Thursday 24 June 2010

Ground - Hog Blog.



Last Tuesday 22nd of June 2010 Home Affairs Minster Senator Ian Le Marquand said it was like Ground- Hog day because he was facing more questions surrounding the (illegal?) suspension of our most Senior Police Officer.

This is yet another “unfortunate” action by our Home Affairs Minister. The reason he keeps getting asked questions is because people are looking for the truth and he just won’t give it to them. Not least Graham Power himself, as well as his family deserve some kind of closure after his reputation and career has been wrecked by the likes of Ian Le Marquand and his ilk. To be-grudge answering a few questions once a fortnight after what has been done to Graham Power, and the whole Historic Abuse team prior to the Warcup Era is nothing short of arrogance and total dis-regard for the harm caused to those by this government, including the Abuse Survivors, or that should be ESPECIALLY the Abuse Survivors.

Ian Le Marquand appears to have adopted the name “The Bungling Minister” perhaps because of his regular gaffs. Such as “Ground-Hog Day” as well as putting a photo on all States Members seats of a Coconut lampshade as though it was some kind of scientific evidence! Not to mention the S(c)andal Sketch, and being ripped apart, in my opinion by Dr Timothy Brain during the Suspension Review Hearings I could go on.

One can’t help thinking that he really isn’t that incompetent and that much of a liability to the Powers that be and that maybe he is having flashbacks from the sixties when his glass of milk was spiked with a magic mushroom. Hopefully that is the case and he will soon return to his senses, because this flashback has been going on for quite some time and is costing very highly respected and dedicated professional Policemen nothing but hardship. Not only that - it is costing the tax payer millions on reports that should never have been commissioned in the first place.

Which brings me nicely onto the real subject of this Blog. And whilst I’m at it would like to inform Senator Le Marquand, if he reads this Blog, that there are plenty more “Ground- Hog Blogs” to come and the truth will out!

Operation Haven.

Operation Haven is the code name for the Wiltshire Investigation into the Historic Child Abuse enquiry under the watch of CPO Graham Power QPM. Haven commenced on Monday 1st December 2008.The terms of reference, we are led to believe, and stand to be corrected, were to compare Chief Officer Graham Power’s performance with ACPO/NPIA guidelines.(Association of Chief Police officers and the National Police Improvement Agency).We are told that Graham Power immediately identified a problem with these terms of reference in that none of the guidelines referred to had ever been adopted by Jersey, and indeed, the local political culture was opposed to the adoption of UK policing guidelines wherever possible. The above guidelines are often referred to as "UK" guidelines, when in fact they are more accurately "English and Welsh" guidelines with some variations in Northern Ireland and no direct application at all in Scotland. Nevertheless the decision was taken by the Home Affairs Minister Ian Le Marquand and Wiltshire to carry on regardless!

The hard information we have in relation to the costs of Operation Rectangle (HDLG Investigation) was given in a written answer to Deputy Bob “The Guvn’r” Hill this week. The total cost of the wilts investigation and the suspension was given as £1,069,776 up to the end of May. There will of course be even more costs since that date and the cost of the investigation of the suspension by Brian Napier QC is not included in that. Curiously the Home Affairs minister declined to give the costs of legal advice and representation by the Law Officers. He said that the law Officers did not bill departments for their work. This is true but he is nevertheless dodging that cost which is likely to be substantial!

Those of us who have read the judicial review hearings will know that ILM applied to the Court for Graham Power to pay the bl--dy Minister’s costs!! The court refused, not on the basis that there were no cost, everyone agreed that there were, but on the basis that the case had resolved issues which were in the public interest (best see the judgement in full for this but it was about the application of human rights law in such cases and the strong comments of the court regarding the conduct of the original suspension invoked by former Home Affairs Minister Andrew Lewis. One might read this between the lines as the court saying that ministers had brought this upon themselves and should therefore pay their own bl--dy bills.)

