Unhappy Anniversary. (7)

Former Police Chief 

Graham Power QPM.

Seven years ago, to the day, the then Chief Police Officer of Jersey, Graham Power QPM, was (possibly illegally) suspended from duty during the biggest Child Abuse Investigation Jersey has ever seen. (Operation Rectangle)

He was (possibly illegally) suspended by the then Home Affairs Minister, Deputy Andrew Lewis, in the only significant Ministerial Decision he made during his very short time as Home Affairs Minister. Deputy Lewis then retired from politics, for six years, only to be re-elected in 2014 as Deputy in St. Helier District ¾ under a banner of “honesty and integrity.”

When Deputy Andrew Lewis suspended Mr. Graham Power seven years ago he, and the Establishment, thought that they would achieve a quick kill, Mr. Power would walk away quietly. As mentioned in the Blog Posting of RICO SORDA “If you had said then that after 7 years of unceasing controversy they themselves would be called to give evidence under oath to attempt once again to justify their actions they would have laughed.” 

But last week they had to listen to two days of critical, and damming, evidence from the former Chief Police Officer and soon it will be their turn. Andrew Lewis, who has so far given a number of contradictory accounts of the (possibly illegal) suspension, will be called to give evidence under oath. 

Deputy Andrew Lewis.

Deputy Lewis’contradictory accounts include this account to the Island’s Parliament:

"I have read an alarming report from the Metropolitan Police which led me to this decision in the first place.” 

And this account from the Napier Review:

“As previously has been noted, neither Mr Lewis nor Mr Ogley saw the Interim Report. Neither did they seek to see it.

Andrew Lewis further added (in the Island’s Parliament):

“If the preliminary report is that damning, Lord knows what the main report will reveal. So my successor will have an interesting time. The report that I was shown gave me no doubt at all.”

Yet according to the Metropolitan Police (OPERATION TUMA)

“The review does not criticise the investigation. The Review does not criticise any individual involved in Operation Rectangle.”

Remember Andrew, telling lies on oath is called perjury! Perjury is punishable by prison (if/when we ever get the Rule Of Law in Jersey). Granted, you or any other politician, can tell lies in the States Chamber with IMPUNITY  but which of your many versions of events will you be turning up with on the day? Better get it right this time or you may have more than a bit of bad press to worry about.

Mr. Power’s statement to the COI is believed to be considerably larger than his (94 page 62,000 word) statement to the Wiltshire Constabulary. His statement to Wilts is his interim defence case that has been leaked to all island State Media but despite reporting on the prosecution case against Mr. Power, his defense case has been buried by them including the BBC   

Former AG and now 

Bailiff William Bailhache.

Mr. Power’s statement to Wilts along with a large number of other documents has been submitted to the COI. It is now hoped that it, and other documents submitted to the COI will be published on its website thus making them public documents and giving the State Media one less excuse for burying them.

It is believed that a lot of what Mr. Power had to say to the COI (in his statement) is new but was not spoken about at the hearing when he was giving evidence. One presumes that’s because it was not contested (rather than any other sinister motive). They also seemed to use Mr. Power as an "expert witness" on the history of the police and government in Jersey. Indeed perhaps too much time was spent on this and not enough time spent on his (possibly illegal) suspension. There was very little mention, or questioning of, Mr. Power’s suspension during his Public Hearing, and to be frank it seemed that it was only mentioned by counsel as a token gesture. Perhaps when Mr. Power’s transcripts are available this will make for an interesting, and informative, Blog of it own?

Also one would have hoped that more would have been mentioned in the State Media of the new evidence relating to a possible "obstruction of justice" by the then Attorney General William Bailhache. Who already has some uncomfortable QUESTIONS TO ANSWER.    

