Witness: People in authority must have "known about abuse"

Thursday 04 December 2014

Witness statements by former residents of Haut de la Garenne tell of beatings, sexual assault and describe the home as a “sad place to be”.

The latest statements of four former residents read to public record by Harriet Jerram, Inquiry Council, name alleged abusers and claim that "people of authority" outside the home knew "about the abuse".

Since the investigation into historic abuse at Haut de la Garenne peaked in 2008, the police have taken 1,776 statements relating to 533 alleged offences; 315 at Haut de la Garenne, 66 at other homes or institutions and 152 at places where children were fostered or at private addresses.

The inquiry, which is being chaired by an independent UK expert, is expected to take up to two years and cost around £6 million.

Yesterday’s statements include references to Witness 493 who committed suicide at the home and was one of a number of boys who may have been sexually abused.

Witness 91 described being taken to a cellar at the home at night by a member of staff and dunked in a bath of cold water. He also claims he was beaten and sexually assaulted.

Witness 124 named his abuser as Thomas Hamon, a staff member who was found guilty of 12 counts of indecent assault in 2005. The witness said: "There had to be people outside the home who knew about the abuse...people of authority."

While witness 233 claims he was never sexually abused himself; he described Haut de la Garenne as a "sad place to be".

There have since been 133 claims for compensation for historic sexual or unlawful physical abuse from people who were children in full-time care at places like Haut de la Garenne between 9 May 1945 and 31 December 1994.

The States has issued an apology and has set up a financial compensation scheme for all former residents of children’s home in Jersey who were victims of abuse.

People can get in touch with a special independent support team and potential witnesses will later be contacted by Legal Advisors who can talk them through the process of giving evidence at a hearing. The freephone number from Jersey and the UK is 0800 735 0100. International callers should ring +44 (0)1534 828798.