In early 2009 ILM made a number of statements to the effect that he expected to have the Wilts report around March (March 2009 that is) and was able to narrowly defeat a proposition by Constable Simon Crowcroft to have a quick review before any more money was spent. In March 2009 the Chief Constable of Wiltshire, Brian Moore, wrote to the relevant parties with a revised timetable. He said that the evidence gathering phase should be completed by 31st March 2009 and that the report writing phase would be completed in June 2009. None of these deadlines were met and in subsequent correspondence Mr Moore shifts the deadlines further towards the end of 2009.

At the end of October 2009 Wilts deliver an incomplete draft report. In February 2010 Wilts deliver a supplement to their draft report and state that the report is now complete. By this time the Chief officer has already told the Minister that he is willing to postpone his retirement no longer and come what may will retire in July 2010 when he will be over three years past his official retirement date.

Accounts of the size of the Wilts report vary. It has been said to be over 2 dozen large lever files or alternatively, large enough to fill two filing cabinets. From what we have been told nobody argues that it is a substantial document. And is only the beginning of the disciplinary process.!!! Under the Chief Officers Disciplinary code the wilts report is a "preliminary report." It then has to be read (several weeks work would be needed to do this properly) and legal advice taken. The Deputy Chief Executive to the States (John Richardson) then needs to report to ILM advising him what he should do about it! Unless he wishes to abandon the matter at that stage - then the next step is to call a meeting under the code and discuss whether a disciplinary hearing is needed. If it is - then a hearing has to be arranged with full disclosure of evidence, witnesses, and cross-examination. If the Chief Officer (Graham Power) is not content with the outcome then he can appeal to an independent tribunal chaired by ACAS where the process is repeated. If it is still proposed that he be dismissed then the matter must go for full debate before the States. So far, to the best of our knowledge, no meeting has occurred in relation to the Haven (HDLG) Wiltshire Investigation. It follows therefore that after over one and a half years the disciplinary process, started in November 2008, has barely started let alone finished!!! As the Chief Officer will no longer be subject to the Code when he retires it now looks as if the whole process is about to be abandoned, well there’s a surprise (dismissal be stealth).

However, running alongside all of this is "Haven 2" which relates to the matter which ILM has called "Operation Blast." ILM announced this investigation in the States on 16th June 2009 and said that he would ask Wiltshire Police to conduct enquiries on his behalf. However, for some reason he was slow to act on this commitment, (not trying to drag it out is he?) and the Wiltshire enquiry didn’t even get started until 1st September 2009!! The Chief Constable of Wiltshire said that he would complete the enquiry in "three to four months." In fact his report was delivered to the Minister in May 2010 That is EIGHT MONTHS or twice as long. It is understood that the report has been studied and that the Deputy Chief Executive has prepared a summary but that no further action has been taken under the code, nor is any likely to be given the imminent retirement of Graham Power.

So the way it looks is Graham Power never was going to face any disciplinary action, Wiltshire’s Investigation into the Investigation has taken longer and will be more expensive than the original investigation. Millions of pounds spent, needlessly on Wiltshire, and all for nothing. Well that is, there never was going to be any disciplinary charges brought against Graham Power, but the Wiltshire Investigation enabled the process to be dragged out long enough for Graham Power to retire, so it did serve its purpose!

One may ask why was it necessary to suspend Graham Power a second time over Operation Blast? One may also ask what risk assessment was carried out before asking Wilts Police to conduct another review when it had been so tardy with its first investigation? One may ask what independent advice did ILM take before entering into another costly suspension and investigation based on yet another report from Acting Chief Officer Warcup. Who it can hardly be said is not heavily conflicted. This decision has cost the tax payer over £262,000. Whilst talking about money one should recall that the Acting Chief Officer’s lack of judgement incurred over £200,000 cost in pursuing a pointless internal discipline case after being advised by the Attorney General that there was insufficient evidence to pursue a criminal trial.

