Police have launched an investigation into an alleged paedophile ring at a notorious youth detention centre.
Medomsley Detention Centre in County Durham has been at the centre of
a sex abuse scandal after former guard, Neville Husband, was found
guilty of the mass rape of boys under his care.
The sickening assaults took place over a period of nearly 15 years during the 1970s and 80s.
Husband was eventually caught and jailed for 12 years. Also jailed was Lesley Johnson, a store man at Medomsley, who went down for six years.
Both are now dead.
The horrific crimes were initially thought to have taken place solely inside the centre and at the home Husband shared with his wife and young son.
However, police are probing sensational new claims that Husband and Johnson were not acting alone and that the rape of young inmates was systematically carried out in various other locations outside Medomsley by a larger group of sexual predators.
This new investigation was launched thanks to the brave testimony of a 49-year-old East Kilbride man who was one of Husband’s young victims.
John McCabe was just 17 when he was sent to Medomsley for nine months after being found guilty of a break-in at a jewellers in Scarborough.
He was raped by Husband nearly every day during his detention.
Apart from the physical abuse, he had to deal with the mental torture of what was happening to him.
After his release he buried the revolting experience at Medomsley in the back of his mind and set about building a new life for himself.
John is now happily married with three children.
He was reminded of his former nightmare when he saw an image of Husband on a roller ticker on his PC whilst researching work information 2009.
Within a week, John summoned up the courage to contact Durham Police, who launched an investigation.
However, the Crown Prosecution Service decided not to take any further action against Husband, stating it was not in the public interest to do so.
John said: “I was devastated by this decision.
“I was really down and my last hope for justice was to approach my local MP, Michael McCann, who’d been a classmate at secondary school in East Kilbride.
“Thankfully Michael gave me his full support and with his help I went to the police again.
“After he campaigned for a new investigation, including raising the matter direct with David Cameron at Prime Ministers questions, the case was re-opened.
“After meeting the authorities on 12 August in Durham Police HQ I am completely confident they will carry out a full investigation into what happened at Medomsley because they are now convinced that Husband and Johnson were not acting alone.
“In addition, they are now taking seriously the claims that the rapes and other abuse took place in a number of locations, which until now had not been identified.”
Local MP Michael McCann said: “I have known John since 1976 when we started high school together.
“He got into trouble with the authorities when he was young and he has paid a gruesome price.
“I knew it would be tough to restart an investigation when the events took place so long ago and the person who appears to have been the main protagonist is dead but people that commit crimes must face justice.
“I have therefore been working hard to convince the police to look into this case.
“I am pleased that the case has been re-opened and John and I want to support the Durham Police investigation fully.
“We have been working behind the scenes for several months discussing how best to make an appeal for information about abuse that took place either inside or outside Medomsley Detention Centre.
“And last week we launched our appeal through Mirror Group newspapers and local ITV stations advising the public that the investigation has been formally re-opened and calling for information about the events that took place thirty years ago.
“I am pleased to say that the police have received a number of calls in relation to the investigation.
“We know that young men attempted to report abuse 30 years ago but they were let down by the authorities and John McCabe’s bravery in revealing his story has already encouraged others to come forward.
“Young men like John were detained by the State and then they were abused by agents of the State and others inside and outside Medomsley.
“Only Neville Husband and Lesley Johnson were convicted.
“ The others, and there are undoubtedly others, are still at liberty.
“They must be caught, prosecuted and sent to jail for their heinous crimes.”
Detective Supt Paul Goundry, head of safeguarding for Durham Constabulary said; “Durham Constabulary previously carried out a major investigation into sexual abuse at Medomsley Detention Centre which in 2003 resulted in a member of staff, Neville Husband being convicted and sent to jail for his crimes. He preyed on some of the most vulnerable children and young people in our society and left many of them with mental scars which have lasted a lifetime.
“While we contacted and took statements from a number of victims as part of this investigation, we believe there are others who for whatever reason have never come forward. It is those people we have now asked to contact us and pass on any information about what took place during their time at Medomsley, whether it happened at the centre or off-site.
“I have assured them we have experienced officers on hand to talk to them and they will be treated with the utmost sensitivity. What happened at Medomsley was organised abuse on a large scale and we are committed to ensuring every victim feels they have had the opportunity to speak. Throughout our enquiries we will be in constant touch with the CPS who will ultimately advise on whether there are grounds to bring criminal charges.
