BB FANS

Ex-Jersey home chief remanded in custody

The case against a man accused of sexually assaulting girls at a former Jersey children's home was adjourned for a month yesterday.

Gordon Claude Wateridge is charged with three offences of indecent assault on girls under 16 between 1969 and 1979 when he was warder at Haut de la Garenne.

The 76-year-old was remanded in custody and will next appear before St Helier Magistrates' Court on April 14.

Telegraph

Youth hostel 'closing for a year'

Jersey's Youth Hostel, which is at the centre of a major police inquiry, is expected to be closed for about a year, the Youth Hostel Association says.

The hostel, at Haut de la Garenne, St Martin, was previously a children's home. It was closed after the discovery of human remains in February.

It became the island's first youth hostel in 2004 after a £2.25m revamp.

Meanwhile, the island's police chief says child abuse investigations will continue for as long as they need to.

BBC

Lawyers seek former residents at Haut de la Garenne

People who say they were abused at the former Jersey children's home, Haut de la Garenne, could seek compensation from the Jersey government.

A legal team set up by Havant firm Dyer, Burdett and Company is appealing for victims to come forward with Jersey advocates Ozanne.

Two years ago, DBC reached an out-of-court settlement of more than £300,000 for nine men who were abused in Berkshire Council-run Green Field House children's home between 1964 and 1970.

The Berkshire home was then managed by the late Don Prescott, who is alleged to have abused the boys and rented them to other paedophiles.

Police are continuing their search of the site of the former Haut de la Garenne home in St Martin, Jersey, as part of their inquiry into historic abuse. More than 160 people have given information on alleged abuse at the home, which closed in 1986.

Communitycare

Investigation divides scandal-hit island

There's nowhere to hide on Jersey anymore. The world's media is watching life on the well-heeled streets, where there are more smart cars than people to be seen. The island, like a genteel Home Counties town floating in the sea, is still flinching from the shock of abuse allegations at a former children's home.

CommunityCare

Child abuse investigation extended to Guernsey

A police inquiry into decades of alleged child abuse in Jersey has spread to the neighbouring island of Guernsey.

A former resident of the island has written to Deputy Chief Officer Lenny Harper, the detective leading the Jersey investigation, making allegations that they were abused in Guernsey.

Mr Harper has passed the letter to Guernsey police, which is a separate force. Supt Ian Morellec, of Guernsey police, said: "There is an aspect of the letter which requires closer scrutiny by us. It relates to something which happened more than 20 years ago."

Telegraph

Jersey 'punishment rooms' found

Police have found two more "punishment rooms" at a former Jersey children's home at the centre of an investigation into alleged abuse.

The underground chambers were found by forensic teams at Haut de la Garenne, the home where 100 people claim they were abused.

BBC

Jersey abuse: more arrests likely

Police investigating abuse claims in Jersey said they are confident of making more arrests in the next few weeks.

CapitalRadio

Graffiti Found In Second Jersey Cellar

Pictures have been released showing the second "punishment room" at a former children's home in Jersey at the centre of abuse allegations

SKY

'Punishment room' picture Sun

Jersey abuse warnings 'ignored'

Allegations of abuse at Haut de la Garenne have caused shock both in Jersey and the mainland. However, the BBC's Panorama has uncovered evidence that warnings about this and another children's home were ignored.

A former staff member at Haut de la Garenne has told the BBC that his attempts to blow the whistle on sexual abuse at the home fell on deaf ears.

BBC

Police on Jersey begin accessing final horror chambers

Jersey Police said the work involved in gaining access to the third and fourth chambers, and taking up the floor, was likely to take some time.

Work also started on recovering any evidence from under a bath in the first cellar. Police have said there were blood spots in the bath in that room, where shackles were also found.

TheHerald

More remains found at Jersey children's home
Police have unearthed more potential human remains at a former children's home in Jersey. The discoveries were made by officers searching the cellar complex beneath Haut de la Garenne, where officers fear youngsters may have been murdered during decades of alleged sexual and physical abuse by the staff.

The fresh findings are potentially the most significant development in the investigation since shards from a skull were removed from the care home five weeks ago. The results of carbon testing on the skull will be announced this week.

Meanwhile, Jersey police are believed to have assembled a series of 'robust' cases against a number of individuals and arrests are imminent.

After last week's BBC Panorama, which uncovered more cases of alleged abuse, Harper said that 'important information' against principal suspects had been received.

However, he would not confirm whether former police officers were among those who were on their list of potential suspects.

Forensic teams are continuing to search the third and fourth cellars found under the children's home.

Guardian

Bellwood slams chief minister's 'scapegoating' attempt

The UK social worker sacked last year from a Jersey secure unit for children has accused the island's chief minister of attempting to use him as a "scapegoat".

communitycare