A sex abuse scandal at a detention centre could cost up to £12 million in compensation pay-outs, a solicitor for many of the victims has said.

30 January 2014

Police are investigating a number of claims of sexual abuse at a detention centre in Durham in the 1970s and 80s

A sex abuse scandal at a detention centre could cost up to £12 million in compensation pay-outs, a solicitor for many of the victims has said.

More than 140 people claimed they were abused as youngsters in Medomsley Detention Centre in the 1970s and 1980s and Durham Police has received more calls since a TV documentary was broadcast this week.

They had no escape from staff who subjected them to sexual and physical abuse while they were behind bars for crimes which today would often receive a community punishment.

Guard Neville Husband was jailed in 2003 for committing sex attacks on youngsters. Accomplice Leslie Johnson, a store man at the centre, was also jailed. They have since died.

One trainee was sexually abused after having a bread knife held to his throat, another attacked after he stole marzipan and icing from a store.

Solicitor David Greenwood, a specialist in the rights of survivors of sexual abuse, represents 53 people who claim they were abused at Medomsley.

He said: "If everyone comes forward and pursues civil compensation claims it could cost £8m-12m.

"That is not taking into account the cost of the police investigation and any public inquiry.

"It is going to be an expensive business for the Government."

Mr Greenwood, based in Wakefield, West Yorkshire, praised Durham Police's "progressive" investigation, which could stretch well into 2015.

"The mechanisms they are putting in place to support survivors who are describing for the first time what happened, and obviously are vulnerable, are really encouraging," he said.

"I hope that the inquiry into Medomsley becomes a template for inquiries into institutional abuse."

Mr Greenwood became involved in the case when Husband was prosecuted and said others knew what was going on at the time, and one staff member even admitted he "felt sorry for the boys".

Mr Greenwood said: "The question has to be asked, why was there no system in place for that to be reported and investigated?

"I don't know the answer to that question.

"It appears there was a culture of being able to treat these young trainees exactly as officers liked.

"You have to understand the impact on the boys, they were locked up and could not escape from it, which is doubly traumatising."

A Ministry of Justice spokesman said: "The outcome of the ongoing police investigation will be considered in due course. It would be inappropriate to comment further at this time."

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East Kilbride sex abuse victim's bravery brings justice one step closer

30 Jan 2014 16:21

MP Michael McCann tirelessly campaigned for a police probe into Medomsley Detention Centre after victim John McCabe – a former classmate at St Bride’s High School – told him of the brutal regime which existed there.

Michael McCann MP is backing John McCabe's fight

East Kilbride News

After bravely revealing the horrific abuse he suffered when he was a teenage inmate of an English detention centre, East Kilbride man John McCabe has seen his battle for justice take a step forward.

MP Michael McCann tirelessly campaigned for a police probe into Medomsley Detention Centre after John – a former classmate at St Bride’s High School – told him of the brutal regime which existed there.

John, now 49, suffered six months of horrific sex abuse at the hands of prison officer Neville Husband when he was a 17-year-old inmate of the former borstal in County Durham.

Husband was jailed for 12 years in 2003 and Leslie Johnson, a store man, was sentenced to six years in 2005. Both men are now dead.

Husband is believed to have been part of a prison paedophile ring. And as a result of pressure from the East Kilbride MP, in August police in Durham in north-east England launched an investigation.

Mr McCann said: “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.”

Now a dedicated team of 70 officers are working on the enquiry.

The abuse scandal at Medomsley juvenile detention centre was this week featured in a BBC documentary which revealed officers are now investigating allegations of physical and sexual abuse from over 140 former inmates.

The man in charge of the investigation, Det Superintendent Paul Goundry, told the programme new cases are still coming in. He warned: “If people have committed criminal offences they should be held to account .”

John McCabe said: “It took me a long time to come to terms with the events that took place at Medomsley when I was a young man. I had to live with the shame and the humiliation of those memories every hour of every day.

“But with the support of my family, I found the courage to speak out about what happened in that place and to search for justice, not just for me, but for the many victims.

“I went to Michael McCann for help and with his support our campaign to have the Medomsley investigation re-opened succeeded. A team of detectives are now on this case.

“I’ve given the police all I know but I also know that our calls for witnesses to come forward have led to nearly 150 victims contacting the police and telling their stories, many for the first time. I salute their bravery.

“The police must now be left to get on with their work and I believe they will be able to secure the information they need to allow them to pursue prosecutions.

