Lady Colin Campbell has left Good Morning Britain viewers disgusted after claiming soliciting ‘underage sex workers doesn’t count as paedophilia’.
The 70-year-old writer and socialite made the shocking claims during a discussion about convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein who had hired underage girls for sex work.
Causing host Piers Morgan to react with outrage, Lady Campbell appeared to suggest there was a difference between paedophilia and soliciting underage girls for sex work.
You can watch the shocking segment for yourself below:
Speaking on the subject of Epstein and his convictions, Lady Campbell said:
You all seem to have forgotten that Jeffrey Epstein, the offence for which he was charged and for which he was imprisoned, was for soliciting prostitution from minors.
That is not the same thing as paedophilia.
A visibly horrified Piers Morgan then asked Lady Campbell what she would describe it as, to which she simply responded, ‘prostitution’.
Piers replied:
If you solicited a 14-year-old for prostitution, you’re a paedophile.
It was at this point that Lady Campbell said, ‘It doesn’t matter,’ sparking further anger.
Morgan exploded:
It does matter. You’re procuring an underage girl for sex! That’s what he was convicted of! I’m sorry, I’m sorry, with respect, that is nonsense.
Lady Campbell then went on to claim there was a difference between a child and a minor, causing outrage amongst viewers, responding:
Was he? 14? Well, I’m not justifying Jeffrey Epstein, Paedophilia, I suspect there’s a difference between a minor and a child.
One viewer said:
A 14 year old is not a child? I wonder what her reaction would have been if the 14 year old had been a member of her family? Also it’s never paedophilia, it’s child sexual abuse.
Another commented:
#LadyColinCampbell can’t believe what’s coming out of her mouth! First person I’ve heard sticking up for #pedoprince hang your head in shame!!
Jeffrey Epstein was found dead in his prison cell on Saturday, August 10. He had served 13-months in custody with work release as part of an arranged plea deal, where federal officers identified as many as 36 young girls had been molested.
If you have been affected by any of the issues in this article and wish to speak to someone in confidence contact the Rape Crisis England and Wales helpline on 0808 802 9999 (12-2:30 and 7-9:30). Alternatively you can contact Victim Support on 08 08 16 89 111.
Male Survivors Partnership is available to support adult male survivors of sexual abuse and rape. You can contact the organisation on its website or on its helpline – 0808 800 5005.
Jules studied English Literature with Creative Writing at Lancaster University before earning her masters in International Relations at Leiden University in The Netherlands (Hoi!). She then trained as a journalist through News Associates in Manchester. Jules has previously worked as a mental health blogger, copywriter and freelancer for various publications.