VFC News Review 2012 Part 2

Part two of VFC News Review 2012 continues with a compilation of news/events published on Blogs (Jersey's only independent media) most of which will not be found on ANY of the island's State Media.

Happy New Year to all our readers/viewers and followers.

Section 1 Former Senator Stuart Syvret on THE BBC

Section 2 Deputy Montfort Tadier on PROPAGANDA

Section 3 Deputy Montfort Tadier on Jersey's SECRET CULTURE

Section 4 Senator Francis Le Gresley on COI into CHILD ABUSE

Section 5 Former SIO Lenny Harper on Jimmy Savile PART ONE

Section 6 Former SIO Lenny Harper on Jimmy Savile PAR TWO

Section 7 Media professional and BBC Editor doesn't know how to deal with a man holding A CAMERA

Section 8 Former Deputy Bob Hill on the MISSING Terms of Reference from CHILD ABUSE INQUIRY

Section 9 BBC Journalist, Sam Smith, produces a "fair" piece on Jersey Child Abuse and shows Home Affairs Minister, Senator Ian Le Marquand, to be way out of HIS DEPTH

Section 10 Leading Jersey Blogger Rico Sorda explains the Plemont vote perfectly as only HE CAN

Section 11 Leading Jersey Blogger Rico Sorda reflects on his year's BLOGGING.

Part one News Review 2012 can be viewed HERE.

VFC News Review 2012 Part 1

Inspired by Channel Television and their "News" Review of 2012  we, at Team Voice, thought we would have a brief reflection over some of the subjects we have covered this past year and have put together (in the video below) a brief, fairly random, selection of the stuff we have on film. Below the video there are links to the Blog Postings featured in the video.

For those who have watched the Channel Television compilation (below) and its various subjects it will come as no surprise as to why the Blogs (Jersey's only independent media) are fast becoming the Fourth Estate on the island and are a crucial source for real "news."

We have reported on the subjects, and asked the questions, the State Media, and their masters, would rather were kept quiet. We have given our "interviewees" an opportunity to speak without fear of being edited to a 30 second soundbite, or fear of being misrepresented, as the State Media are often accused of.

We have covered  many different subjects over the course of the year and interviewed many people, and to the best of our knowledge, ALL interviewees are satisfied that NONE of the interviews have been edited to suit an agenda and ALL interviewees were fairly represented in the published interview.....Can the same be said for the accredited media?

The, fairly random, clips we have chosen for our compilation start from January this year (2012) and reach June. We will publish the rest of the year in part two of the compilation in the next couple of days.

Readers/viewers might like to compare and contrast both video's/compilations and ask which has the more "newsworthy" content for a year's "News" Review?

VFC thank and credit The Right Of Reply Blogsite for CTV's compilation.

CTV News Review 2012 part 1




VFC News Review 2012 Part 1




Section 1 Lenny Harper on STATE MEDIA

Section 2 Does Your Neighbour own a PETROL BOMB?

Section 3 Scrutiny Dictatorial PROTOCOL

Section 4 Daniel Wimberley DEMOCRACY TERRORISTS

Section 5 Ian Evans and JERSEY JUSTICE

Section 6 Jean Neil and The Jersey HOME FOR GIRLS

Sections 7/8 Senators Ferguson and Ozouf on LIME GROVE

Section 9 Deputy Roy Le Herissier on VOTE OF CENSURE/CONFIDENCE

Section 10 Deputy Mike Higgins on who's been TELLING LIES?

Nick Pollard Report.

Now that the Nick Pollard Report has been published it is "business as usual" at the BBC. A few "mistakes" were made, a few people got pushed sideways and Mr Pollard found "No evidence of a cover up." 

Regular readers might recall that back in January 2011 Channel Television (CTV) scooped an AWARD from the Royal Television Society (RTS) for what appeared to be nothing more than a cut and paste job of a Report written by the disgraced Wiltshire Constabulary. The award sparked outrage, condemnation and utter bewilderment among the online community and it was described, by the Chair of the Jersey Care Leavers Association (JCLA) as, "A kick in the teeth" to the Abuse Victims/Survivors. 

