Monday 27 January 2014

Medomsley abuse school under the spotlight

The Medomsley abuse scandal will be the subject of a BBC documentary aired tonight
Superintendent Paul Goundry who is leading the investigation
Superintendent Paul Goundry who is leading the investigation
The abuse scandal at Medomsley juvenile detention centre will tonight form the focus of a BBC documentary which scrutinises the 140 latest allegations made by former inmates.

Inside Out will detail fresh claims of sexual and physical abuse at the former detention centre following Durham Police’s re-opening of their investigation last autumn.

In 2003 prison officer Neville Husband was jailed for sexually abusing inmates at the centre, which was notorious for its short, sharp shock treatment in the 1970s-1980s and closed in 1988. Then Leslie Johnson, a store man, was jailed for similar offences in 2005. Both men have since died.

The police investigation was re-opened following new allegations from ex-inmates in the wake of the publicity over their trials.

In tonight’s programme, which begins on BBC1 at 7.30pm, film-makers speak to three victims of the alleged abuse and interview Superintendent Paul Goundry who is leading the investigation. Sir Martin Narey, former director general of the prison service who was in post when Husband’s crimes came to light, apologises in the programme for Husband’s abuse going undetected so long.

Ex-governor Tim Newell, who was in charge at Medomsley for part of the time of the original abuse, declined to appear on film but said in a statement to the BBC team he was “very sad about the pain brought about by his staff”.

Tonight’s Inside Out will also be available on iPlayer for the next seven days.

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