Furthermore, one has to ask - Who the bl--dy hell are Wiltshire to sit in judgement of anybody else’s investigation when they themselves have missed so many deadlines, have cost the Jersey tax payer over a million quid just for there to be no disciplinary action brought?

Submitted by VFC.

28 comments:

  1. Operation Rectangle? Operation Haven?

    I'm still waiting for the Operation Blast business to be cleared up.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Re; "I'm still waiting for the Operation Blast business to be cleared up."

    Take it from me, Operation Blast will never be "cleared up" just the same as every other "operation" ILM has got on the go!

    ReplyDelete
  3. Operation 'Shaven Haven' more like

    What a joke

    Great post VFC

    ReplyDelete
  4. "Ground Hog Day"???

    Poor old ILM, constantly bombarded with questions about the exact same topic. The God Fearing Gentleman must be beside himself with it all. He should pray!

    Perish the thought of putting up with such insolent and abhorent behaviour from people who ask for simple answers to simple questions? How dare they?

    Constant lies and bullcrap is what we get fed from ILM and his band of cover-up merchants.

    Perhaps now, he has some understanding of the way we bloody well feel.

    "Truth is often hidden...like a shadow...in darkness."

    ReplyDelete
  5. Keep asking 'Big Trev'. Like X Files the truth is out there (somewhere!)

    ReplyDelete
  6. 'I am advised that Ground-Hog day may not be totally correct in this instance. There are two elements to this that you have obviously overlooked and therefore it prevents me from providing ,what you might call. 'an answer'.
    Ground Hogs are in fact squirrels and although they are seen in the day, they are most likely to be seen at dawn and dusk ie they are what is known as crepuscular.As such the term Ground-Hog day has little relevance and your application in this respect, is quite frankly ... wrong.
    Of more pressing issue is the clear fact.. and this has been confirmed to me by the metintrim that I have only just read but made a decision upon previously .. that Ground Hogs hibernate. This immediately negates most of the days to which you refer as they are obviously sleeping.
    Unless you can give me a specific day that relates to this hypothetical 'ground-hog day' that lies outside the hibernation period and is not related to the period approaching dawn and dusk .. then I'm afraid I have no grounds with which to understand you question , let alone answer it.'

    Ian Meerkat

    ReplyDelete
  7. WRITTEN QUESTION TO THE MINISTER FOR HOME AFFAIRS
    BY THE DEPUTY OF ST. MARY
    ANSWER TO BE TABLED ON TUESDAY 22nd JUNE 2010

    Question

    “Can the Minister confirm that the Interim Report of the Metropolitan Police which was received on 10th November 2008 was used in the original suspension of the Chief Officer of the States of Jersey Police by his predecessor, former Deputy Andrew Lewis?”


    Answer

    I can confirm that reference to the said Interim Report was made in the letter dated 10th November 2008 of the now Acting Chief Officer of Police to the Chief Executive to the Council of Ministers. In a section of that letter the Acting Chief Officer of Police accurately set out many of the concerns which had been raised by the Metropolitan Police in relation to the way in which the Historical Abuse Enquiry had been conducted with regard to Haut de la Garenne.

    That letter was forwarded to the then Minister for Home Affairs as an attachment to a letter dated 11th November 2008 from the said Chief Executive to the said Minister and that letter made comments in relation to “the Metropolitan Police report”. Both letters were considered by the said Minister in relation to the original suspension of the Chief Officer of Police but the Minister for Home Affairs did not see the said Interim Report.

