrified to hear
the allegations against Simon Wood.

"Our sympathies are with the victims and it is disappointing that the
conduct of one person has caused so much distress to the many thousands of
decent people who engage in charitable works on a regular basis."

The inquest into Mr Wood's death is due to be held at Hertfordshire
Coroner's Court.

-- 
Ann Marie

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