The JCLA (and many others) wrote a letter of complaint to the  RTS with their disgust at the decision to award CTV this "prize." The award winning article broadcast by CTV was on the supposed "Expenses Scandal" involving the Jersey Child Abuse Investigation while under the control of former Chief Police Officer Graham Power QPM and Former Senior Investigating Officer DCO Lenny Harper. 

Mr. Harper "ripped apart" (in our opinion) the award winning, or offending, CTV broadcast which we published HERE and we subsequently published the letter of complaint to RTS from the Chairperson of the JCLA HERE.

There were calls for CTV to hand back their award, which evidently fell on deaf ears, but something that the discredited and disgraced BBC had the decency to do over their apparent "faked" Panorama Report HERE.

In the interest of fairness and balance CTV say "Channel Television offered a right of reply to former police chief Graham Power as the man ultimately responsible for the management of the abuse inquiry and included Mr Power’s interview as part of the broadcast report. I am very satisfied that our report was accurate, fair and balanced."(END)

In our opinion, and a great many others, there was no "expenses scandal" and we offer the view that it was no more than a diversionary tactic employed by the State Media to shift focus from the atrocities that occurred for decades in Jersey's State run institutions, including the possibility of murder. It was a tactic designed to discredit the two cops, Former CPO Graham Power QPM and former DCO Lenny Harper, who lifted the lid off of Jersey's dirty secret(s). Although all island State Media were "on message" it was CTV who won the award for their, what has been labelled, "a cut n paste job."

At this point it might be worth remembering the words of Former Chief Police Officer Graham Power QPM who said "The attempts to divert this debate into discussions concerning the trivia of expense claims, is a scandal of which all involved should be thoroughly ashamed." Mr. Power wrote those words when he was describing the allegations the police had received concerning DECADES of Child Abuse would, if proven, amount to STATE SPONSORED PAEDOPHILIA.

Hopefully readers would have now read the links provided so far in this posting and understand why there was/is outrage, confusion and complete bewilderment as to how an award was given to an article that was little more than a cut and paste job that many believe was designed to discredit the police officers who lifted the lid off of Jersey's dirty secrets. Readers might be asking what has any of this got to do with the Pollard Report into the discredited and disgraced BBC where Mr. Pollard found (a la Napier)  "No evidence of a cover up."

Well, it might have absolutely nothing to do with it but for the conspiracy theorists out there by, we are sure, complete coincidence and taken from the discredited and disgraced BBC's own WEBSITE Nick is a Fellow of the Royal Television Society and in 2007 was awarded the RTS’s Lifetime Achievement Award for Television Journalism. He was Chairman of the RTS’s annual Journalism Awards from 2008-2011.

Whether Mr. Pollard was still the Chairman of the of RTS's annual journalism awards when CTV received theirs is unclear but would make for the conspiracy theorists an interesting story if he was. For the self respecting Investigative Journalist it could make for an equally interesting story.

In the absence of any evidence to the contrary we offer this posting  as "food for thought" and possible "coincidence" and in no way impugn the integrity or professionalism of Mr. Pollard or his report.

We will leave the conspiracy theories to the State Media and  continue to follow/publish the "facts and evidence" in order that we maintain our credibility that is so lacking with the "accredited" media.

Speaking of which could we ask that those who haven't yet to sign the petition for banned US Author and Investigative Journalist, Leah McGrath Goodman, to have her visa restored? Please sign and share from HERE as Jersey desperately needs some objective and independent professional journalism from somebody who has no constraints from local editors.

Merry Christmas to all our readers/viewers and thank you for your continued support in helping us spread the word that not all people from Jersey are paedophiles or those who protect them. There are those of us that strive for the truth to be told, strive for a non politicised judicial system, strive for democracy, and strive towards justice and closure for the Victims/Survivors of horrendous abuse at the hands of those employed by the States of Jersey and others that robbed them of their childhood and innocence.

