15 charged after Operation Spanner

investigation by Scotland Yard's Obscene Publications Squad.

They were arrested last month after an investigation called Operation

Spanner which also involved 11 provincial forces.

The men, appearing before Camberwell magistrates in south-east London,

faced a total of more than 100 charges including assault on

co-defendants, drug charges and obscene publication offences.

Eight of the accused face charges of running or aiding and abetting

the running of disorderly houses at which numerous persons resorted to

''acts of sadistic and masochistic violence and in accompanying acts of

a lewd, immoral and unnatural kind''.

New Zealand-born Donald Anderson, 60, a retired pig breeder of

Harford, Llanwdra Lampeter, Dyfed, is charged with being concerned with

the running of a disorderly house and indecent sexual acts.

John Patrick Atkinson, 48, an antiques restorer and restaurateur, of

Broadway, Hereford and Worcester, is charged with aiding and abetting

grievous bodily harm on himself.

Anthony Joseph Brown, 54, unemployed, of Yardley, Birmingham, is

charged with conspiracy to commit assault, keeping a disorderly house,

aiding and abetting the running of a disorderly house, and six assaults.

Graham William Cadman, 52, an ice cream salesman, of Horwich,

Lancashire, faces seven charges of keeping a disorderly house, aiding

and abetting the keeping of a disorderly house, conspiracy to assault,

two charges of aiding and abetting actual bodily harm, publishing two

indecent articles, and taking an indecent photograph of a child.

Paul Jason Kelly, 22, unemployed, of Horwich, is charged with aiding

and abetting the running of a disorderly house, causing actual bodily

harm and aiding and abetting actual bodily harm.

Christopher Robert Carter, 37, a fancy dress hire proprietor, of

Frankwell, Shrewsbury, is charged with aiding and abetting the keeping

of a disorderly house and two cases of aiding and abetting assault.

Peter John Grindley, 41, a care assistant in a home for the mentally

handicapped, of Prees Green, Whitchurch, Shropshire, faces 15 charges of

keeping a disorderly house, aiding and abetting the running of another

disorderly house, nine assault charges, conspiracy to assault, and three

drug offences.

Ian Wilkinson, 56, a forester, of Prees Green, also faces 15 charges

of keeping a disorderly house, aiding and abetting the running of

another disorderly house, seven actual bodily harm charges, aiding and

abetting to assault, possession of cannabis and LSD, and publishing an

obscene photograph of a child.

Roland Jaggard, 42, a missile design engineer with British Aerospace,

of Welwyn Garden City, Herts, faces six charges of conspiracy to assault

and grievous bodily harm and assault occasioning actual bodily harm on

himself and others.

Colin Laskey, 46, a computer programmer, of Macsycoed, Pontypridd,

Mid-Glamorgan, faces 17 charges of conspiring to cause actual bodily

harm, aiding and abetting the running of two disorderly houses, grievous

bodily harm, nine cases of actual bodily harm, one case of malicious

wounding, publication of indecent video tapes and articles, and having

an indecent photograph of a child.

John Henry Lofthouse, 49, of Oulton Broad, Lowestoft, Suffolk, a

station officer with Suffolk Fire Service, faces two charges of aiding

and abetting actual bodily harm on himself, assaulting a co-defendant

and stealing a gas cylinder from his employers.

Saxon Lucas, 57, a restaurateur and lay-preacher, of Evesham, Hereford

and Worcester, is charged with grievous bodily harm and actual bodily

harm.

Alan Oversby, 56, a tattooist, of Bayswater, London, faces 14 charges

of malicious wounding, causing bodily harm to two men and an unnamed

woman, grievous bodily harm with intent, having an obscene photograph

and administering illegal drugs.

Christopher Alexander Zimmerli, 51, a Swiss-born lawyer of Hampstead,

London, faces one charge of causing actual bodily harm to a co-defendant

at the Zimmerli home.

Graham Murray Sharp, 39, a photographic developer of Coalpit Heath,

Bristol, faces three charges involving the distribution of indecent

material.

Mr Oversby was remanded to reappear at Camberwell on October 18. The

others will appear before Lambeth magistrates on November 20.

A sixteenth defendant, Albert Edward Groom, 54, a hotel porter, of

Thornaby, Stockton-on-Tees, Cleveland, was remanded in his absence until

November 20 on four charges of conspiring to send and have indecent

material, and aiding and abetting an assault on himself.

Reporting restrictions were not lifted.