“John has shown great bravery in giving up his right to anonymity and talking about the abuse he suffered. I hope that by doing so he will encourage others to come forward and pass on any information they have. ”
The sickening assaults took place over a period of nearly 15 years during the 1970s and 80s.
Husband was eventually caught and jailed for 12 years. Also jailed was Lesley Johnson, a store man at Medomsley, who went down for six years.
Both are now dead.
The horrific crimes were initially thought to have taken place solely inside the centre and at the home Husband shared with his wife and young son.
However, police are probing sensational new claims that Husband and Johnson were not acting alone and that the rape of young inmates was systematically carried out in various other locations outside Medomsley by a larger group of sexual predators.
This new investigation was launched thanks to the brave testimony of a 49-year-old East Kilbride man who was one of Husband’s young victims.
John McCabe was just 17 when he was sent to Medomsley for nine months after being found guilty of a break-in at a jewellers in Scarborough.
He was raped by Husband nearly every day during his detention.
Apart from the physical abuse, he had to deal with the mental torture of what was happening to him.
After his release he buried the revolting experience at Medomsley in the back of his mind and set about building a new life for himself.
John is now happily married with three children.
He was reminded of his former nightmare when he saw an image of Husband on a roller ticker on his PC whilst researching work information 2009.
Within a week, John summoned up the courage to contact Durham Police, who launched an investigation.
However, the Crown Prosecution Service decided not to take any further action against Husband, stating it was not in the public interest to do so.
John said: “I was devastated by this decision.
“I was really down and my last hope for justice was to approach my local MP, Michael McCann, who’d been a classmate at secondary school in East Kilbride.
“Thankfully Michael gave me his full support and with his help I went to the police again.
“After he campaigned for a new investigation, including raising the matter direct with David Cameron at Prime Ministers questions, the case was re-opened.
“After meeting the authorities on 12 August in Durham Police HQ I am completely confident they will carry out a full investigation into what happened at Medomsley because they are now convinced that Husband and Johnson were not acting alone.
“In addition, they are now taking seriously the claims that the rapes and other abuse took place in a number of locations, which until now had not been identified.”
Local MP Michael McCann said: “I have known John since 1976 when we started high school together.
“He got into trouble with the authorities when he was young and he has paid a gruesome price.
“I knew it would be tough to restart an investigation when the events took place so long ago and the person who appears to have been the main protagonist is dead but people that commit crimes must face justice.
“I have therefore been working hard to convince the police to look into this case.
“I am pleased that the case has been re-opened and John and I want to support the Durham Police investigation fully.
“We have been working behind the scenes for several months discussing how best to make an appeal for information about abuse that took place either inside or outside Medomsley Detention Centre.
“And last week we launched our appeal through Mirror Group newspapers and local ITV stations advising the public that the investigation has been formally re-opened and calling for information about the events that took place thirty years ago.
“I am pleased to say that the police have received a number of calls in relation to the investigation.
“We know that young men attempted to report abuse 30 years ago but they were let down by the authorities and John McCabe’s bravery in revealing his story has already encouraged others to come forward.
“Young men like John were detained by the State and then they were abused by agents of the State and others inside and outside Medomsley.
“Only Neville Husband and Lesley Johnson were convicted.
“ The others, and there are undoubtedly others, are still at liberty.
“They must be caught, prosecuted and sent to jail for their heinous crimes.”
Detective Supt Paul Goundry, head of safeguarding for Durham Constabulary said; “Durham Constabulary previously carried out a major investigation into sexual abuse at Medomsley Detention Centre which in 2003 resulted in a member of staff, Neville Husband being convicted and sent to jail for his crimes. He preyed on some of the most vulnerable children and young people in our society and left many of them with mental scars which have lasted a lifetime.
“While we contacted and took statements from a number of victims as part of this investigation, we believe there are others who for whatever reason have never come forward. It is those people we have now asked to contact us and pass on any information about what took place during their time at Medomsley, whether it happened at the centre or off-site.
“I have assured them we have experienced officers on hand to talk to them and they will be treated with the utmost sensitivity. What happened at Medomsley was organised abuse on a large scale and we are committed to ensuring every victim feels they have had the opportunity to speak. Throughout our enquiries we will be in constant touch with the CPS who will ultimately advise on whether there are grounds to bring criminal charges.
“John has shown great bravery in giving up his right to anonymity and talking about the abuse he suffered. I hope that by doing so he will encourage others to come forward and pass on any information they have. ”
Source Michael McCann MP
