Last month, the Independent Jersey Care Inquiry heard evidence from an anonymous witness, known as Mr K.
The witness was arrested in 2008 and questioned about the claims, but denied all allegations made against him. He was not charged with any offences.
Inquiry protocols state that those accused of committing historical acts of abuse against children can be named if they have been convicted, if they are dead or if the allegations are already in the public domain, having been published in the mainstream media.
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The JEP appealed against the decision to grant Mr K anonymity on the grounds that he had been named in two national newspapers following his arrest.
The inquiry protocol states: ‘In order to restrict the disclosure or publication of the identity of certain persons and information that is not in the public domain (i.e. information that is realistically accessible to the general public, information that has been published in regulated media – newspapers (printed or online), radio and television broadcast), the inquiry has implemented a General Protective Ruling, being a general ruling to protect information provided to the inquiry.
‘The General Protective Ruling means that the following information will be redacted from all material before it is disclosed by the inquiry to interested parties and/or published on the Inquiry’s website: The names and identifying details of: 1. Individuals identified as having claimed to have been abused, or as having been a witness to any abuse alleged; 2. Any individuals accused of abuse, except for those who have criminal convictions for abuse, or those accused of abuse whose details are in the public domain as defined above and those whom the Inquiry reasonably believes to be deceased; 3. Individuals not falling into any of the above categories, whose identity the inquiry considers ought not to be disclosed.’
In an email response to the JEP’s appeal, Angharad Shurmer, a lawyer to the inquiry, said that as the specific details of the alleged crimes were not explained in the mainstream media, they would not be lifting the anonymity order.
She said: ‘Mr K made an application for protective measures in order to provide his evidence anonymously and this was approved by the panel in accordance with the inquiry’s protocols.
‘The inquiry cannot and will not discuss the identity of Mr K.’
2007
TOWARDS the end of the year the then deputy police chief, Lenny Harper, announced that the States police were investigating alleged historical child abuse at former States children’s homes.
An appeal for information was also launched and the investigation was overseen by police chief Graham Power.
2008
ARRESTS relating to the abuse investigation began to be made at the end of January.
A few months later Mr Harper, the senior investigating officer, revealed that his team was excavating the former children’s home at Haut de la Garenne and that they had found what appeared to be a fragment of bone.
The announcement led to a swathe of lurid headlines in national newspapers, which carried stories of child torture and possible murder. In August Mr Harper retired and was replaced by David Warcup, a former deputy chief constable of Northumbria police.
Towards the end of the year Mr Warcup and the investigation’s new senior officer, Detective Superintendent Mick Gradwell, said that after a review of the evidence gathered, no child murders took place at Haut de la Garenne.
They also concluded that no bodies had been hidden or burned.
At the same time police chief Graham Power was suspended for his alleged poor handling of the abuse inquiry, but a report later found that he had been removed without proper evidence of incompetence.
2009
IN May the fragment of material said to potentially have been part of a child’s skull was sent to botanists at Kew Gardens at the request of Det Supt Gradwell.
The report that followed confirmed that it was, in fact, a piece of coconut.
Also, Islanders arrested and convicted of abuse offences as part of the investigation began to be sentenced in 2009 as well.
2010
THE Wiltshire Constabulary’s report – an independent review of the handling of the Haut de la Garenne investigation into child abuse – was published in 2010.
It levelled strong criticism at former police chief Graham Power and his deputy, Lenny Harper, for their handling of the investigation.
The Royal Court secured convictions against the last people involved in the abuse investigation.
Following this, the victims of child abuse received a formal apology from the then Chief Minister, Terry Le Sueur, who said that they had been let down by the system.
In June, 40 people who claimed they had suffered abuse while in States care made compensation claims.
The year 2010 also saw a report into the financial management of the abuse investigation published in July.
It found that public funds had been misspent on expensive meals, accommodation and first-class travel.
It also emerged that the total police costs for the three-year investigation had reached £7.5 million.
2011
FOLLOWING a proposition brought by Senator Francis Le Gresley, the States agreed to hold an inquiry into allegations of historical child abuse after the Haut de la Garenne investigation.
2012
AFTER a former Islander’s book was published, making claims of abuse at the former Grouville Girls’ Home, the police confirmed that six women had made complaints about the home to the force during the course of the historical child abuse investigation.
However, the police said that there was too little evidence in relation to the claims to mount a prosecution.
The author of the book, Jean Neil, included details of alleged abuse she suffered at the home between 1941 and 1951 in ‘Chairbound to Heavenbound’.
And 2012 also saw Jimmy Savile linked to Haut de la Garenne after pictures of the disgraced BBC star surfaced and were published in newspapers and online.
One online Daily Mail headline read: ‘Savile pictured at the Jersey House of Horrors: Paedophile DJ is surrounded by children at care home where 192 suffered abuse’.
2013
IT was hoped that the public inquiry into historical child abuse would get going in 2013, but half-way through the year Sally Bradley QC, the States-appointed chairman of the Committee of Inquiry, suffered a stroke.
The inquiry was delayed while a new chairman was found.
A few months later Frances Oldham QC, a senior lawyer with extensive experience in dealing with cases involving sexual abuse, was appointed to lead the inquiry.
She was joined by abuse inquiry panel members Alyson Leslie, who has led serious case reviews into child abuse, and Sandy Cameron CBE, a former director of social work in Scotland.
In one of the last States sittings of the year, it was revealed that 64 per cent of claims for compensation for historical abuse had been settled.
Chief Minister Ian Gorst said that 131 claims had been received, 84 offers of compensation had been accepted, with 47 cases still under consideration.
2014