The fight (for truth and justice) continues.

Inside Out Jersey Child Abuse.

Former Deputy Chief Officer and Senior Investigating Officer of Jersey's Child Abuse Investigation, Lenny Harper, has kindly responded to our request and submitted a posting on his thoughts and opinions of last night's "Inside Out" programme featured on BBC TV.

We had also asked Home Affairs Minister, Senator Ian Le Marquand to do the same, in order that we could give our readers/viewers a balanced article. Unfortunately, and characteristically, the Minister ignored our e-mails and after watching his "performance" on the programme one can understand if he feels the need to lie low for a while after being made to look (in our opinion) a complete fool, and inadequate, by journalist Sam Smith.

Fortunately (for them) our politicians are not expected to give an answer to any questions they "might" be asked of them by the local State Media but just look at what happens when Senator Le Marquand IS asked a question and his apparent disregard for the Victims/Survivors of the decades long Child Abuse.

Mr. Harper in his characteristic, no nonsense, style keeps the record, and history books, accurate as he dispels some of the apparent myths peddled in the programme by the Attorney General's Office and others.

Former SIO Lenny Harper.

VFC had asked me to comment on what I saw on the “Inside Out” programme tonight, so I sat down to watch it not knowing what to expect. So many times in the past, the media had promised to tell the truth about what went on in Jersey, and so many times had let the victims, survivors, and all working on their behalf, down. This time I was pleasantly surprised. Within the time constraints of twenty minutes or so, the “Inside Out” team did a pretty good job. Mind you, they had some help in the shape of the hapless Ian Le Marquand.

The aspect of this programme that stood out for me was the testimony of the victims who appeared. Together with Carrie Modral, their courage, determination, and dignity shone through. Despite the trauma this will have re-awakened, and despite the life-long effects suffered, they condemned those who had allowed them to suffer in a manner no one could deny. Watching the programme one could not help but feel anger at those authorities in Jersey who had inflicted such suffering on their own people. Firstly in allowing paedophiles to have unfettered free will in homes that they were supposed to be administering, and then to engage in the crudest and cruellest of cover-ups, not once, but again and again. What brought the qualities of the victims/survivors into stark focus was the contrast with the bumbling, struggling, grasping for words and excuses, Ian Le Marquand. His interview with Sam Smith was a lesson on when people would be better hiding in a TOILET. I doubt if making him look like an out of touch liar will be considered by Sam Smith to be one of her finest journalistic achievements. It was too easy. First he accused her of underplaying the complexity of re-examining the cases where people were not charged, despite myself and others being convinced of the strength of the evidence. “This is more complicated than you are making it” he whined. She demanded to know why.

Stumbling over his words he managed to say, “I don’t think prosecutors will be able to re-visit cases already looked at.”

“Why not?”she said.

“Unless there is new evidence.” However by now he was looking extremely uncomfortable.

Again Smith asked, “Why not?” Then, all over the place and hesitating like a frightened rabbit caught in headlights, he muttered, “Why not? There may be cases where they could do.” And to contradict himself even further, he went on, “In some cases they have.”

As if this was not bad enough, when asked by Smith if these people had not suffered enough he came out with the disgraceful line, accompanied by a smug smile, that “The criminal justice process never moves very fast.”

It certainly doesn’t when people like Ian Le Marquand and others in the Jersey Establishment do everything in their power to stop it from moving at all.

There were other disturbing revelations in the programme also. I knew that I had never had a formal allegation against Jimmy Savile whilst I was in Jersey. Tonight we discovered that “John” had made a formal complaint in 2009 and that the police (presumably Mick Gradwell supervised by David Warcup) had submitted a file to the Attorney General’s office. The AG’s office had ruled there was no further action to be taken. All this without even speaking to Savile. If there was enough to submit a file then surely there was enough to interview the suspect under caution. How did the prosecutors rule no further action without even knowing what the suspect would say to the allegation? John was angry that Saville was not even spoken to. I can understand why.

