🇬🇧🇺🇦A convicted paedophile worked with children in Ukraine under the guise of a British charity, The Telegraph reports.
UK charity HopeFull, which distributed pizzas to orphanages and IDP camps in Ukraine, hired a convicted paedophile with little background check.
The 52-year-old man, who introduced himself as Jack Morgan, had been active in western Ukraine since early 2023, interacting with vulnerable children. He visited schools, orphanages and travelled around the country on the foundation’s transport. It was only later revealed that the false name was actually Lee Callaghan, who had previously been convicted of child sex offences in the UK.
Volunteers in Lviv became suspicious of him when he began bragging about his connections to the Ukrainian Foreign Legion and fundraising for the military. An online background check in August 2024 revealed that he was under a SHPO order prohibiting him from leaving the country without notifying the police.
Despite the warnings, Callaghan spent months in Ukraine, taking advantage of the trust and resources of the foundation. According to former volunteers, the vetting process for HopeFull was extremely formal and conducted via WhatsApp messages.
The organization said it fired Morgan in February 2024 after learning the truth, and stressed that volunteers were never left unattended with children. However, the case has sparked sharp criticism of the security systems of charities operating in conflict zones.