Evidence was given in 2008 that Police Officers reported to Mr. Power that children had been abused after they had knowingly been put in a situation of risk by Children’s Services and that front line police staff thought that the neglect of duty by the Civil Servants concerned was so gross that it amounted to a crime under the Children’s Law. Mr. Power asked for an opinion from the AG on the law. He (Mr. Power) said in evidence that William Bailhache responded by saying that he would have a "quiet word" with the then Chief Executive Bill (Golden Handshake) Ogley (who is being called as a witness to the COI). 

Former Assistant Health Minister

Jimmy Perchard.

It is also believed that the COI was able to obtain evidence that supported what Mr. Power was saying. He said that he was "appalled" and that this was the sort of behaviour "which had got us into this mess in the first place." The allegations should have been dealt with openly and transparently, not brushed under the carpet (The Jersey Way.) It is unclear which case was being referred to but we are led to believe it might be the one, which ended up in a civil action against the States of Jersey after the catastrophic failings of BEN SHENTON ANDJIMMY PERCHARD. “Family X”

In conclusion: I repeat the call from Rico Sorda asking Andrew Lewis, when giving evidence to the COI, to finally “do the right thing.” Rid himself of this Albatross round his neck and put those who leant on him in the frame. This could be his final opportunity to put the record straight. Your choice Andrew, what do you want to be remembered for? The bloke who never had the gonads to do the right thing or the bloke who helped put the record straight and assisted in terminating the infamous “Jersey Way?” Will you emerge as the Hero or the Villain?

The six previous “Unhappy Anniversaries” can be viewed from Below.

Unhappy Anniversary ONE.

Unhappy Anniversary TWO.

Unhappy Anniversary THREE.

Unhappy Anniversary FOUR.

Unhappy Anniversary FIVE.

Unhappy Anniversary SIX.

State Controlled Media.

In this final episode of our exclusive and in-depth interview with Jersey's Former Deputy Chief Officer of the States of Jersey Police, and Senior Investigating Officer of Jersey's "Historic" Child Abuse Investigation (Operation Rectangle), Mr Lenny Harper discusses some more uncomfortable home truth's regarding Jersey's media, the "pressure" Scrutiny Panel's are under, leaks to the media and much more.

Regular readers/viewers will be aware of the ongoing Scrutiny Review concerning the BDO/Alto Report. Among many other things that have come to light is the fact that Mick Gradwell has been accused by a witness, under oath, of leaking a confidential (or parts of) Report to a "journalist" who repotedly has history of supporting convicted Child Abusers. This alleged leak would have happened while "Operation Rectangle" was still an on-going Child Abuse Investigation.

A former Assistant Health Minister has been accused, by more than one witness, of leaking a confidential police e-mail to the same "journalist" while the Investigation was still live, yet NONE of our island's media have reported this.

Senator Ian Le Marquand, Jersey's Home Affairs Minister, has told the States Assembly that after an internal police Investigation, into the leak of the confidential Report, all avenues pointed to Mick Gradwell, yet NONE of our island's media reported this.

We get three Jersey Politicians, Jimmy (potty mouth) Perchard, Ben Shenton and Sean Power, who think that Lenny Harper, or officers under his command, "might" have leaked stuff to the NOTW and the island's media are all over it, without a shred of evidence, unlike the mounting evidence against the Former Assistant Health Minister and Gradwell.

How can it possibly be that the Home Affairs Minister, during a States debate as good as, accuses Mick Gradwell of leaking confidential reports to a "journalist" which is aired live on BBC Radio Jersey, and BBC Jersey mention nothing about it, two CTV Reporters claim "they didn't hear it" and the JEP totally ignore it? It's just not conceivable.

Isn't it time we had a Parliamentary Select Committee (Scrutiny Panel), the same as the UK, that are able to scrutinise the local "accredited" media?

Part one of this interview can be viewed HERE

Part two can be viewed HERE

Part three can be viewed HERE

Part four can be viewed HERE

Lenny Harper tells us"Bring It On"

In part four of this exclusive, in-depth and revealing, interview with former Senior Investigating Officer of Jersey's Historical Child Abuse Investigation, Mr. Lenny Harper he tells us to "go with the evidence."