The Attorney General was asked about the cases which were not proceeded with. He apparently told the BBC that the reasons were made public in 2008 and 2009 and that to the “best of his knowledge” no one had ever challenged the assertions. This is rubbish, and the Attorney General knew it. I had challenged these assertions publicly many times. Indeed, I did it so publicly in one press release and a follow up report that the Attorney General ordered Graham Power to tell me to submit my reasons for criticising his office.

Anyone watching the programme tonight who knew nothing about Jersey would look at the pain and suffering which has blighted the lives of the abuse victims/survivors, and compare their demeanour with that of the man who is supposed to be responsible for the system in place to protect them. They would look at what they were saying, and how they said it, and they would know who is telling the truth. It would be nice to believe that the Committee of Inquiry will be given the teeth and the freedom to get to the truth and bring justice to the people denied it for so long. There is a long way to go yet. The Terms of Reference have been butchered. Important aspects have been left out without an EXPLANATION. Who is to say that the bullies in some section of the government will not intimidate those voting in January to veto the COI altogether? (Although, when you witness the foot stamping in the States when decent members attempt to raise the issue of child abuse, you wonder if it will take much intimidation.) However, there can be no doubt now that the eyes of the outside world are on Jersey and Ian Le Marquand’s pathetic attempt to hide the uncomfortable truth tonight will only ensure this attention intensifies. The blogs of Voice for Children and Rico Sorda will continue to shine the spotlight on the sordid activities of those who have previously only had an acquiescing media to contend with. Now that the UK media has broken the ice, I am sure that others will follow. Let us hope that justice for those so vilely abused is not far away. Lenny Harper(END)

VFC credit the BBC for this recording, which in our opinion, was a "fair" piece considering the very limited time allocated (17 minutes) and could not be expected to do real justice to the full story of what has been described as "the worst cover up in History."

We would also like to echo the sentiments of Mr. Harper and humbly pay tribute to the courage, tenacity and dignity of Carrie Modral and all Abuse Survivors. We thank Former SIO Harper for not deserting the Victims and Survivors (a la Gradwell) of the Jersey Child Abuse atrocities and for making himself available to those of us who wish to report the "facts" involving the Child Abuse Investigation and related matters.

Jersey Child Abuse Committee of Inquiry TOR's

Former Jersey politician and 30 year veteran of the Met Police Bob Hill B.E.M. published a BLOG POSTING with his concerns of some omitted Terms Of Reference (TOR) for the Committee Of Inquiry concerning the decades of Child Abuse that was able to continue in Jersey.

Regular readers/viewers will be aware that former Chief Minister Terry Le Sueur commissioned Ed Marsden, of Verita, to draft suggested TOR's for the Committee of Inquiry which he/they did. In the meantime we had an election which saw Senator Ian Gorst elected as Chief Minister, and for reasons only understood by Senator Gorst, he commissioned Andrew Williamson to review the suggested TOR's of Verita and come up with a revised version.

Subsequently Mr. Williamson produced a 3 page document that was inaccurate, factually incorrect, and offered very little to the debate which was seen by some as a waste of time and taxpayers money.

Chief Minister Gorst then went on to lodge P118/2012 and told us "Verita’s recommendations had been used as the foundation for its TOR's" but as former Deputy Hill pointed out there were at least two TOR's that were omitted by the Chief Minister from the Verita TOR's which are; 

"Determine whether the concerns in 2007 were sufficient to justify the States of Jersey Police setting in train Operation Rectangle."

"Review what actions the government took when concerns came to light in 2008 and what, if any, lessons there are to be learned."

Mr. Hill addresses these omissions on his own BLOG and in the video below. There a few more anomalies that have recently come to light concerning the Chief Ministers suggested TOR's which we will be Blogging about in the coming weeks.