    And this was before interviewing lenny harper and andre baker from ACPO and other witnesses so how where they getting a balanced report and checking why certain procedures were followed

    very strange

    rs

    ReplyDelete
  8. Prior to joining the States of Jersey Police, David Warcup was the Deputy Chief
    Constable of Northumbria Police where he served for 32 years. Northumbria Police is
    one of the largest forces in the UK and covers a wide area of the north-east of England
    including Northumberland, Newcastle, Gateshead, Sunderland and North and South
    Tyneside, with an establishment of approximately 4,000 Police Officers and
    2,300 civilian staff. David Warcup joined Northumbria Police as a Constable in July
    1976 and moved through the ranks to become a Sergeant in 1985 and an Inspector in
    1989. In February 1992 he was promoted to the rank of Chief Inspector and worked as
    an area commander at the rank of Superintendent in March 1994. He was promoted to
    Chief Superintendent in 1997 and undertook 2 spells as Acting Assistant Constable in
    1998 and 1999 before taking on the role substantively in 2000. He was promoted to
    Deputy Chief Constable in June 2005.

    During his career David Warcup gained a post-graduate Diploma in Management
    Studies in 1991 and an MBA in 1993. He has also undertaken Advanced Leadership
    Training and he undertook a 6-month Strategic Command Course in 2000. He also
    successfully completed the Windsor Leadership Trust Programme in 2007.

    In addition to his academic achievements, David Warcup has undertaken a range of
    technical/policing training to include National CBRN Gold Command, Firearms Gold
    Command, Critical Incident, Siege Management, Management of Disasters and a
    SCIMITAR (Major Crime Investigation) Course.

    David Warcup has a background in effective change management, and he led a
    revision of the corporate and strategic management processes resulting in the delivery
    of a new strategic management performance framework, integrating business and
    operational activity. He was the Deputy Head of the ACPO Personnel and
    Management Business Area and was the Chair of the Development Board for the first
    Degree in Police Studies. In addition, he was the Director of the Newcastle Gateshead
    Initiative and a Visiting Fellow of Northumbria University, lecturing in Leadership
    and Strategic Management.

    He was awarded the Queen’s Police Medal in the Queen’s Birthday Honours List in
    2008.

    ReplyDelete
  9. Anonymous (David Warcup)

    I am only too pleased to advertise your C.V. for you. I hope it will help to find you a new employer and it is encouraging to know you are looking for a move from the Jersey Police Force. Your Job is now done here. Wherever you end up could you find out if there is any position that would suit an ex-magistrate? I would be happy to put a word in for ILM.

    Rico.

    Unless I have read the answer to Daniel Wimberley's question wrong, it looks like it is fair to say that the MET Interim Report (if it exists) WAS used in the original suspension of Graham Power?

    ReplyDelete
  10. Here's a child molesting cop that Warcup helped to keep his job - sicko Warcup
    Quote:

    Gay police officer to return to job after appeal win
    From the Northern Echo, first published Thursday 22nd Feb 2001.

    A GAY police officer is to return to work after his conviction for molesting a 16-year-old boy in a public toilet was overturned.

    Sergeant David Jewell, 42, was arrested and charged with the sex attack on the teenager in Doncaster last year.

    But the Court of Appeal has thrown out the conviction because of a flaw in the trial judge's summary of the case to the jury.

    Sgt Jewell, from Newcastle, has asked to be reinstated to his £28,000-a-year job because his name is now clear. At a hearing before Northumbria's Chief Constable last week, Sgt Jewell was told he would be taken back on.

    A force spokesman said: "He was convicted of a serious criminal offence and dismissed accordingly. However, once the conviction was overturned it is his right to be reinstated."

    Sgt Jewell, who has previously complained to police after posters accusing him of being a paedophile appeared near his home, said: "The past two years have been the most difficult of my life. This ordeal has made me stronger and more prepared for any homophobic abuse I might get. The judge said I had been ill-advised in being open with the jury about my sexuality.

    "He was effectively saying that once the jury knew I was gay, it was as good as saying I was guilty."

    Sgt Jewell had served on the force for 24 years and been awarded two bravery commendations.

    His reputation was destroyed when he was accused of trying to molest the teenager in a shopping centre.

