Jersey abuse police rule out murder

The new police chief in charge of the Jersey child abuse probe ruled out murder today as he expressed “much regret” at inaccurate information provided by his predecessors.

The new police chief in charge of the Jersey child abuse probe ruled out murder today as he expressed “much regret” at inaccurate information provided by his predecessors.

Deputy chief officer David Warcup criticised previous operations in his first briefing since taking charge of one of Britain’s biggest child abuse cases, which is investigating complaints from more than 100 people.

The island’s former deputy chief officer, Lenny Harper, was wrong in suggesting youngsters might have been murdered and dismembered at Haut de la Garenne children’s home, which closed in 1986, he said.

Mr Warcup added: “There is no suggestion there has been murder or any bodies destroyed.”

The senior detectives also announced that dozens of burnt bone fragments found in cellars could be hundreds of years old.

Mr Warcup added: "It is very unfortunate and I have much regret that information has been given by police that was not strictly accurate.''

Mr Warcup’s colleague, Detective Superintendent Michael Gradwell, also went on to discredit much of the findings Mr Harper claimed to have made since the operation went public in February.

He said the belief that forensic teams had uncovered secret underground chambers which some victims referred to as punishment rooms where they were kept in solitary confinement, drugged, beaten and raped was “wrong”.

He said they were “just cellars”.

Referring to metal found in the cellar, he added: “There was no evidence or indication to suggest this is anything suspicious.”

Senator Stuart Syvret, a former minister for health and social services, said officers were trying to “rubbish” Mr Harper’s work by denying any children were murdered.

He said the press conference was being held “to attempt to smear and rubbish the work of Lenny Harper and thus attempt to justify the dismissal and abandoning of certain aspects of the Haute de la Garenne investigation, including the possibility of child deaths having occurred there, and certain of the more serious abuse claims”.

Police previously announced they had found the remains of around five youngsters aged between four and 11.

But campaigners called on the UK Government to intervene as hopes faded of a homicide inquiry.

Mr Harper, who is now living in Ayrshire, Scotland, defended himself for raising fears children were murdered.

He told the 'Daily Telegraph': “I have been saying for some time that the most likely outcome was that it would be impossible to date the bones accurately and so there would not be enough evidence to launch a homicide investigation.

“When we found bone fragments and teeth in a home where we were investigating alleged abuse, what did people expect us to do?

“Ignore it? You won’t find any police force in the country which would have kept that quiet.”

The search also included a Second World War bunker near to the home where victims claim they were taken.

So far three people have been charged and are awaiting trial on the island.

The investigation was launched in 2006 but scandal surrounding the home, which was a youth hostel in recent years, emerged in February.

Officers discovered what was initially believed to be part of a child’s skull - but it was later found to be more likely wood or part of a coconut.

Following the find, scores of people came forward claiming to have been drugged, raped and beaten at the home between the early 1960s and 1986.

Mr Gradwell went on to dismiss many of the findings police claimed to have made in their inquiry.

Officers previously claimed to have found blood in a cellar.

Mr Gradwell discredited the findings, adding: “This bath has no water supply.”

Claiming it had not been used in decades, he said: “There is nothing suspicious about the bath and no indication that it has been used for anything.”

He said bones discovered dated “from 1470 to 1670”.

Regarding milk teeth belonging to up to 65 children found at the site, he said: “It is difficult to understand why no adult teeth have been found if this was a suspicious find.”

Despite admitting "incorrect" information was given out by police in the past, Mr Warcup insisted there was no indication of a cover-up under Mr Harper, who retired in August.

He added: “The previous issues regarding the inquiry will be explored at a later time.

“I only came to the island a few months ago and we have been looking at this very carefully.

“We are very clear about what we are saying today.”

Dismissing much of the evidence from Mr Harper, Mr Gradwell said the child abuse inquiry was still continuing.

He said: “The purpose of today is to say there is a child abuse inquiry but in terms of Haut de la Garenne, there was no murder.”

He shied away from apportioning blame to Mr Harper, adding: “I am not judge, juror or executioner – I am not looking to apportion blame.”

Mr Gradwell also said there was “no evidence” of any pits to bury children.

He dismissed allegations that some items were used as shackles, adding: “What we are saying today is that this is just rusty metal and there’s no indication they were shackles.

“There was also evidence of items used for restraint. Today we are saying there is nothing to suggest this was the case.”

The press conference was later shown pictures of an item, discovered in February, which was believed to be a child’s skull.

Mr Gradwell confirmed it bore no relation to claims of child abuse – as he said it dated back to the Victorian era and was more likely to be a coconut.

He said: “This item was living in earth which is now believed to be Victorian era.

“By April 14 it was no longer believed this was part of a human skull - technicians went further by stating this was more like a part of a coconut.”

During questioning Mr Warcup said the investigation had cost "just over £4m".

“This is a unique inquiry,” he added.

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