Statement from The Survivors of Medomsley.

Statement

In the heart's of many victims of Medomsley abuse

There is never good or bad news! Just what we know to be true!

Durham have already surpassed all our expectations in relation to Operation
SeaBrook Investigation.

Every individual of the investigation team should be proud for what they have achieved
since 14th August 2013.

Over 1,300 victims have found not only the courage to come forward but also found
trust in Durham Constabulary.

The greatest justice in this, is that Operation SeaBrook has made it their business to ensure
those who went through Medomsley have had support or have been offered support!

Durham police in their dedication to the many victims is testament to the understanding that
their team has had since the beginning of the current investigation!

In many ways this understanding & approach, has been one of the reason why all the victims
have now after many decades found the faith to unburden the tragic offences carried out against them! And this alone has freed them from the shame which we all have carried throughout most of our lives.

This is the process to closure and for those who have already taken up counselling will be well on they're way to rebuilding they're lives.

Those who have chosen not to go to counselling like myself, who make up the remaining 65% have so for different reasons.

There are those, who were not prepared to talk about the past, but felt it should be
the future they should be focusing on.

Though we in no doubt that when the investigation has ended. Some victims will require
professional guidance' and this will be the case for those not attending counselling so far.

The Survivors of Medomsley.

sex cases by 2020': Huge extent of UK abuse problem is revealed by senior officer who say 100 new allegations come in every month

• Goddard inquiry was launched in the wake of the Jimmy Savile scandal
• Examining how public bodies handled duty to protect children from abuse
• Inquiry is passing on 100 child sex cases to police each month, officer said
• Estimated that officers will be looking into some 200,000 claims by 2020

By Katie Strick For The Daily Mail

Published: 06:27, 20 May 2016 | Updated: 09:43, 20 May 2016

Revelations: The Goddard inquiry was launched in the wake of the Jimmy Savile (pictured) scandal

One hundred allegations of child sex abuse are being passed to police every month as part of an inquiry launched in the wake of the Jimmy Savile scandal, a senior officer has revealed.

Simon Bailey, head of the police unit co-ordinating claims of historic child sex abuse in England and Wales, said he expected to be handed a total of 30,000 new reports by the Goddard inquiry.

The Norfolk Chief Constable also estimated that officers would be looking into about 200,000 claims of child sex abuse by 2020, given the current trajectory.

Mr Bailey told the Guardian: 'It is fair to say I am surprised by the extent of abuse being exposed, it is shocking. In trying to get a message across to the public about the scale of this, it is important to remember that behind each of these figures there is a victim.

'We are seeing a significant rise in the number of referrals each month from the Goddard inquiry, and these allegations relate to abuse in a range of institutions from the church, to schools, the scouts and hospitals.'

The inquiry, chaired by Dame Lowell Goddard, a New Zealand Judge, will examine how public bodies handled their duty of care to protect children from abuse. 

It is holding 13 investigations into abuse at institutions including Westminster, the Catholic Church, Church of England and Lambeth borough.

It is also investigating grooming and sexual exploitation in Rochdale, Devon, Cornwall, Oxford and Rotherham, and at the Medomsley detention centre in Durham.

A further 12 investigations will be run as part of the inquiry, and most of the 25 total investigations will lead to public hearings.

As part of its nationwide 'truth project', the inquiry opened new offices in Manchester on Thursday, inviting victims of abuse to come forward and speak about their experiences, many of which have remained silent for decades.

Two thousand victims have already come forward to give details on their abuse, and a further 600 have said they would provide their full testimony to the truth project.

Gabrielle Shaw, chief executive officer for the National Association for People Abused in Childhood, told the Guardian: 'We have lifted the lid on a hidden problem, now survivors are coming forward in large numbers. 

Investigation: The Goddard inquiry, chaired by Dame Lowell Goddard (pictured), a New Zealand Judge, will examine how public bodies handled their duty of care to protect children from abuse

'These people were failed by institutions in childhood. They deserve to be heard now.'  

Mr Bailey's comments about the scale of alleged abuse claims come after criticism of the police following the Operation Midland debacle.

In March this year, the £2 million, 16-month police inquiry into historical child abuse was shut down without any charges being brought.

Officers had earlier claimed the accusations against figures including former Conservative MP Harvey Proctor and head of the Army, D-Day hero Lord Bramall, were credible and true.