Regular viewers/readers will be aware that three politicians (who are up for election this year) Senator Jimmy Perchard, Senator Ben Shenton and Deputy Sean Power are asking Jersey's Attorney General to investigate the possibility of leaks to the NOTW during the Historical Child Abuse Enquiry. Mr. Harper, and a growing number of others, see this as a cynical attempt by these three politicians to attack Mr Harper, his investigation and the Abuse Victims/survivors. Furthermore Mr. Harper claims they are doing this "without a shred of evidence."

In this interview we are told that there is "ample evidence" to suggest that Senator Jimmy Perchard leaked a confidential police e-mail to a "journalist" while the Child Abuse Investigation was live. This evidence, claims Mr. Harper, is in the form of a tape recorded telephone call between the "journalist" and former Police Chief Mr. Graham Power QPM.

It must be said, as Mr. Harper states in the interview, that Senator Perchard denies this allegation and we have no reason to doubt either person's version. Although Mr. Harper states there is the evidence in way of a tape recording, there is always the possibility, if it did exist, that David Warcup could have destroyed it.

There is also evidence to show that Mick Gradwell leaked a confidential document to, possibly a number of "journalists." A witness, giving evidence to the ongoing Scrutiny Review told the Panel that Mr. Gradwell confessed to him, over the phone, that he did leak a document. Indeed our Home Affairs Minister has told us that an "investigation" pointed to Mr. Gradwell being the most likely culprit of the leak. Mr. Gradwell has been asked to give evidence to the on-going Scrutiny Review and to the best of our knowledge has so far not done so.

Mr. Harper, in this interview, also gives us the strongest indication yet that he believes a child, or children could have been murdered up at Haute de la Garenne, telling us that the possibility cannot be ruled out. The "lurid" stories that were printed in the NOTW, although have not been proven, by the same token, they've not been disproven either.

We are not aware of any evidence to suggest that Deputy Sean Power or Senator Ben Shenton have leaked any documents, as suggested by Mr. Harper in this video, to journalists but are aware of other dubious activities by them concerning e-mails and tape recorded telephone calls.

Will these three politicians be so keen, as Mr. Harper appears to be, to have "a Root and Branch" investigation into leaks to the media?

"Bring it on".................

Part one of this interview can be viewed HERE

Part two can be viewed HERE

Part three can be viewed HERE

Leaks to the JEP.

Part three of this exclusive and in-depth interview with Jersey's Former  Deputy Chief Officer (DCO) of the States of Jersey police - raises the questions - who in the force has been feeding Jersey's only "news"paper with information that they shouldn't have been? Have the JEP ever paid Police Officers for any of this information?

The former DCO and Senior Investigating Officer of Jersey's "Historical" Child Abuse Investigation, along with others, believes these questions ought to be answered......or at least asked/investigated.

Mr. Harper claims that the three politicians, Senator's Jimmy (Potty Mouth) Perchard, Ben Shenton and Deputy Sean Power who are  calling for an investigation into the relationship of Senior Officers and the NOTW journalists are "deliberately trying to smear a hard working team of detectives on the Historical Abuse Enquiry."

He goes on to tell us "it was plainly obvious that somebody within the organisation (SOJP) did have an improper relationship with the Jersey Evening Post." Who is this person? Is it only one person? Are they still in the Police Force? Have they received financial gain for their alleged "improper relationship" with the JEP?

Again, more questions than answers, hopefully if/when this Committee of Enquiry gets off the ground, the TOR's will include investigating Jersey's "accredited" media........There are a lot of questions that will need answering.

Part one of this exclusive Interview can be viewed HERE

Part Two can be viewed HERE

Cowardly, Underhanded and Dishonest.

Team Voice has put the question to former DCO and Senior Investigating Officer Lenny Harper that he believes Deputy Sean Power, along with Senator's Perchard and Shenton, are too cowardly, underhanded and dishonest to admit they are inferring.