    He denied the charge at Doncaster Crown Court, but was convicted of indecent assault and became the first Northumbria officer to be placed on the Sex Offenders' Register
    http://archive.thenorthernecho.co.uk/2001/2/22/178363.html



    see also
    http://www.policeabuseofpower.co.uk/43404.html
    and
    http://www.policeabuseofpower.co.uk/5725.html
    Quote:

    http://www.policeabuseofpower.co.uk/1154/index.html
    Naturally I was most unhappy that Mr. Oliver gave no assurances that fines would be collected - and that felons would pay the penalties of their crimes, so I immediately elected to take an official appeal to the Northumbria Police Authority (NPA) at the Gateshead Civic Centre. After lodging my appeal I was called to see Gateshead Supt. David Warcup on 5th August 1994 - he became most hostile when I expressed my fears regarding uncollected fines, he uttered words to the effect that I was the only one showing concern on this matter.


    Six days after seeing Supt Warcup I received a letter from Force Headquarters saying I had to take a medical, as a one had been arranged for me, this had been arranged without my knowledge or consent…….at that time adrenaline was flowing freely and I could not have felt fitter. It was blatantly obvious their plan was to “pension-me-off” at all costs. I tried to find out who was responsible for arranging this medical but my efforts were in vain, but I feel confident of pointing the accusing finger at Supt. David Warcup.

    ReplyDelete
  11. The Police force with a £320 million budget but no crime!
    Nigel Green, 7 July 2008
    NORTHUMBRIA Police is one of Britain’s biggest and busiest forces. It employs more than 4,000 officers and has a budget of around £320 million a year. Of that, more than £1 million is spent on its PR department. However, as a freelance journalist based in Northumberland, I am frequently amazed at how peaceful the area is – or at least if you believe the force’s press office. Despite the force now paying to staff its press office on Saturdays and Sundays, there are whole weekends when not one crime is released to the media.

    It would be easy to argue that, as a journalist, I only believe in the police being more open because it will help me to do my job. Yes, that’s true.

    But there is a more fundamental principle here and that is the age-old tradition of the police using the media to warn the public about what is going on – and to help them catch criminals.

    For the last decade, I have campaigned for Northumbria Police to be more open with the public – i.e. the people who pay their wages.

    I have collected hundreds of examples of serious crimes that have either not been released to the media or have been released weeks or even months later.

    These include rapes, armed robberies and other horrendous attacks that have been kept hidden from the public.

    After having a number of meetings with the Chief Constable Michael Craik over the years, I have been repeatedly promised the service would improve.

    And yes, the budget for the press office, has been boosted – growing from £620,000 two years ago to the £1 million it now consumes.

    There has also been a big increase in the number of stories about how senior officers are cutting crime figures.

    Indeed, every time there is a horrific crime – such as a murder or a knife attack – the PR machine kicks into life with a quote from a senior officer stressing how “rare” such crimes are.

    As well as stretching credibility, some of these statements are appallingly insensitive.
    One chief inspector recently went as far as describing a double murder as an “isolated incident”.

    In fact, it would appear they are cutting them so dramatically that one recent weekend saw not one crime worthy of being given out by Northumbria….
    Not one incident from Friday afternoon to Monday morning that was worth putting on the tape-recorded telephone “voice-bank” which journalists now have to rely on for their information.

    However, through an application under the Freedom of Information Act, I discovered there had been more than 4,800 incidents that weekend, including 161 serious crimes.
    So why may you ask were none of these released to the public?

    A good question – and one I’ve been trying to have answered for nearly 10 years now.

    Cont:

    ReplyDelete
  12. Part 2:
    In the past, I have taken the liberty of occasionally writing to or telephoning the senior officer concerned.

    There then usually followed a reasonable and well-mannered debate in which they would either quote particular “operational reasons” or admit there was no good reason why the public had not been warned.

    But now, following the publication of a series of articles in The Guardian, The Times, Press Gazette and other publications, I have been banned from even daring to ask such questions.