There were calls for three of the country's most senior police officers to resign, after no charges were brought against any of the former government officers, politicians or military officers said to be involved. 

Source

Police expect 30,000 new child abuse reports from Goddard inquiry

 

19/05/2016Posted in #PaedoUK, Child Murdered,  

CoverUps, UK, 
 

Exclusive: Extent of child sexual abuse in England and Wales begins to become clear as inquiry passes on 100 cases a month 

Sandra Laville  19 May 2016

The scale of child sexual abuse in England and Wales is being exposed by evidence from thousands of victims, with cases being passed to police at a rate of 100 a month by the public inquiry set up following the Jimmy Savile scandal.

Simon Bailey, Norfolk’s chief constable and head of the national coordinating unit Operation Hydrant, said his team was expecting to be given 30,000 reports of new child sexual offences by the Goddard inquiry, and predicted the rate of referrals of allegations of abuse would increase. 

The chief constable said that given the trajectory of the number of reports, police would be investigating about 200,000 cases of child sexual abuse by 2020, giving an insight into the extent of child sexual abuse in Britain over many decades.

Bailey added: “It is fair to say I am surprised by the extent of abuse being exposed, it is shocking. In trying to get a message across to the public about the scale of this, it is important to remember that behind each of these figures there is a victim.

“We are seeing a significant rise in the number of referrals each month from the Goddard inquiry, and these allegations relate to abuse in a range of institutions from the church, to schools, the scouts and hospitals.” 

Justice Lowell Goddard is running 13 investigations into institutional abuse, which include inquiries concerning Westminster, the Catholic Church, Church of England, and Lambeth borough, and concerning grooming and sexual exploitation in Rochdale, Devon, Cornwall, Oxford and Rotherham, and at the Medomsley detention centre in Durham.

Another 12 investigations will be pursued during the inquiry. Most of these 25 investigations will lead to public hearings.

Gabrielle Shaw, chief executive officer for the National Association for People Abused in Childhood, said: “We have lifted the lid on a hidden problem, now survivors are coming forward in large numbers. These people were failed by institutions in childhood. They deserve to be heard now. Why were signs of child abuse ignored, unrecognised or unreported? The insight survivors have is vital in shaping how our institutions protect children in future.”

On Thursday, the Goddard inquiry opened new offices in Manchester as part of its nationwide “truth project”, which invites victims of abuse to give detailed testimony of their experiences. In many cases these experiences have stayed unspoken about for decades.

Two thousand victims have already contacted the inquiry to give details about experiences of child sexual abuse, and about 600 have already indicated that they would give their full testimony to the truth project.

In Australia where a royal commission into child abuse is being held, the numbers of people who have come forward has surpassed predictions. Bailey said that the same would be true of the Goddard hearings.

Referrals to Bailey’s team on Operation Hydrant stem from allegations made by victims contacting the inquiry and through the investigations being carried out by the inquiry team.

“These referrals are allegations which are new to the police,” said Bailey. “Where there are criminal investigations they will be passed to the relevant police force. What we are seeing is that the face of crime has fundamentally changed and it means we have had to move our resources to crimes against the vulnerable [and concerning] child abuse, adult abuse and rape.”

The huge increase in reports of child abuse to the police – a rise of 80% between 2012 and 2015 – was continuing, Bailey added. Police forces across England and Wales investigated 70,000 cases of child sexual abuse last year and 25% of the investigations were into non-recent abuse.

The chief constable said that the rise in investigations was due not just to increased reporting but to more children being abused, with the internet acting as a facilitator for paedophiles to contact children. He has commissioned research in an attempt to establish whether this is correct.

The enormous draw on police resources of these investigations comes as a severe spending squeeze on police budgets continues.

Last week Alison Saunders, the director of public prosecutions, issued new guidance to remind police that her lawyers would not make charging decisions in relation to dead perpetrators, implying that police were not aware of the ruling that the dead could not be charged with criminal offences.

Bailey defended the police from criticism. “It is vital that the police investigate allegations of child sexual abuse thoroughly and proportionately, whether the alleged crimes took place last week or many years ago,” he said. “Victims who report abuse by someone who is now dead have the same expectation that their allegations will be taken seriously and that they will have recourse to justice. 

