Police to review all deaths at Medomlsey Detention Centre as part of abuse probe

12:00am Saturday 29th March 2014 in News Exclusive By Gavin Engelbrecht

 

Police to review all deaths at Medomlsey Detention Centre as part of abuse probe 

 

DETECTIVES, who fear an organised paedophile ring may have been responsible for abuse at a North-East detention centre, said last night their investigation had widened to include a number of deaths.

Police say there is growing evidence of an organised paedophile ring operating at the former Medomsley Detention Centre, near Consett, County Durham, 40 years ago.

More than 500 victims have contacted Durham Constabulary alleging sexual and physical abuse at the Home Office-run centre, near Consett, between the late 1960s and early 1980s.

A previous police investigation led to the conviction of prison officer Neville Husband who was jailed for ten years for sexually abusing several teenagers at the centre.

After being released from prison, he died of natural causes at his home, in nearby Shotley Bridge, four years ago.

A new investigation, launched in August last year, has become the largest of its kind the force has dealt with.
Detective Superintendent Paul Goundry who is leading the inquiry codenamed Operation Seabrook, said his team would be re-examining files of all deaths at Medomsley.

He said: “We will be working with the County Durham coroner Andrew Tweddle to review all the deaths that happened in Medomsley.

“We will be briefing him and looking at the deaths as a line of inquiry.”

The Northern Echo is aware of two deaths, including that of 17-year-old David Caldwell, from Hebburn, in January 1982.

He suffered a severe asthma attack at the centre and was pronounced dead on arrival at nearby Shotley Bridge Hospital.

The teenager, who was serving a three-month sentence for theft, had allegedly been left unsupervised on Medomsley’s medical wing for two hours as his condition deteriorated.

An inquest concluded the youth had died of natural causes, but his family alleged he had been beaten and forced to do harsh physical training in the weeks leading up to his death.

Sister Carole Kyle last night welcomed a review into her brother’s death.

She said: “I am pleased my brother's death will be reviewed. My family and I want justice for him and would like to see a full investigation into the circumstances surrounding his death.

“I know that he died of asthma, but have always said he was brought on by his ill-treatment at Medomsley.
“When I went to visit him before he died I noticed bruises on his neck. He told me prison officers had done it, but did not want me to complain as he feared his treatment would get worse.”

Police say their investigation has uncovered evidence of a culture of violence far beyond the system of governance they expected to find.

Referring to the David Caldwell case, Det Supt Goundry said: “”The family came forward during the initial investigation in 2001 when the case was reviewed by a senior investigation officer.

“Obviously they didn’t have the 500 victims that have come forward today. We will review that file when we have worked through all the victims that have come forward. We are working with the family.”

In 2009, the Government paid 12 Medomsley victims a total of £512,000 in compensation for what they suffered. However, the Home Secretary Jack Straw refused to apologise.

Det Supt Goundry said that, as well as sex abuse at the centre, there was evidence of a brutal regime "where violence was both extreme and routine".

He said: “We always knew this would be a major inquiry, but the scale of it and the sheer number of victims who have come forward has been a shock.

 "From the statements, there is growing evidence to suggest there was an organised paedophile ring operating in Medomsley.

"This will form a major part of our operation and future discussions with the Crown Prosecution Service."

Police have not ruled out prosecutions, even though the alleged incidents happened four decades ago.

Anyone with information should contact detectives on 101 or any of the support services advertised on a dedicated page set up on durham.police.uk.

Source 

 Notice

Durham Constabulary would like anyone who has suffered abuse or has information which may assist the enquiry to contact them on 101 or 0345 60 60 365.

A call handler will take the caller’s details which will be referred to the ‘Operation Seabrook’ team. Further contact and investigation will then be carried out by specialist detectives who are highly trained and experienced in dealing with sensitive abuse cases.

The investigation is being lead by a Senior Investigating Officer (SIO), Det Supt Paul Goundry and a Deputy SIO, Det Chief Insp Brad Howe.

NSPCC FREEPHONE HELPLINE (24 hrs): 0808 800 5000
National Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children                                  

The helpline is available for anyone who has concerns about a child or anyone including adults who wish to discuss their own experience of abuse as a child or young person.

Contact can also be made via e mail : help@nspcc.org.uk  or by text 88858
Contact can be made anonymously if the caller so wishes.

NAPAC
National Association for People Abused in ChildhoodFreephone (from landline or a Virgin, Orange or 3 mobile) 0800 085 3330.

If you are calling from a mobile provided by O2, Vodafone or T-Mobile an alternative freephone number is 0808 801 0331. This is not a 24 hr service 

The Meadows:
The Meadows Sexual Assault Referral Centre (Darlington and Co Durham) 0191 301 8554
The Meadows will accept calls between the hours of 9am-3.30 pm Monday to Friday and can arrange one-to-one counselling sessions and can make referrals to similar centres throughout the UK.

Counselling does not involve discussing what has happened in relation to the assault, it aims to help you work through your feelings to aid the healing process.

Staff at the Meadows will not contact the police without your consent unless there are current concerns in respect of a child or vulnerable adult.