    In a letter, Deputy Chief Constable David Warcup claims crimes are not released for “operational reasons” and the force does not have to “justify” such decisions.
    Needless to say, my correspondence on the issue now goes unanswered.

    As a journalist with more than 23 years’ experience – most of it spent specialising in crime – I appreciate there are times when crimes might have to be held back for genuine “operational reasons”.

    But there is no way they have to be held back in such huge numbers.
    No, the simple truth is that the £1 million spent on Northumbria’s press office is more interested in promoting the image of the force’s senior officers.

    My contacts tell me that, as part of that strategy, they have to reduce the “fear of crime” and, if that means telling the public less, then so be it.

    Mr Warcup recently defended the force’s expenditure on PR by saying: “Although crime in Northumbria has fallen significantly in the past 10 years, our research shows that the perception of crime has not.

    “We have therefore invested a significant amount in services which aim to make sure people have a better understanding of crime in their region.”
    In other words, he is spending more money making sure people believe the crime figures they put out.

    Ironically, since the publication of my comments, I have been contacted by a number of police contacts who agree with my stance.

    Like me, they are not anti-police.

    However, as well as being police officers, they are also members of the public – and taxpayers.

    And, like me, they believe that, in a democracy, the likes of Mr Warcup should have to justify why the public are kept in the dark about what is happening in their area.

    For more information visit: www.nigelgreenmedia.com

    ReplyDelete
  13. http://www.statesassembly.gov.je/documents/propositions/46524-8560-1632010.pdf

    Looks like Warcup gets the job no matter what!

    ReplyDelete
  14. Re; "Looks like Warcup gets the job no matter what!"

    This is where "never underestimate the stupdity of our Oligarchy" comes into play.

    I have no doubt whatsoever that Warcup will achieve the majority of votes in the house and secure a five year contract to become our next Chief of Police.

    So that's at least another 5 years that the Child Abuse scandal is going to remain in the public eye. It's another 5 years of "groundhog" questions and lots more besides.

    It might very well be (although I very much doubt it) that David Warcup is "whiter than white". It may well be that he didn't stab his Superior Officer in the back. It might well be that tooth fairy's do exist. It might well be that he wasn't employed by our government to "put a lid" on the Child Abse Atrocity but there is one very important issue that our powers that be just keep on ignoring.........that's not how it looks!

    The Chief of Police should have the full confidence of the government and more importantly full confidence of the public he/she is supposed to serve.

    David Warcup, rightly or wrongly, in my opinion will never have either, he is "seen" to have dirty hands whether that is justified or not remains to be seen. But as things stand, the most stupid thing our government could do, in my opinion, is to make him Chief Officer..........so that's what they'll do!

    ReplyDelete
  15. Its strange how the 'police' often state that they don't want political interference in operational matters, yet are at the beck and call of their political masters when it suits them to be.
    Poodles on leashes comes to mind.

    Lets hope that when 'rent-a- bent-cop' finishes his term in Jersey he doesn't come back to the UK.

    ReplyDelete
  16. From the school of Weirdcop:

    A police force nominated themselves and won a public relations award for the way they handled a tragedy - of a schoolgirl knocked down and killed by a speeding patrol car.

    The family of Hayley Adamson have reacted with anger that Northumbria Police put themselves forward for the prize after the horrifying smash.

    Hayley, 16, was killed when a speeding patrol car with no blue light or sirens on smashed into her in May 2008.

    Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1260271/Northumbria-Police-win-PR-award-handling-Hayley-Adamson-patrol-car-death.html#ixzz0j7xJQXVn

    Weirdcop was still at the helm in May 2008 wasn't he?

    ReplyDelete
  17. from the school of weirdcop

    Dig a little deaper - alledged sex for favours - Northumberland Police Officer - 43 offences over a period of years weirdcops watch.

    Same Policeman - fined 3 days pay for breaches Data Protection - on weirdcops watch.


    All in the public domain!!!!!!!!