Police also need to determine whether the alleged offender may have worked with others who are still alive and could pose a risk today.”

He added that age was no bar to people committing child abuse, citing examples of cases in which men in their 90s were under investigation for abuse.

This week, Theresa May, the home secretary, spoke out against those who said police should only concentrate on current crimes. “Perpetrators must never be allowed to think that their horrific acts will go overlooked or go unpunished … Victims and survivors … deserve to be heard now, just as they should have been years ago, and they deserve justice, just as they did then,” she said.

Source The Guardian

Home Office to look at costs of historic Durham sex abuse inquiry as bill reaches £2m

• 08:30, 3 Mar 2016
• By Jonathan Walker

Ministers will consider whether Durham Constabulary needs help with the costs of Operation Seabrook following requests from MP

Kevan Jones MP

Police Minister Mike Penning has promised to consider calls for more funding for Durham Police’s long-running investigation into Britain’s biggest historic sex abuse case.

He said he would look at whether the force, which is already attempting to cope with funding cuts, should receive help with the £2m cost of Operation Seabrook.

It came after a request by North Durham’s Labour MP Kevan Jones in the House of Commons.

Operation Seabrook is an attempt to establish what happened at Medomsley Detention Centre, near Consett, in the 1960s, 70s and 80s.

The aim is to bring any surviving offenders to justice and make sure victims get the help and support they needed.

More than more than 1,240 former inmates at Medomsley Detention Centre have now come forward to report being physically or sexually abused while being held at the facility.

The scale and complexity of the investigation meant the force bought in a team of experienced retired detectives.

Mr Jones said there should be a central pot of funding to help forces such as Durham Constabulary which are dealing with historic abuse cases.

 

 He said: “Durham faces a £2m-plus bill for Operation Seabrook. Is it right that such a complex investigation, which is clearly needed, should fall on Durham?

“Should there not be a central pot to refund it for such operations?”

Mr Penning, the Home Office Minister responsible for policing, said he raised “an important point”, adding: “Some forces have much larger percentage costs for historical cases and they have an opportunity to apply to the Home Office for assistance.

“It is right and proper that the investigations are done by the forces. Some investigations were not done correctly early on, which is even more reason why we should address them.

“I know about the inquiry referred to by [Mr Jones] and I am more than happy to look into it.”

But Mr Penning and Mr Jones clashed over cuts in funding for Durham Police - which the Government admits has led to 648 police officer jobs being axed.

George Osborne, the Chancellor, announced in his Spending Review last year that there would be no further cuts to police funding. However, this does not mean budgets have been increased to make up for cuts imposed between 2010 and 2015.

Mr Penning insisted Durham Police was more effective than ever.

He insisted: “It has done fantastically well. It has even done really well in the latest independent reports on police effectiveness, efficiency and legitimacy.

“It has been rated outstanding on nine of the 12 points, good on another two, and the other one, which relates to a serious error on stop and search and the use of a Taser, requires improvement.

“The force has done all that with a reduced workforce and a higher percentage of officers on the front line. It has experienced a substantial reduction in numbers, from 1,705 to 1,057, but it has massively reduced crime, including during this year.”

Mr Jones said that police officers and the Police and Crime Commissioner, Labour politician Ron Hogg, had coped as best they could but this did not make up for lack of funding.

And he highlighted the Government’s review of police funding which had to be delayed after Ministers admitted last year they had got some of the calculations wrong.

Mr Jones said: “The police community, local politicians and police and crime commissioners have lost all faith that the Home Office can conduct this review properly and fairly.”

The MP said he backed calls from the Commons Home Affairs Committee for a panel of accountants to take the review over.

Source

Medomsley Detention Centre – Barriers to Justice

by David Greenwood


I have been involved with holding the Home Office and the Ministry of Justice to account for the abuse of boys in the Medomsley Detention Centre since 2003 when a courageous man called Kevin Young asked me to look into his complaints of brutally violent sexual abuse by a Senior Prison Officer, when he was aged 17 and detained at Medomsley Detention Centre.