In this in-depth interview with Mr. Hill we discuss, among many other related issues, the, what appears to be, very low profile stance adopted by Chief Police Officer Mike Bowron concerning the alleged abuse committed by Jimmy Savile on the island. Why has there not been a high profile campaign in order to encourage Abuse Victims to come forward, as the MET have adopted with "Operation Yew-tree?" The impression given by Jersey's Deputy Chief Police Officer Barry Taylor,  that the MET police are controlling the States Of Jersey Police is also discussed.

Jersey has a once in a lifetime opportunity, with this Committee of Inquiry into the horrific Child Abuse that was able to be kept under wraps for decades. An ideal opportunity to restore confidence in the Police Force after the damage inflicted on it by Messrs Warcup and Gradwell. An ideal opportunity to show the world at large that the government is NOT willing to leave any stone left unturned to ensure the "failings" of the past can be repeated. An ideal opportunity to show that the culture that has existed up until very recently (and possibly still exists) will no longer be tolerated and that children in Jersey are safe from predatory paedophiles.

The Terms of Reference, submitted by the Council of Ministers/Chief Minister, need to be far reaching and fit for purpose. So far this does not appear to be the case and those of us who want to rid Jersey of its reputation as a paedophile protecting secret jurisdiction ask that the Chief Minister amends his own proposition to include the omitted TOR's of Verita or explain why they have been omitted.

Jersey, and more importantly, the Victims and Survivors of Child Abuse, need to be able to move forward and put this dark period in Jersey's History behind them. Without a full, robust, far reaching and fit for purpose Committee Of Inquiry this will not be possible and the reputation of Jersey, on the world stage, will not recover.

BBC, Children In Need and 99 Red Balloons.

Fellow Blogger TOM GRUCHY accepted an invitation given to its listeners by Jersey's BBC State Radio yesterday to join them in town to celebrate Children In Need.

Thinking it could be an ideal opportunity for the State Media to engage with Bloggers (Jersey's only independent media) and help promote the charity, Children In Need, Tom Gruchy took down his video camera believing the State Media would seize the opportunity perhaps for viewers to donate money or just generally help generate awareness.

The serious issue of Child Protection/Abuse could be highlighted and the BBC could speak out against it.............

This, alas, was not to be.

Tom Gruchy received a very frosty reception, was made to feel most unwelcome by the BBC Team, and in particular by the Managing Editor Jon Gripton.

Mr. Gruchy offered us the film he took and has sent us a few words to go with it.

“Come down and see us in King Street” was the call from BBC Radio Jersey this morning and “speak with us on–air.”

Not an invitation to be missed so we thought and what a golden opportunity to interview the BBC team for our own blog-site.

After all we all share an interest in “Children in Need” and at the present time with so much going wrong for Auntie in the UK and even here in Jersey we should have expected a warm reception.

After one child abuse scandal after another all around the world we should all want to redress the imbalance in our own ways.

Nobody is perfect of course but following the Jimmy Savile revelations which are so much at the heart of the BBC organisation we would have thought that “child abuse” was a matter needing a much more informed discussion.

Thus we take the view that if the needs of children had been subjected to much more investigative journalism over the past decades then so many could have been spared the agony of mistreatment and abuse.

Having a “fun day” is all very well and we are delighted that so many children and their parents will have participated today but Jon Gripton and his team’s attitude was very disappointing.

No comment has been the official line for far too long alas – and rattling collecting tins rather than the establishment cage lies at the root of the scandal here and around the world….."(END)

It has to be said that the BBC has lost so much trust with the public just recently and one would have thought it would be doing all it could to win back that trust, engage with the online community, send out a message that the BBC are approachable and have nothing to hide......................One would have thought.