Mr McCann said: “John and I have been kept informed of developments by Durham Police. The resources that have been dedicated to this investigation mean that there is a real opportunity to secure convictions.

“There will be many people across the country who participated in this abuse who will be having sleepless nights, waiting for a chap at the door from the authorities. They probably thought that after all these years they had gotten away with their crimes.

“But thanks to John McCabe and his fight for justice they‘ll have to account for their actions.
“Justice will be done but we are mindful that proper judicial processes must be followed to secure convictions and we will therefore be allowing the police to get on with their work without requesting a running commentary.”

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Compensation for Medomsley abuse scandal could reach £12m, solicitor claims

2:36pm Thursday 30th January 2014 in News By Matt Westcott

 

INQUIRY HELD: Medomsley Detention Centre 

 

A SEX abuse scandal at a detention centre could cost up to £12m in compensation pay-outs, a solicitor for many of the victims has said.

More than 140 people claimed they were abused as youngsters in Medomsley Detention Centre in the 1970s and 1980s and Durham Police has received more calls since a TV documentary was broadcast this week.

They had no escape from staff who subjected them to sexual and physical abuse while they were behind bars for crimes which today would often receive a community punishment.

Guard Neville Husband was jailed in 2003 for committing sex attacks on youngsters. Accomplice Leslie Johnson, a store man at the centre, was also jailed. They have since died.

One trainee was sexually abused after having a bread knife held to his throat, another attacked after he stole marzipan and icing from a store.

Solicitor David Greenwood, a specialist in the rights of survivors of sexual abuse, represents 53 people who claim they were abused at Medomsley.

He said: If everyone comes forward and pursues civil compensation claims it could cost £8m-£12m.

That is not taking into account the cost of the police investigation and any public inquiry.

It is going to be an expensive business for the Government.

Mr Greenwood, based in Wakefield, West Yorkshire, praised Durham Polices progressive investigation, which could stretch well into 2015.

The mechanisms they are putting in place to support survivors who are describing for the first time what happened, and obviously are vulnerable, are really encouraging, he said.

I hope that the inquiry into Medomsley becomes a template for inquiries into institutional abuse.

Source

Government could pay out £12m to victims of abuse at Medomsley Detention Centre

• By Rachel Wearmouth

30 Jan 2014 08:14

Solicitor David Greenwood is representing 53 victims said to have suffered abuse at the Consett facility

Neville Husband

The Government could be forced to pay out £12m compensation after a sexual abuse scandal was exposed at a North East detention centre, a solicitor for the victims said last night.

It comes as police are inundated with calls about Medomsley Detention Centre after a probe covering the late 1970s and early ’80s was reopened in the autumn.

It is thought hundreds of young boys - most of whom were behind bars for crimes that would today warrant a community penalty - were systematically targeted by sexual predators. Solicitor David Greenwood is representing 53 alleged victims, 40 more than before the probe was re-opened.

He estimates the Government will pay out millions in compensation, on top of costs for the police investigation and any independent inquiry.

He said: “In total the case is likely to cost the Government around £8m-12m if all those who have contacted the police so far go on to pursue compensation claims. This figure excludes the cost of the police inquiry and a public inquiry.”

Prison guard Neville Husband, a serial abuser of young boys, was convicted for sex attacks on nine youngsters in 2003. Before his prosecution and after 27 years’ working for the Prison Service he was a minister with the Brighton Road and Cromer Avenue URC churches in Gateshead.

He was jailed for 12 years and his accomplice Lesley Johnson, who was a store man at the centre, for six. Both men have since died.

The Ministry of Justice has so far refused to apologise for the scandal.

A spokesman said yesterday: “The outcome of the ongoing police investigation will be considered in due course; it would be inappropriate to comment further at this time.”

More than 60 people have contacted Durham police this week alone after the investigation was featured on the BBC’s Inside Out programme. It is unclear how many of these people are victims, witnesses or people with information which could assist the investigation.

Mr Greenwood, who is also dealing with alleged cases of abuse at other centre in the region, added: “There is clear evidence of prison officers turning a blind eye to serious and systematic abuse at Medomsley. Future generations need to understand how and why state officials colluded in this way and to learn how to prevent it in the future.”

Detective Superintendent Paul Goundry, who is leading the investigation, said: “We said from the outset this was going to be a long and complex investigation which we fully expect will last at least another 12 months.