Kevin had “locked the memory of the sexual abuse at Medomsley in a metaphorical box” in his head and had managed to get through life successfully until 1999 when he had a chance encounter with his abuser, Neville Husband in the streets of York. This triggered Kevin’s memories of the abuse. The lid had well and truly come off his box of memories and he was unable to replace it. At that time he was in contact with the police regarding the abuse at another institution near Tadcaster and so asked the police to look into Neville Husband’s activities at Medomsley. A police investigation began which resulted in Husband’s first conviction in 2003.

I have named Kevin here as he has been willing to disclosure his identity from an early stage. In different ways I could be speaking about many other men who have been abused and psychologically tormented by the memories of abuse at Medomsley. As if it was not enough that boys entering Medomsley from the 60’s to the 80’s had to endure heavily physical abuse, we now know that 100’s and possibly 1000’s have been sexually abused whilst detained at Medomsley. Their treatment amounts to torture and is an issue which I have reported to the United Nations Committee on Torture which is currently in the process of examining the UK’s record on torture.

The general public in the UK maybe under the impression that reporting this type of crime and achieving Justice both in the Criminal Courts and the Civil Courts is relatively straight forward. You would assume that the police are on the side of victims of abuse and will readily treat them fairly and pursue allegations against alleged abusers. We now know that until recently the criminal justice system has proved either unwilling or unable to provide the kind of justice we would expect.

I have heard many counts of boys leaving Medomsley and tried to complain to the police in Durham or Newcastle at their local Police Stations, only to be told that the police refused to take their complaints or carry out any kind of investigation. This is an issue which Operation Seabrook is currently looking into.

Whilst the conviction of Husband in 2003 was to be welcomed, the depth of the investigation has to be criticised. These were extremely serious allegations of multiple abusers operating in a small detention centre with a large group of boys. The psychological effects of the local population have been immense and for the police to have failed until recently to carry out a thorough investigation suggests and unwillingness to confront the very real fear that the sexual abuse of boys at Medomsley Detention Centre was carried out and subsequently covered up in an organised way.

So we know that the police have put hurdles in the way of boys trying to complain about abuse at Medomsley. We also know from Kevin Young’s experience and having to take his case right through to the House of Lords with me in 2008 and that the Civil Justice System has operated against child sexual abuse complainants by attempting to impose time limits (which in my view are entirely unfair, given the subject matter and psychological effects this abuse has had on the victim).

We also know that even after the original criminal trial and the civil trail and the weight of evidence which emerged in the early 2000’s no-one at the Home Office thought it would be a good idea carry out a review of what had happened at Medomsley. The treatment of young offenders at Medomsley was shocking on many levels and was likely at some point to be explosive for Home Officer Ministers and the Prison Service. If it hasn’t already caused serious embarrassment to the Ministry of Justice, the Prison Service, Prison Officers association and Civil Servants, a light that will be shone on Medomsley by the Goddard Inquiry.

So we have seen various legal obstacles in the way of boys complaining about abuse at Medomsley but the overwhelming and most difficult obstacle for men who were abused at Medomsley is the feeling of shame and guilt which is generated by the sexual abuse itself. Psychologists tell us that most survivors of childhood sexual abuse don’t talk about their experience and those who do may be put off coming forward if they encounter the slightest sense that they not believed or supported.

All of these factors mean that although Durham Constabulary have announced recently that approximately 1,200 men who were at Medomsley have spoken to them, there are likely to be thousands more out there who have either locked their memories in a box like Kevin Young or who struggle day to say with the psychological fallout from their appalling treatment.

The Operation Seabrook is an opportunity for the police in the criminal justice system to demonstrate how well it can deal with survivors but we also need the Goddard Enquiry to explain to the nation how institutions who are entrusted with the care of vulnerable boys treated them so badly that they became a lost generation. We need to learn the lessons of the past so that we can better shape the future of these institutions. We also need to plough substantial sums of money into effective counselling and therapy.

David Greenwood. Solicitor

Inquiry failed us say abuse victims after police rule out action over "brutal, horrible" approved school

A POLICE chief is urging alleged abuse victims from a former approved school to contact him directly after some claimed their complaints were being “swept under the carpet”.

The Northern Echo revealed earlier this year that police were looking into complaints from three individuals over their treatment while pupils at Stanhope Castle school, in County Durham, between the late 1950s and early 1970s.
Following publicity surrounding the case, a number of other people came forward also alleging physical and sexual assaults.

