On Sunday 22 January 2023, Darren Moore was found dead. Moore was a long-standing and well-known drag artist in Cardiff where he lived.

He was also a convicted child rapist.

The fact that news outlets had the ability to report on the colour of Moore’s wig but not on the atrocious crimes he had previously committed is worrying

But this chilling fact has been almost entirely ignored by the mainstream media as they report his death. Instead, the commentary and news coverage has been hugely positive about Moore’s life. At times, the coverage has bordered on gushing, with article after article going into great detail about the warm tributes to Moore pouring in from the local community.

A member of the public was interviewed, saying: ‘it’s rocked the community, that’s all I can say, no-one’s safe anywhere’. Another was quoted as saying: ‘everyone in the gay community knew him, he was just liked by everyone.’

The police were quoted by the press, stating: ‘Cardiff has a long and proud tradition of recognising, celebrating and protecting equality and diversity.’

There were also lengthy quotes from Moore’s family, including: ‘He was always the life and soul wherever he went, he was our social butterfly.’

The twisted irony of these statements is difficult to ignore.

There was even space in these lengthy articles to describe Moore’s appearance on the night of his death in minute detail. These included statements, such as: ‘Moore was last seen…while wearing full face make-up, a luminous green drees, blonde wig, heels and carrying a clutch bag.’

Yet, almost universally, there has been no mention of Moore’s horrific past.

Moore was jailed in March 1999 after being convicted of four counts of rape of a boy aged under 16.

He was also banned from having contact with children. However, in 2011, he was sentenced for breaching his sex offender’s order, after being caught working with children as a dance and gymnastics coach.

The fact that news outlets had the ability to report on the colour of Moore’s wig but not on the atrocious crimes he had previously committed is worrying.

In articles by ITV News, Sky News, the Mirror and the Daily Post, there was not a single mention of the above. BBC News referenced it briefly in two lines, at the end of a lengthy and otherwise positive piece.

There is growing concern that journalistic integrity has been thrown under the bus when it comes to reporting on issues relating to ‘LGBT+’ individuals. I believe this to be the fault of gender ideology, which has put the fear of God into people that if they say something negative or challenging about a ‘trans’ person, even if it is factual, they might be condemned as being ‘transphobic’.

This was witnessed just the other day in the reporting of the sentencing of ‘Isla Bryson’, a ‘transwoman’ (i.e. a biological male) who was convicted of raping two vulnerable women. Numerous media outlets used the term ‘her penis’ when describing the offences. The ridiculousness of this speaks for itself.

It is highly disconcerting that media outlets are succumbing to false, ideological language or failing to cover cases accurately, simply because of the self-selected ‘gender identity’ of an individual. Surely, this flies in the face of journalistic ethics?

Compare the reporting of Moore’s death with, for example, the death of Frederick Barber. Barber was a convicted child rapist and died in prison during his sentence. Coverage of his death was focused almost entirely on his offending. He was not ‘LGBT+’.

Returning to Moore, there have been other worrying things to emerge in the days since his death. A Go Fund Me page was created to raise money for his funeral. The page states that ‘his larger-than-life character and charisma were something that you’ll never forget.’ I’m sure Moore’s vulnerable and helpless victims will also struggle to ‘forget’.

More concerning was the publicity and support that came from ‘Aida H. Dee’ (real name Sab Samuel), who is the founder of ‘Drag Queen Story Hour UK’. This is an individual who has previously stated: ‘trans women are women’, as well as the statement that ‘love has no age’.

On his Facebook page, Samuel wrote of Moore: ‘I’d like to help give my friend the send off he deserves’ before stating ‘Rest in Power’ and encouraging people to donate to Moore’s Go Fund Me page.

Drag Queen Story Hour is often showcased before young toddlers and children in libraries, schools, art galleries and hospitals around the country. It involves ‘Aida H. Dee’ wearing such tight-fitted clothing that his genitals are often visible and includes children posing with the trans pride flag. Drag Queen Story Hour has previously stated that Samuel can be an ‘imaginative role model for children to look up to’.

There is nothing to suggest Samuel has done anything wrong himself, but if he was aware of Moore’s conviction, then as an individual who engages with children on an almost daily basis, being this sympathetic towards a child rapist is surprising.

Reporting on the death of another, particularly in suspicious circumstances (a man has since been arrested on suspicion of manslaughter), must always be handled with care and consideration.

However, we rely on our news outlets to report accurately and thoroughly, free from ideological influence. When much of our media fails to report, wilfully or blindly, the facts regarding Darren Moore’s rape of children, they do a disservice to us all.