Bury Police Officer Flies to New York to give Evidence in High Profile Trial

Date published: 31 March 2009

An inspector from Greater Manchester Police’s Bury Division jetted to New York to give evidence in a high-profile trial, at the request of the FBI.

Last month, Inspector Charlotte Cadden, who manages the division’s Intelligence Unit, took the stand at Brooklyn Federal Court to testify at the trial of Rabbi Israel Weingarten who was accused of sexually abusing his daughter over a number of years.

Rabbi Weingarten was found guilty and will be sentenced on 3 April, however, the case has achieved widespread publicity in the US due to the defendant’s status as a Rabbi and his decision to represent himself which meant he was able to cross-examine his daughter during the trial.

Inspector Cadden became involved in the case in February 1999 while she was working at Salford CID and was asked to attend a report that Rabbi Weingarten was attempting to abduct his daughter from her Manchester school and take her to Belgium against her will.

Rabbi Weingarten was arrested on suspicion of sexual assault after the victim told Inspector Cadden that her father had been sexually abusing her for years, however, no prosecution was made at that time as all of the offences took place outside the UK.

Several years later, the victim moved to USA and made a complaint to the FBI that her father had abused her since she was nine years old.

The FBI learned of Inspector Cadden’s previous involvement in the case and in January they contacted her and asked her to travel to New York to give evidence at the trial.

PC Rob Longman of Wigan division also travelled with Inspector Cadden to New York as he too was involved in the Manchester phase of the case.

Inspector Charlotte Cadden: “Myself, PC Longman and the victim were cross-examined by Weingarten which must have been a horrendous experience for her.

“The FBI arranged for us to meet victim after we had given evidence and she said that we had literally saved her life by getting her away from her father which was very emotional to hear.”