- Independent Jersey Care Inquiry will start again at end of May
- Resumption has been delayed by three weeks as inquiry team prepare to hear more evidence
- More than 200 witnesses appeared in first phase of inquiry
THE second phase of the historical abuse inquiry will not start fully until the end of May – three weeks later than planned.
The Independent Jersey Care Inquiry, which is briefly resuming for three days this week, had been due to restart properly during the week beginning Monday 4 May.
However, the date has now been put back to the last week of May to give the inquiry team more time to prepare to hear evidence.
More than 200 witnesses who spent time in care gave evidence to the panel during the first phase.
During the second phase the team will hear from former members of staff, including some accused of carrying out acts of child abuse.
On Tuesday, inquiry counsel Harriet Jerram, in opening the second phase of the inquiry’s investigation, said: ‘In the coming hearings, you will be hearing evidence from a range of people involved in the care system but who were not residents in children’s homes or in foster homes.
‘The hearing for this phase will start in earnest at the end of May. However, a few hearing days have been interposed this week to take account of witness suitability.
‘The witnesses accused of abuse will also wish to tell of their experience of working in children’s homes and fostering in Jersey.
A spokesperson for the inquiry added: ‘It has been necessary to delay the start to allow for the preparation of evidence.
‘Documents are still being released and when they are, they have to be dealt with and witness statements updated accordingly.
‘Some witness statements, taken during 2014, have also needed to be amended in light of evidence heard during the hearings to date.
‘The inquiry timetable has also needed to be able to accommodate the attendance of a number of key witnesses, whose evidence is seen as essential in providing an understanding of what went wrong in Jersey’s care system over many years.’
‘To date we have heard from a number of witnesses, some of whom have made serious allegations against a number of individuals and institutions.
‘In this next phase of the inquiry we will hear evidence from those who worked in the various institutions and evidence from those against whom allegations of abuse have been made.
‘It is important to bear in mind the fundamental principle in respect of those making the allegations and those whose conduct is subject to criticism.
‘This is not a trial and no one is going to be treated as if he or she is on trial.
‘This is a public inquiry and its process is inquisitorial not accusational.
‘When we come to present our report then we will undoubtedly draw conclusions and make judgement on the evidence as a whole which by then we will have heard.
‘That is the time for judgement, not during the course of the evidence.’
STEPS must be taken to establish how child abuse in Jersey care homes remained hidden for so long and whether political interference may have prevented people from being prosecuted, the chairman of the Independent Jersey Care Inquiry has said.
In summing up the end of the first phase of hearings, which concluded yesterday (FRI), Frances Oldham QC acknowledged that child abuse did take place in Island care homes and that the panel must now examine how abuse remained hidden.
So far, the inquiry has heard from 203 witnesses regarding their experiences of child care services in the Island since 1945.
The inquiry is now due to break for several weeks before hearing from former staff at Jersey care homes, including some who have been accused of abuse.
Since opening in July last year, the inquiry has heard hundreds of accounts relating to sexual and physical abuse of children in Jersey care homes, including Haut de la Garenne, Les Chênes and La Préférence, since 1945.
Mrs Oldham said: ‘While there have been some positive accounts, most of what we have heard has related to painful and damaging experiences.
‘The first phase of the inquiry has been slow and painstaking, not least because of the difficulty many of the victims have had to wrestle with emotionally in terms of firstly giving a statement and then deciding whether to give evidence in public.
‘I would like to take this opportunity to thank everyone who has come forward and contributed to the work of the inquiry. It is important that we now move to the next stage.’
She added: ‘We must establish the truth about how mistreatment of children remained hidden for so long and what was done when concerns were raised.
‘We must also consider whether appropriate decisions were taken in deciding whether to prosecute individuals – and whether there was political or other interference in those decisions. We now begin, therefore, an intense period of preparation for the next phase of the inquiry.’
Describing the next phase of hearings, Mrs Oldham said: ‘This is when we will hear evidence from those who worked in Children’s Services or were in contact with child care in Jersey.
‘We will also hear from some of those accused of abuse.’
The inquiry will resume for three days in the week beginning Monday 13 April to speak to a witness who is unavailable at a later date, before fully resuming from the week beginning Monday 4 May.
Despite moving onto the next phase of hearings, any witnesses who were resident at Jersey care homes are still invited to contact the inquiry if they wish to do so.
