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Original poster

Jersey Murder Enquiry 'unlikely'

42 replies

Janos · 31/07/2008 11:15

Police have found the remains of five children , aged between 4-11, at Haut Garenne.

And it looks like no-one will ever be charged with their murder. and

news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/7534350.stm

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HumphreyPillow · 31/07/2008 11:18

Assuming that these children were resident there at some time, surely there must be records that don't add up.
How can children just disappear from the care system, without anyone questioning it?
It's scandalous.

cornsilk · 31/07/2008 11:21

How can they not know who those children were? It's a fucking disgrace.

Original poster
Janos · 31/07/2008 11:32

I find it unbearably sad to think that this could have happened and angry that people will get away with it.

How terrible for a small child to be in that situation, how utterly powerless and terrified they must have been.

There must be some sort of cover up, as it states in the article.

Why weren't these children missed? Jersey is such a small place.

The only answer I can think of is that nobody cared, and that is just terrible.

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DeeRiguer · 31/07/2008 11:35

it was on r4 this am
it does sound bit fishy i fear ..
though the investigation sounds difficult....
but it's heartbreaking to think there will no attempt at any justice for these young lives taken in such horrific circumstances..
very sad

Upwind · 31/07/2008 11:50

What is the period they are "looking at" though? If it is the 1960s and 1970s as seems suggested, surely somebody should have been responsible for the children's care? Even if records were tampered with that deserves its own investigation. Were the children in the home from Jersey or were some sent there from parts of the UK?

RubyRioja · 31/07/2008 11:58

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Original poster
Janos · 31/07/2008 12:09

I read another report which suggested that some of the bones may date from as early as 1650 but it is very difficult to tell.

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TotalChaos · 31/07/2008 12:12

It's appalling that children in the care system could just disappear like this. I think from reading previous articles that some children were sent over to this home from the UK mainland.

edam · 31/07/2008 12:14

Some were sent there from the mainland - think London has been mentioned. And the records are so bad that it is possible some children may never be traced. Terrible.

Before all this came out, my sister was seriously looking for jobs in Jersey in a related field. Not any more. The culture amongst all the professions and all the organisations involved must be hideous.

edam · 31/07/2008 12:15

If the police officer in charge of the investigation, Lenny Harper, hadn't been from outside Jersey I guess none of this would ever have come out.

Twinkie1 · 31/07/2008 12:16

One of the Child Protection preofessional I know is so shocked by this too - she has said that there is a huge cover up going on and it comes right from the top on Jersey!

Bastards are going to get away with it - it makes me sick to my stomach!

edam · 31/07/2008 12:17

Glad John Hemming is pursuing this in parliament, btw.

edam · 31/07/2008 12:18

Some of the children were sent there from Islington, when Margaret Hodge was in charge. She obstructed abuse inquiries in Islington children's homes...

JonahTakalua · 31/07/2008 12:19

I would have thought modern forensics would have been able to date the remains fairly accurately.

Lots of people must have an awful lot on their conscience re all this.

Hopefully one of them has the bollocks to speak up.

Original poster
Janos · 31/07/2008 12:30

Margaret Hodge is involved (I am NOT saying involved in abuse directly BTW before anyone jumps on me for that). Why does that not surprise me?

Wasn't there a case some time ago where MH was forced to apologise to a victim of child sexual abuse after labelling him an attention seeker or some such?

JonahTakalua, there was an article about the problems they had dating the remains somewhere, the BBC site I think but have gone back and can't find it. Apparently children's remains are harder to date/identify than adults.

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edam · 31/07/2008 12:47

Yup, that's the one, Janos. And it was MH who was made minister for children! AND she was responsible for checking what had gone on in SS and the family courts after poor Sally Clark (RIP) was cleared in the criminal courts. It's no surprise she came back saying 'oh, everything's fine', is it?

Original poster
Janos · 31/07/2008 12:58

And people wonder why Labour are so unpopular. Sorry slight diversion...

I would like to think something comes of this and people are punished.

But I'm not hopeful.

It's a very distressing 'case' (if thats the right word)

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Upwind · 31/07/2008 13:05

I've just read about the Hodge/Islington scandal here:
www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/comment/article1148482.ece

Unbelievable that despicable woman was made minister for children.

suedonim · 31/07/2008 13:12

My jaw dropped when I read this story on BBC earlier today. Why no enquiry? It's not so long ago, the perpetrators could still be alive. How the survivors of the abuse must be feeling today, god-only knows.

bundle · 31/07/2008 13:16

"Liberal Democrat MP John Hemming told BBC Radio Four's Today programme he would be speaking to a government minister later on Thursday about the issue of the rule of law in Jersey.

In February Mr Hemming signed an early day motion in Parliament that said there was a lack of confidence in the ability of the island's authorities to deal with the abuse allegations.

"What is clear is that there are five cases where there is sufficient evidence to prosecute but the prosecution has been shut down in some form or other," Mr Hemming told Today. "

so - they could overrule the jurisdiction (Jersey not part of UK) and insist on prosecutions, even if they don't have enough solid evidence re: murder.

edam · 31/07/2008 13:17

What that article doesn't mention (presumably it hadn't happened when it was written) is that Hodge went on to belittle and make allegations against a man who had suffered abuse during his time in HER children's homes. And tried to tell journalists to ignore him because he was 'very disturbed'. The sheer arrogance of the woman! Thank Christ she was outed - although she didn't bother to resign, of course.

Earlybird · 31/07/2008 13:18

Why is a murder enquiry unlikely?

Am not in the UK, so don't understand why this would be so.

edam · 31/07/2008 13:19

The police chief didn't say there would be no prosecutions, just not enough evidence to bring a murder charge. Sadly.

He's due to retire soon - what's the betting the Jersey establishment try to shut the whole thing down?

And John Hemmings, has, of course, been demonised by social workers for daring to speak out about poor practice... thank God he hasn't let the smears put him off.

Original poster
Janos · 31/07/2008 19:36

Apart from compassion of the victims of this hideous trauma my main feeling is one of sheer anger that yet again, people will just get away with these hideous crimes.

I really, really want there to be some form of prosecution.

Those people who went through such abuse deserve an acknowledgement and an apology.

Bet you you they don't bloody well get it.

Mind you, I remember similar cases with childrens homes in Scotland. There was one really sadistic nun...can't remember who. She basically got let off with a slap on the wrist despite inflicting years of torture on vulnerable children.

The establishment in this country is so loathsome (sp)?. It makes we want to spit.

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Original poster
Janos · 31/07/2008 19:36

That should be me, not we btw.

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