They appear to be inferring that he has had improper dealings with the News of The World but in reality they are probably just trying to further smear the name of Mr. Harper.........but why would they want to do that?

Firstly let's just have a quick look at some of the antics of these three individuals and how well placed they are to question ANYBODY'S integrity or morality.

Deputy Sean Power stole a fellow States Member's personal e-mail correspondence scanned it, passed it on to at least one other third party where it subsequently was published on the internet. It's difficult to determine what is the most despicable, the fact that he took the e-mail in the first place, the fact that he showed it to others which caused it to be published on the internet. But possibly the most despicable part of this horrible episode is that the particular e-mail had the names of the fellow States Members Children contained in it, even when it was published on the internet. What does this say about Deputy Power's feelings to protecting children? What does it say about his integrity and his morals?

Senator Ben Shenton records a personal telephone call between himself and a fellow Senator. Sits on it, and when the time is right, produces it to a Scrutiny Panel to try and nail his fellow Senator giving his fellow Senator no indication that he had recorded the phone-call, nor warning him he will be using it against him at this panel hearing. Integrity, morality?

 Senator Jimmy Perchard attempts to encourage a fellow Senator to kill himself, not only that he also denied doing/saying it. He was caught out and exposed as being a liar. He also allegedly used disgraceful language from that filthy potty mouth of his when suggesting his fellow Senator go "slit his wrists." He also denied using the disgusting language, in the States Chamber, which he subsequently had to admit to. Integrity, morality?

As regular viewers will be aware these three individuals are having another pop at one of the Police Officers who exposed one of Jersey's dirty secrets. The fact that children were abused in State run Institutions for decades by people in authority who STILL have complete impunity.

So for the benefit of Ben Shenton, Sean Power and Jimmy Perchard here it is from the horses mouth.

Incidentally if any of you three have the courage to be interviewed and answer straight questions, like Former DCO Harper and former CPO Graham Power QPM have then let's do it?

Or are you going to prove Mr. Harper right and show us that you truly are cowardly, underhanded and dishonest?

Part one of the this exclusive and in-depth interview with Mr. Harper can be viewed HERE. Part three coming soon.............

The Three Goons.

Former Jersey Deputy Chief Police Officer and Senior Investigating Officer of Jersey’s “Historical” Child Abuse Lenny Harper answers the questions being asked by the ever-growing online Blogging community.

Over the last day or so people have been leaving questions for the former Chief Officer on the internet, and “Team Voice” asked him to make a note of the questions and address them in an in-depth and exclusive interview with us. We are pleased to say he agreed.

The latest cynical attempt to discredit Mr. Harper and his Investigation of decades long Child Abuse in Jersey comes (surprise, surprise) in the form of the Jersey Evening Post (Jersey’s ONLY “news”paper) and three Politicians. The three Politicians come as no surprise either. Indeed I was phoned a few days ago and told that three Politicians were in the JEP asking for an investigation into Mr. Harper’s, and others, relationship with the News Of The World News paper. I was asked “guess who the three are?” I said “Perchard, Power and Shenton?” Naturally I was right, lucky guess, or have these three got form in asking questions about the Abuse Investigation and not about the ABUSE?

Of course we know Perchard and Shenton have got form when it comes to neglecting Child Abuse Victims and as Mr. Harper tells us, all three of them have got form when it comes to undermining The Child Abuse Investigation.

Mr. Harper has labelled Senators Perchard, Shenton and Deputy Power as "The Three Goons". In this first episode he explains why and also goes on to tell us a little more about these individuals and their alleged shenanigans and suggests they are not best placed to be questioning ANYBODY'S leaking of e-mails............and more.

This interview makes part one of a series of three where we go on to discuss Jersey's media involvement, its agenda, its relationship with the Police and Politicians. We put the question straight to the former Detective Chief Officer "have you accepted monies from or leaked anything to the NOTW? We also ask him how he feels about the possible investigation suggested by (to use Mr. Harper's words) "The Three Goons."