The BBC has some serious questions to answer, in light of the Savile allegations and related issues. Not least the suppression of Jersey's Former Police Chief, Graham Power QPM's 62,000 word interim defence case after they reported on the prosecution case against him. Regular readers will know that Mr. Gripton has been in possession of this document since September the 22nd 2011 but he still refuses to publish it or even admit that he's got a copy of it! We all know that he HAS. The BBC has also been sent links to the letter written by David Warcup that led to the (possibly illegal) suspension of Mr. Power, the Met Interim Report, Operation Tuma, the in-camera debate, and more, that have all been leaked to BLOGGERS yet doesn't report on them.

If the BBC is to regain any trust from the public it will need to start taking the issue of Child Abuse seriously. Stop suppressing documents/evidence that could expose alleged abusers and their protectors. Start exposing the culture of concealment that still remains today that allowed Child Abuse to go unpunished for decades in Jersey and elsewhere.

Below are "highlights" of the film taken by Tom Gruchy which makes for uncomfortable viewing yet tragically amusing in places and gives another meaning to the title 99 Red Balloons............Tragic.............So, so tragic.

Mr. Gripton is offered the right of reply should he wish to make contact and arrange an interview.

UnHappy Anniversary (4)

On the 12th of November 2008 Jersey's most Senior Police Officer, Graham Power QPM, was suspended from duty while (because?) his Force were investigating DECADES of institutional child abuse in State run "care" homes in Jersey.

The unprecedented  suspension was carried out, with what appears to be, complete disregard to due process and best practice and saw the end of a highly successful career spanning 42 years.

We Bloggers (Jersey's only independent media) have reported extensively on the Jersey Child Abuse cover-up and related issues exposing the facts that the State Media keep buried in this very dark chapter of Jersey's History.

Speaking of "History" it is said that it (History) is written by the victors which might explain why the State Media don't make mention of this very important date that saw the possibly illegal suspension of Jersey's most Senior Police Officer. It is already being airbrushed out of mainstream media and the Blogs remain the (trusted) source for the documented evidence.

VFC, every year since, has published a Blog Posting, bringing readers attention to, what could be one of the biggest miscarriages of justice (although there is plenty of competition) in Jersey's recent history.

We have asked, this year, for the Former Police Chief to offer us some of his thoughts on this fourth anniversary in order that the history books can be better informed and won't have to rely on the discredited and disgraced "accredited" media for the facts and evidence.

Former Chief Police Officer Graham Power QPM.

"I have been reminded that it is now the fourth anniversary of my suspension from duty and subsequent "dismissal by stealth" from my position as Chief Officer of the States of Jersey Police. Much has happened since that time.   Nevertheless it is encouraging that a wide number of interested parties have continued the fight to obtain justice for the victims of the persistent abuse of vulnerable children which occurred in establishments operated by the Jersey Government. In spite of Establishment efforts to bury the issue it has remained firmly on the political agenda, largely due to the tireless work of a number of individuals committed to searching for the truth and giving the protection of vulnerable children the highest priority. These include the Jersey Citizens Media, a small number of Local Politicians, Investigative Journalists from outside the Island, and the many supporters wordwide who have nothing to gain from their endevours other than the knowledge that they are supporting a just cause. I am aware that much is happening at present and I do not want to distract anyone from their current efforts by re-opening the issues relating to my suspension in any great detail. I would however simply for the record, remind readers what has been established from a number of credible and independent sources and disclosures. Namely, that my suspension was based on falsified documents, fabricated evidence, misleading information provided to States Members and the public by Jersey Ministers, and the testimony of a number of senior individuals who have since been publically discredited.  

The events relating to Jimmy Saville and other revelations have heightened the general awareness of the issue of Historic Child Abuse, and the substantial difficulties which stand in the way of those who attempt to bring abusers to justice.They may also provide a further opportunity to return to the question of whether persons responsible for abuse or for failing to prevent that abuse, remain in positions of authority where they may still constitute a risk to children or the search for justice.  

