THE revelation yesterday that a former policeman had been arrested in Jersey on suspicion of what are called serious crimes at the Haut de la Garenne childcare home is a further disturbing development in the whole abuse investigation and fuels fears that the full picture, when it emerges, will be horrific indeed.
From a Jersey perspective, of course, the investigation is very unsatisfactory. A huge cloud hangs over the community on the basis of a few fragments of bone and teeth – and why wouldn’t milk teeth be found at a children’s home? – with no clear forensic dating of this ‘evidence’.
Until there is something positive, it is entirely possible (if unlikely) that the investigation could implode into an over-zealous and imaginative police enquiry. The view from Guernsey and elsewhere, however, is naturally different and it is that abuse and brutality against youngsters supposedly in care are about to be revealed.
Such speculation might be unhelpful while officers go about their painstaking work, but what is also clear is that the enquiries have thrown further unwelcome attention on the Crown Dependencies. While legal authorities here and in Jersey do not accept that the UK can exercise ultimate responsibility for the good government of the islands, it nevertheless remains the view in Whitehall.
As a result, the ‘what if..?’ scenario-playing is being conducted elsewhere and it is a safe bet that the Ministry of Justice, responsible for CI affairs, is keeping a close eye on developments. The UK is, after all, involved in the enquiry since some of its police officers are providing mutual aid for the Jersey force, which does not have the resources to cope with this on its own.
The Crown Dependencies are already under pressure, largely from quarters unfamiliar with the islands, and a widespread child abuse scandal either under the noses of the Jersey authorities or ignored by them would be hugely damaging and reinforce prejudices that the Bailiwicks are not fit to run themselves.
Jersey’s latest difficulties over the Waterfront development and misleading the House in saying there were no legal actions against the main contractor does little to help either.
While the overwhelming need is to ensure that justice is done over Haute de la Garenne, achieving it may also be damaging for Guernsey.
Abuse case damage may spread
THE revelation yesterday that a former policeman had been arrested in Jersey on suspicion of what are called serious crimes at the Haut de la Garenne childcare home is a further disturbing development in the whole abuse investigation and fuels fears that the full picture, when it emerges, will be horrific indeed.
From a Jersey perspective, of course, the investigation is very unsatisfactory. A huge cloud hangs over the community on the basis of a few fragments of bone and teeth – and why wouldn’t milk teeth be found at a children’s home? – with no clear forensic dating of this ‘evidence’.
Until there is something positive, it is entirely possible (if unlikely) that the investigation could implode into an over-zealous and imaginative police enquiry. The view from Guernsey and elsewhere, however, is naturally different and it is that abuse and brutality against youngsters supposedly in care are about to be revealed.
Such speculation might be unhelpful while officers go about their painstaking work, but what is also clear is that the enquiries have thrown further unwelcome attention on the Crown Dependencies. While legal authorities here and in Jersey do not accept that the UK can exercise ultimate responsibility for the good government of the islands, it nevertheless remains the view in Whitehall.
As a result, the ‘what if..?’ scenario-playing is being conducted elsewhere and it is a safe bet that the Ministry of Justice, responsible for CI affairs, is keeping a close eye on developments. The UK is, after all, involved in the enquiry since some of its police officers are providing mutual aid for the Jersey force, which does not have the resources to cope with this on its own.
The Crown Dependencies are already under pressure, largely from quarters unfamiliar with the islands, and a widespread child abuse scandal either under the noses of the Jersey authorities or ignored by them would be hugely damaging and reinforce prejudices that the Bailiwicks are not fit to run themselves.
Jersey’s latest difficulties over the Waterfront development and misleading the House in saying there were no legal actions against the main contractor does little to help either.
While the overwhelming need is to ensure that justice is done over Haute de la Garenne, achieving it may also be damaging for Guernsey.
Article posted on 13th June, 2008 - 12.22pm