    ReplyDelete
  18. Mr. David Warcup was in the Northumbria Police Force when the case of alleged child abuse against the Rev. Peter Lister (formerly of Morpeth/Stobhill, then Yoxall/Derbyshire, now Bishops Tachbrook/Warwickshire) mysteriously collapsed on the morning of trial at Newcastle Crown Court.

    The R vs. Rev Peter Lister case details (Newcastle Crown Court) are worth a read, a classic example of stopping a child abuse case at the very last minute: inaccurate (or should that be clever?) police work stops the details of alleged child abuse by a vicar from being heard in an open court.

    Perhaps it's a coincidence that the Reverend Peter Lister was the Director of Education, Lichfield Diocese, and in charge of hundreds of schools and youth projects. He has now taken early retirement.

    Two months after Northumbria Police were alerted to the need to investigate Rev Peter Lister, the body of Gladys Hammond was dug up from the graveyard of Yoxall's parish vicar... Another coincidence.

    SOUND FAMILIAR?


    3. Northumbria Police

    "Seventeen police employees are suspended on full pay for allegations including assault, burglary, deception and being drunk and disorderly...

    "Figures obtained by the Chronicle under the Freedom of Information Act revealed Northumbria Police has 12 police officers, a special constable, a community support officer and a civilian member of staff currently suspended on full pay.

    "These include two sergeants accused of assault and PCs accused of dishonesty, attempted burglary and inappropriate behaviour.

    "One PC has been suspended for 25 months - on a salary of £29,029 and in total these suspensions alone have so far cost the force £215,635.

    "The figure is much higher than neighbouring Durham Constabulary where just one officer and one support staff member are suspended on full pay...

    "Deputy Chief Constable David Warcup, who takes the final decision on suspending officers, defended his approach."

    ELLO ELLO, WHAT'S GOING ON ERE THEN?

    ReplyDelete
  19. 5. "OPERATION Rose was one of the country's biggest investigations into historic sexual and physical child abuse.

    "The inquiry was launched in August 1997 when a woman in her 20s disclosed to a social worker that she and a friend had been both sexually and physically abused as children while living in a children's home in the Northumbria Police area.

    "After a meeting between police and social services, an investigation was launched, centring on council-run care homes in the North-East and stemming from initial allegations in Newcastle and Northumberland.

    "Officers manning a confidential telephone line for people who were in care between the mid-1960s and mid-1980s received 23 calls in the first 24 hours, from people complaining of sexual and physical assault.

    "Initial inquiries revealed six victims alleging abuse by eight suspects who had worked in homes across the region going back to the 1960s.

    "As the inquiry continued, the number of alleged victims escalated.

    "In 1998, the inquiry was broadened to include renewed allegations concerning carers working at Witherwack House, Sunderland, which had been subject to an earlier investigation in 1992.
    Over the full three-year life of the police investigation, almost 200 care workers were the subject of allegations and 32 were charged.

    "In total, 260 residents and former residents of 61 children's homes came forward to make allegations of physical and sexual assault.

    "Six people were eventually found guilty of a variety of charges, of which five were jailed."

    ECHO'S OF HDLG PERHAPS?

    ReplyDelete
  20. 4. Northumbria Police

    Operation Rose saw more than 200 people investigated but in the end only six convicted.

    "The £5m inquiry led to 558 claims of assault, rape and other sexual abuse from 277 residents or former residents of 61 care homes.

    "The methods used by Northumbria police have been referred to the Commons home affairs committee, which is studying the handling of hundreds of similar child abuse allegations in care homes.

    "The scale of the north-east inquiry has emerged with the lifting of a legal gag. The two years of reporting restrictions on the trials of 32 north-east care workers and teachers linked to 142 allegations of child abuse, ended on Tuesday with the collapse of the final case in Newcastle crown court."

    OH, THAT'S NOVEL. JUST LIKE JERSEY!