The "shock and awe" of the suspension was intended to knock the fight out of me and lead to my quiet departure and subsequent silence. Among the many proven failings of those responsible for imposing and maintaining the suspension I think that we can now confidently add a decidedly poor judgement of character and a serious failure to anticipate the likely consequences of their actions. Not exactly the best characteristics for people who claim to be capable of running a government."(END)

We offer an extract from the former Police Chief's sworn AFFIDAVIT and ask how it is that a senior Civil Servant who is a suspect in the Child Abuse Investigation can be offered the protection of the most senior Civil Servant (who was given a £500,000 Golden Handshake) and NOT be suspended from duty, as a neutral act, yet the most senior Police Officer who's force is investigating the abuse and alleged abuser(s) IS suspended and "dismissed by stealth?

From Affidavit.

"19. The third example I have chosen relates to a Strategic Planning Workshop held at the St Pauls Centre on Friday 24th October 2008. The Workshop was attended by a number of senior public servants including myself and the Chief Executive. At the commencement of the workshop the Chief Executive asked for silence and said that he had an announcement to make. He named a senior civil servant who was present. The person named is a suspect in the abuse investigation but has not been suspended. The Chief Executive said that the suspect had his total support and that “if anyone wants to get…….(the suspect)…….they would have to get me first”. This announcement was applauded by some but not all of the persons present. I took it as a further indication of the “in crowd” closing ranks against the “threat” of the abuse enquiry. The Chief Executive later played a significant role in my suspension."(END)

Not withstanding all the shenanigans exposed in Mr. Power's submission (above) readers might be alarmed to know that the Child Abuse suspect mentioned in the affidavit is still in position today with access to children. It might be that he is innocent of any crime but as he has not (Yet) been charged with any offence we may never find out and he must be presumed innocent.

The former Senior Investigating Officer of the Child Abuse Investigation, Lenny Harper, has also told us that he knows of at least four "priority suspects" who are still employed by the States.

Child Abuse suspects still in positions of authority and Police Chief's being dismissed by stealth is not a healthy state of affairs in light of the Savile allegations where he was not brought to justice when the opportunity was there due to people being too scared to speak out. Will we have to wait until abusers are dead before they are exposed? How has Jersey's culture changed since all this abuse was exposed? Who are the ones protected in Jersey, the victims/survivors or the abusers?

We encourage readers to view the links below of the previous three "Unhappy Anniversary's." They are filled with links that together expose, with documented evidence, the ghastly Jersey Administration and culture that STILL exists today.

UnHappy Anniversary one

UnHappy Anniversary two

UnHappy Anniversary three

Jimmy Savile, Haut de la Garenne and the State Media.

Back in February this year (2012) we published a BLOG highlighting a campaign run by Zibby Yates, a courageous survivor of Child Abuse, and taken up by THE GUERNSEY PRESS

Readers might be aware that the Guernsey Press is owned by the same company as Jersey's only "News"paper, the Jersey Evening Post, yet their reporting (or not) on Child Abuse, in our opinion, couldn't be any different. This suggests to us that the agenda of the editors is where the difference lies.

In the Jersey Evening Post we have seen attack, after attack, on the Former Senior Investigating Officer of the Jersey Child Abuse Investigation Mr. Lenny Harper and NO campaigning for the plight of the victims/survivors who suffered at the hands of their abusers for DECADES. This is in stark contrast to their sister paper in Guernsey.

After receiving an e-mail last night with a cutting of the Guernsey Press' latest comment we once more felt that this had to be shared with our readers (below) to highlight the difference in the reporting of both newspapers and how the Guernsey Press, once more, is doing the job its Jersey counterpart SHOULD be doing.


Beasts like Savile don't work alone.Wednesday 31st October 2012, 3:12PM GMT.

"EARLIER this year, a 7,000-plus signature petition was handed to the then-new Home minister as our Voice for Victims campaign to help those who had endured childhood sex abuse came to a successful conclusion.