Once again, Team Voice is thankful to Mr. Harper for agreeing to answer the questions put to him and allowing us (citizens media) to bring our viewers a service that our "accredited" media don't. We bring you in-depth interviews with the people making the "news" straight from the horses mouth which is in stark contrast to the JEP, and others, who don't even contact them!










  

The needless and avoidable suffering of Family “X”

The Press Release below from Hanson and Renouf is self explanatory.
As regular readers will be aware the case of family “X” brought about the “Serious Case Review” (SCR) that was scathing of just about every department of our States and Law Offices who are involved with the “care” of our children.


Senator’s Jimmy Perchard and Ben Shenton have been critical of former Senator Syvret’s tenure as Health Minister, but what happened on their watch? Could further horrendous ABUSE of family “X” have been avoided? Did SIX HUNDRED THOUSAND POUNDS of tax payer’s money need to be spent? Are Senator’s Ben Shenton and Jimmy Perchard qualified to ignore the advice of Childcare Experts? And what is the human cost when they do?
 

PRESS RELEASE

13th September 2010 

Senator Jim Perchard – “£600K wasted by Former Minister’s intransigence over children’s care” 

In a week where the States is concentrating upon budget cuts Senator Jim Perchard has finally been counting the cost of his intransigence. In a written answer to his own question it was revealed this afternoon that some £600,000 in costs were incurred by virtue of his steadfast refusal to agree that Family X received the correct care that all the experts said that they needed.

In November 2008 Children’s Service and all experts were agreed that the children in Family X needed specialist therapeutic care in England that could not be delivered in Jersey and so as to attempt to put right the decade of abuse which they had experienced when the system failed to intervene and protect them. At that time the Health Minister Senator Ben Shenton declined to make the monies available and this decision was persisted in by his successor Senator Jim Perchard until he eventually resigned and was replaced by Deputy Anne Pryke in 2009.

Whilst the current Health Minister apologized publicly for the failures that led to the X children suffering over a decade of abuse, and also agreed to the funding being made available, the intransigence of her predecessors had already led to a costly legal battle involving Jersey lawyers, medical experts and specialist English barristers.

The case involved contested care proceedings in the Royal Court, two Judicial Review applications and two appeals to the Court of Appeal where the children eventually overturned the position defended doggedly by Senator Perchard.

Barbara Corbett, Head of Hanson Renouf’s Family team commented that:

 “As early as November, 2008, I had spoken to Senator Shenton advising that his department’s plans to warehouse these vulnerable children in unsuitable care homes in Jersey would be opposed and that it was inevitable that significant legal and expert costs would be incurred if his department continued to ignore the recommendations of all the experts, including Children’s Services. Ultimately, the Court of Appeal confirmed what we had been saying all along, including that the Minister and certain key officials had acted in breach of natural justice and had acted unfairly. Unfortunately, it was not until the outcome of the Serious Case Review earlier this year that the children received a public apology for the system’s wider failure to halt their appalling treatment. ”

On the issue as to why it is important for children to have representation from a Guardian and a Jersey lawyer, Advocate Hanson stated:

“This case and the failures referred to in the Serious Case Review demonstrate why it is important for children to be properly assisted in legal proceedings. The result would have been completely different without legal and expert advice being made available. We can however cut future legal costs by efficiencies and competitive tendering without hacking away at children’s rights.”

As to feeling any anxiety from politicians who have different agendas, Advocate Hanson said this:

“We all know that funding for anything is tight but we do need someone to be speaking up for children’s rights as otherwise they risk being overlooked. Jersey is a wonderful place but unfortunately complacency and fear often mean that people who could make a difference, keep quiet.” 

In July 2008, when Senator Perchard was the Assistant Minister for Health and Social Services, he welcomed the Williamson Report and its recommendations saying that he was delighted the report had given the island’s child protection services “a clean bill of health”. The Serious Case Review published in February, 2010 showed how complacent such an observation had been and the apparently superficial approach by some Ministers to legitimate child protection concerns.


ENDS

Submitted by VFC.