    ReplyDelete
  21. "The forms of punishment employed by the staff at Witherwack House included restraint techniques... I often heard screams of other residents being abused. Indeed I witnessed a rape of a girl who was eight or nine at the time - I tried to intervene but I was beaten senseless for my trouble - it was the best kicking of my life."

    ReplyDelete
  22. 6. "How many masons I wonder were involved in the child abuse cases at Witherwack Estate, Sunderland. Why were masons at the Sunderland Civic Centre trying to hush the whole thing up?"

    ReplyDelete
  23. Hidden Crimes The Guardian Nigel Green.

    One crime reporter who was pleased that Warcup was leaving Northumbria Police.............................

    Nigel Green is a crime reporter from Whitley Bay - now there is someone who could really dish the dirt (or as they say in the North the Muck).

    ReplyDelete
  24. FOR ALL YOUR LOYAL FANS, CHECK OUT witherwackhouse.blogspot.com

    NOW ON TO D.WARCUP. In 1986/87 DCI DAVID WILSON WAS INVESTIGATING OPERATION ROSE. THEN REPLACED BY A 33rd DEGREE MASON CALLED DAVID WARCUP. THE VICTIMS WERE TIPPED OFF BY POLICE THAT SINCE THE WARCUP APPOINTMENT, INFORMATION WAS NOT GETTING THROUGH TO WHERE IT WAS SUPPOSED TO AND THE OPERATION TOOK A DIVE, SOUND FAMILIAR?

    THE ORIGINAL INVESTIGATION WAS THEN INCREASED FROM 5 YRS TO 8 YRS, BUT ALL THESE YEARS LATER, IS STILL ONGOING, UNDER A DIFFERENT NAME WHICH (unfortunately) I AM NOT PRIVY TO, BUT WILL FIND OUT IN THE NEXT 48 HOURS. WILL BE BACK WITH YOU IN 5 MINUTES FOR THE NEXT INSTALLMENT.

    ReplyDelete
  25. DAVID WARCUP, SENT THROUGH FROM THE CPU, (child protection unit) WAS STILL RECEIVING INFORMATION AND LETTING IT DRIFT TO THE OUTER REACHES OF SPACE, BEFORE PASSING IT ON?

    I NEED SOME CLARIFICATION ON A FEW MORE POINTS, BUT THIS ONE IS GOSPEL!

    LAW FIRM, 7 BEDFORD ROW, YES THEM, HAVE A NUMBER OF H.D.L.G VICTIMS ON THEIR BOOKS AND ARE SUING THE STATES OF JERSEY FOR, AND ON THE BEHALF OF THE VICTIMS, WHICH IS GOING TO RESULT IN A PAYMENT AND AN AGREEMENT TO SILENCE. SO I AM RELIABLY INFORMED.

    THIS IS BEING DONE THROUGH (The Association Of Child Abuse Lawyers). I WILL WAGER YOU NEVER HEARD OF THAT LITTLE CREW?

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  26. I have had a comment submitted that names a senior Civil Servant at our Education Department that has allegedly been involved in some heinous acts on children.

    Sorry (and I really am) that I can't publish the comment because of the names involved and I know (to my huge cost) how certain individuals at the Education Department operate and there is no way I stand a chance of getting anything that resembles a fair trial should I knowingly defame any Civil Servant over here.

    But rest assured it's only a matter of time before one of the people named gets their comuppance!

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  27. Dear Voiceforchildern and all, there is a new legal review process for child abuse survivors who have reported a crime but have had an investigation/legal proceedings stopped. The details are here: http://www.cps.gov.uk/victims_witnesses/child_sexual_abuse_review_panel/index.html

    Cases can be referred to the panel by individual complainants directly through a dedicated email address: nationalpanel@acpo.pnn.police.uk - or by complainants bringing their previous complaint back to the attention of police forces or CPS Areas. Police forces and CPS Areas will refer cases to the review panel if they fit the panel criteria set out above.

    Best wishes

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