Since then, there have been other local cases highlighting the scale of the problem – and now there are the daily disclosures about Jimmy Savile, which are, in every sense, off the scale and almost beyond comprehension.

Yet what the unfolding horror illustrates is how these predatory beasts operate, cultivating an acceptable exterior while creating a support network to ensure that their abuse can proliferate undetected. And it happens here.

One of Guernsey’s worst paedophiles is the formerly respected judo teacher Eugene Hughes, who, like Savile, systematically set about destroying the self-confidence of his victims, convincing them that complaint was futile and ensnaring them in the illusion of acceptability that he weaved around himself.

As is now clear following Savile’s death, this is confidence trickery on a sinister and epic scale: how could so many people and institutions be taken in for so long?

In part, it is that cultivated aura of ‘niceness’, that ‘old Jimmy might be a bit odd but he’s no pervert’ response it is designed to trigger. And in part it is due to the network of support that paedophiles build up around them and which will now be examined within the BBC and elsewhere as part of the inquiry process.

Statistically, each abuser will have a group of about 30 people around them, which makes the claims in Jersey that children from Haut de la Garenne were loaned out to rich boatowners particularly disturbing.(Emphasis added)

As we said when we launched our anti-abuse campaign, it is through increased awareness, demanding that the protection of children and help for victims be prioritised and fighting for the adoption of a zero-tolerance approach to these types of crimes that Voice for Victims aims to combat the silence which allows the sexual abuse of children to persist.

Those aims remain just as proportionate and achievable today.

And as the appalling revelations about Savile and others demonstrate, they are more urgently-needed than ever."(END)

When one compares this comment from The Guernsey Press alongside some of the reporting of the Jersey Evening Post's then it is not difficult to see where the priorities lie in the two very different newspapers/Editors.

The Jersey Evening Post appears to believe that how much Lenny Harper spent on a meal in a London restaurant takes priority over campaigning for Abuse Survivors and encouraging its readers to adopt a Zero-Tolerence concerning Child Abuse. One only needs to look HERE to get an idea of the Jersey Evening Post's "journalism" and agenda. Then take note of the words written by the Former Chief Police Officer Graham Power QPM;

"The attempts to divert this debate into discussions concerning the trivia of expense claims, is a scandal of which all involved should be thoroughly ashamed."

Jimmy Savile was invited to Haute de la Garenne and allegedly abused children while he was there. Who invited Savile, not only to the Children's home but to Jersey........So often? Who were his contacts in Jersey? How could children be abused FOR DECADES in Jersey's State run institutions before Lenny Harper and Graham Power came along? Has a powerful paedophile ring been active in Jersey for decades? Why won't ANY of the island's State Media expose the alleged Child Abuse suspects still in position of power/authority today? Why won't BBC Jersey, or ANY of the State Media, publish Graham Power's interim defence case to the Wiltshire allegations? Could decades of Child Abuse have occurred without the complicity of the island's State Media?

Isn't it time that Jersey's "journalists" started getting some of these questions answered? Should there be a "job swap" between the editors of The Guernsey Press and The Jersey Evening Post? What part, if any, has the State Media played in the concealment of paedophilia on this island?

Bloggers (Jersey's only independent media) with documented evidence have torn to shreds the official version of events concerning the decades of Child Abuse which has mostly been ignored by the State Media.........why?

Credit must go to the Guernsey Press, and its editors, for their willingness to rock the boat. Credit must be given for its Zero-Tolerence to Child Abuse and its campaigns for the Abuse Victims/Survivors. 

In the meantime Bloggers (Jersey's only independent media) will continue to ask the questions that should be asked by the State Media in an attempt to protect the vulnerable from the "Predatory Beasts" like Savile and those closer to home! 

This post, once more should demonstrate the need for an independent, Journalist to report on the Jersey Child Abuse scandal and related issues.

Please sign and share the petition to restore the visa of US Journalist LEAH MC GRATH GOODMAN?