'Paedophile' slur for dad who took picture of his child

Feb 27 2010 by Rob Pattinson, The Journal

A NORTH East father is calling for a personal apology from shopping centre bosses after he was accused of being a paedophile for taking a picture of his own son.

Kevin Geraghty-Shewan was furious when a security guard told him not to take photos of four-year-old Ben in the Bridges Shopping Centre, Sunderland, in case he was a pervert.

When the upset dad took a picture of the guard to complain to centre management, he was approached by police, who threatened to arrest him.

Film editor Kevin, 48, who has five children and stepchildren, was visiting the shopping arcade so Ben could spend £10 he had been given as a treat.

He said: “There were no signs explaining you weren’t allowed to take photographs. It’s something I’ve always done with my children.

“Ben spotted a children’s ride which had a train on it and wanted to have a go because he’s obsessed with trains. When he got on my wife suggested we take a picture of him.

“I took the picture on my phone and suddenly this security guard came up and told me it wasn’t allowed because I could be a paedophile.

“I told him Ben was my own son. But he said I couldn’t prove it. He said there is a real problem with paedophiles and that if I didn’t like it, he’d call the manager.