So far we have been contacted by more than 140 former inmates of Medomsley, who have reported they were victims of either sexual or physical abuse at the centre between the late 1960s and the mid-1980s.

“The accounts we have heard have been horrific and have shaken some very experienced detectives who are working on this. It is obviously distressing to hear from so many victims, but at the same time I am relieved they have shown the confidence in us to get in touch and allow us to help them.

“Our efforts are directed not just at establishing what happened in Medomsley over that period but ensuring the victims are left in a better place and get the support and advice they need.”

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Government could pay out £12m in compensation to Medomsley Detention Centre victims

30 Jan 2014 09:31

The Government could face a £12m compensation bill for victims of sexual abuse at a North East detention centre

Ray Poar, who was a victim of Neville Husband

The Government could face a £12m compensation bill for victims of sexual abuse at a North East detention centre.

That revelation has come as police are swamped with calls about Medomsley Detention Centre after a probe covering the late 1970s and early 1980s was reopened in the autumn.

It is thought hundreds of young boys were systematically targeted by sexual predators.

Solicitor David Greenwood is representing 53 alleged victims, 40 more than before the probe was re-opened.

He estimates the Government will pay out millions in compensation, on top of costs for the police investigation and any independent inquiry.

He said: “In total the case is likely to cost the government around £8m to £12m if all those who have contacted the police so far go on to pursue compensation claims.

“This figure excludes the cost of the police inquiry and a public inquiry.”

Prison guard Neville Husband, a serial abuser of young boys, was convicted for sex attacks on nine youngsters in 2003.

Before his prosecution and after 27 years’ working for the Prison Service he was a minister with the Brighton Road and Cromer Avenue URC churches in Gateshead.

His victims included Ray Poar, who was sent to the centre aged 17 and waived his anonymity to talk to The Chronicle in August.

Mr Poar, 52, was sent to the facility when he was 17 and was subjected to horrific abuse at the hands of prison guard Neville Husband.

It was only when he secured a transfer to another facility that he could escape.

He contacted police after Husband was convicted in 2003, but for years had blamed himself.

He said: “I really believed that he could kill me. I was in total despair, I didn’t know what he was going to do next.

“After that, it was mainly shame that made me not tell anybody.”

Husband was jailed for 12 years and his accomplice Lesley Johnson, who was a store man at the centre, for six.

Both men have since died.

Neville Husband

 The Ministry of Justice has so far refused to apologise, and a spokesman said yesterday: “The outcome of the ongoing police investigation will be considered in due course. It would be inappropriate to comment further at this time.”

More than 60 people have contacted Durham Police this week alone after the investigation was featured on the BBC’s Inside Out programme.

It is unclear how many of these people are victims, witnesses or people with information which could assist the investigation.

Detective Superintendent Paul Goundry from the force said: “We said from the outset this was going to be a long and complex investigation which we fully expect will last at least another 12 months.

“So far we have been contacted by more than 140 former inmates of Medomsley, who have reported they were victims of either sexual or physical abuse at the centre between the late 1960s and the mid-1980s.

“The accounts we have heard have been horrific and have shaken some very experienced detectives who are working on this.

“It is obviously distressing to hear from so many victims, but at the same time I am relieved they have shown the confidence in us to get in touch and allow us to help them.

“Our efforts are directed not just at establishing what happened in Medomsley over that period but ensuring the victims are left in a better place and get the support and advice they need.”

Meanwhile, Mr Greenwood is calling for an independent inquiry into the facility.

He said: “There is clear evidence of prison officers turning a blind eye to serious and systematic abuse at Medomsley.

“I have also spoken to men who suffered serious and systematic physical abuse at other detention centres throughout the country.

“Future generations need to understand how and why state officials colluded in this way and to learn how to prevent it in the future.

“The intensity of the horrific abuse meted out at Medomsley has meant that many men have felt embarrassed or ashamed at coming forward previously.

“Now that they know that the police are taking the case seriously and are actively pursuing the perpetrators, many survivors of Medomsley feel able to come forward.

“They can do so anonymously.

“I would like to add that the brave men who have come forward to the police will be dealt with by skilled and sympathetic officers. Counselling will be offered.

“If justice is not achieved through prosecutions I am ready to help survivors achieve justice through the civil compensation process.

“My ultimate aim is to improve the quality of life for these men.”

Anyone who was a victim of abuse at Medomsley Detention Centre or who has any information about what went on there should call police on 101.

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