Durham Police say no further action is to be taken in respect of those complaints, although one line of enquiry into a reported incident remains active.

But angry former pupils say the true scale of the abuse is not being made known and claim police failed to properly investigate.

One of Durham Police’s most senior officers, Detective Superintendent Paul Goundry, head of its safeguarding team, has taken the unusual step of asking anyone unhappy to get in touch with him, while acknowledging the challenging nature of investigating historic abuse from decades ago.

A former pupil, who was told his case has now been closed, told The Northern Echo that he first went to Durham Police in 1999, only to be told years later his files had been lost.

He said 20 ex-pupils living in the region, who have formed a group, recently lodged complaints.

The 67-year-old, who lives in Middlesbrough and claims he was repeatedly raped while at Stanhope, said: “People don’t realise what went on there. This has affected me all through my life.

“I named five people and have been told two are dead and there is three they can’t trace. They were four members of staff and one former pupil.

“This can’t be shut down as long as people are still alive and they haven’t been investigated. I want all this out in the open before I die.”

Another man said he attended Stanhope in the mid 1970s and described it as an “evil, brutal, horrible place”.

He claimed he was tortured, stripped naked and locked in a room without heating or light for up to four days a time.

He said: “I am not satisfied with the recent investigation. Every time I report this, it is always swept under the carpet.”

Responding to the criticism, Det Supt Goundry said: “As a force we are committed to fully investigate every report of historic sexual abuse, as is evident in the Medomsley inquiry [concerning the former detention centre near Consett], where we are working with more than 1,250 victims.

“We will also investigate reports of historic physical assaults, but there are clear thresholds that have to be met to be made before any charge can be made.

“The police in co-operation with the Crown Prosecution Service need to consider each allegation on an individual basis, including the opportunities to gather evidence for an offence that took place decades ago.

“I urge any victim of an assault who is unhappy with Durham Constabulary’s service regarding their investigation to email me directly via paul.goundry@durham.pnn.police.uk.

“This will enable me to make a decision on the most appropriate course of action.”

A spokesman for Durham Police said: “The initial three reports have been thoroughly investigated and all the complainants have been informed there is no further police action.

“This has also been the case with all of the subsequent allegations, except for one investigation into an alleged sexual assault which remains open and we are in regular contact with that complainant.”

 

Stanhope Castle, a grade II listed castle which was built in the late 18th century, became the location for a Home Office approved school during the Second World War.

It was later taken over by Cleveland County Council’s social services department in the early 1970s and turned into a children’s home, but closed in 1981 after becoming under occupied.

Source 


John McCabe (1041124) 7:37pm Mon 4 Jan 16

I can't comment with regards to Durham's investigation at Stanhope Castle Approved School.

What I can say to any;
"Unhappy Victims" Wording is no doubt a understatement !

My name is John McCabe, I am a Victim from The Medomsley Detention Centre.

I'm presently involved in Durham's Opertation SeaBrook Investigation.

http://www.thenorthernecho.co.uk/news/crime/10964532.My_months_of_horror_at_Medomsley_Detention_Centre_at_the_hands_of_sexual_predator_Neville_Husband/?ref=arc

I can not comment with reference to Operation SeaBrook, as it is still ongoing.

What I can say without doubt'
DS Paul Goundry is a man of his word.
DC Paul Goundry, over the past 3 years has shown the utmost respect to all victims of Medomsley" And he will go beyond the call of duty' to meet all victims personally at anytime and a location which is within the boundaries of any victims comfort zone.

I would support DC Paul Goundry's plea !
To any victims from Stanhope Castle Approved School"
If you have any issues" Please contact him.


paul.goundry@durham
pnn.police.uk

Operation Seabrook - Medomsley Detention Centre

07/12/2015 

Operation Seabrook’ is the criminal investigation into allegations of sexual and physical abuse perpetrated by staff against detainees at Medomsley Detention Centre near Consett, County Durham.

It was launched in August 2013 and is investigating incidents which happened over many years, principally the 1970's and 1980's. 

The three main aims of the investigation are to ensure support is provided for victims so they are in a better place after contacting the Seabrook team; to gain the fullest understanding of how Medomsley operated during those years and to secure evidence so that any potential offenders are brought to justice.

The 'Seabrook' team has now heard from more than 1,250 former inmates at Medomsley who have reported they were abused while detained at the centre.

All of the surviving main suspects have been identified, interviewed and prosecution files submitted to the CPS for advice.  This advice will then identify those individuals who are likely to be charged and also which victims are likely to give evidence.


At this stage it is not anticipated any criminal charges would be brought before 2016.

The Senior Investigating Officer (SIO) for Seabrook is Det Supt Paul Goundry, with Det Chief Insp Brad Howe as the deputy SIO and Marian Garland as victim co-ordinator.

Anyone needing to make contact with them in writing can email  operation.seabrook@durham.pnn.police.uk

Important - If you are a victim and your contact details have changed, for example, you have moved house or have a new phone number then please email the Seabrook team or call them via 101 so they can update their records.

Det Supt Goundry said: "We realised from an early stage this was going to be a complex and lengthy investigation and I appreciate we are now in the third year of our work.

"I would stress to all those we have spoken to and all those who have contacted us that we and CPS are working as hard as we can to carry out the necessary actions."

Durham Constabulary continues to work with various organisations to provide the best possible support for victims. Access to support is available without the need to contact the police for those who feel unable to do so.

Independent Psychotherapist Zoe Lodrick

The following organisations can be contacted independently of the police for support .

NSPCC FREEPHONE HELPLINE (24 hrs):
National Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children                                                              0808 800 5000
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 all landlines and mobile networks 0808 801 0331.
Calls do not show on your bill; lines are open 10am to 9pm Monday - Thursday, and 10am to 6pm on Friday. NAPAC is unable to take messages or ring back. 

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. 

 

 

Alleged abuse victims 'failed' by Durham Police

4 January 2016 at 10:10am

A police chief has urged alleged abuse victims from a former approved school to contact him directly after some former pupils have claimed their complaints were being “swept under the carpet”.

Police were looking into complaints from three individuals over their treatment while pupils at Stanhope Castle school, in County Durham, between the late 1950s and early 1970s.

Following publicity surrounding the case, a number of other people came forward also alleging physical and sexual assaults.

Durham Police say no further action is to be taken in respect of those complaints, although one line of enquiry into a reported incident remains active.

But the angry former pupils say the true scale of the abuse is not being made known and claim police failed to properly investigate.

One former pupil, who was told his case has now been closed, said that he first went to Durham Police in 1999, only to be told years later his files had been lost.

He said 20 ex-pupils living in the region, who have formed a group, recently lodged complaints.

The 67-year-old, who lives in Middlesbrough and claims he was repeatedly raped while at Stanhope, said:

“People don’t realise what went on there. This has affected me all through my life. I named five people and have been told two are dead and there are three they can’t trace. They were four members of staff and one former pupil.

This can’t be shut down as long as people are still alive and they haven’t been investigated. I want all this out in the open before I die.”

Another man said he attended Stanhope in the mid 1970s and described it as an “evil, brutal, horrible place”.
He claimed he was tortured, stripped naked and locked in a room without heating or light for up to four days at a time.

He said: “I am not satisfied with the recent investigation. Every time I report this, it is always swept under the carpet.”

Detective Superintendent Paul Goundry, head of Durham Police's safeguarding team, has taken the unusual step of asking anyone unhappy to get in touch with him, while acknowledging the challenging nature of investigating historic abuse from decades ago.

“As a force we are committed to fully investigate every report of historic sexual abuse, as is evident in the Medomsley inquiry [concerning the former detention centre near Consett], where we are working with more than 1,250 victims. We will also investigate reports of historic physical assaults, but there are clear thresholds that have to be met to be made before any charge can be made. The police in co-operation with the Crown Prosecution Service need to consider each allegation on an individual basis, including the opportunities to gather evidence for an offence that took place decades ago. I urge any victim of an assault who is unhappy with Durham Constabulary’s service regarding their investigation to email me directly via paul.goundry@durham.pnn.police.uk. This will enable me to make a decision on the most appropriate course of action.”

– Det Supt Goundry, Durham Police

Stanhope Castle, a grade II listed castle which was built in the late 18th century, became the location for a Home Office approved school during the Second World War.

It was later taken over by Cleveland County Council’s social services department in the early 1970s and turned into a children’s home, but closed in 1981 after becoming under occupied.

Last updated Mon 4 Jan 2016

 

Source