Care workers are being falsely convicted of sexual abuse on the testimony of unreliable witnesses seeking compensation, an influential committee of MPs was told today. As part of its inquiry into child abuse the commons' home affairs select committee heard evidence from Linzi McDonald. She was solicitor for Dave Jones, the former manager of Southampton football club, who last year was cleared of charges of abuse in a children's home. Ms McDonald said the police investigating the case "encouraged" apparent witnesses to make false allegations of abuse against Mr Jones. Guardian … [Read more...]
Lawyer reports on investigative flaws
May 21, 2002 from Leave a Comment
Chris Saltrese, a solicitor who represented people accused of abuse in North Wales children's homes has given evidence to members of the House of Commons Home Affairs Select Committee who are investigating possible miscarriages of justice in investigations into care home cases. In his report he is critical of police investigation techniques - outlines his concerns to the House of Commons Home Affairs Select Committee BBC … [Read more...]
Miscarriages of justice ? (recommended reading)
April 11, 2002 from Leave a Comment
Campaigners claim that former staff in children's homes are being convicted of crimes involving the abuse of children that they did not commit. Rachel Downey reports.Three weeks ago former care worker Roy Shuttleworth left prison after spending five-and-a-half years behind bars for abusing children. Throughout his sentence he maintained he did not commit the crimes of which he was convicted.He is not the only one protesting his innocence after being convicted of abuse carried out in institutions. Derek Brushett, Mike Lawson, Barry Strettle and Brian Ely all claim they did not abuse. Campaigners claim that about 25 men are serving, or have completed, prison terms for crimes they did not commit.Since allegations of abuse at children's homes in north Wales first emerged in 1993, hundreds of staff in children's homes have been arrested, charged, acquitted or convicted of abuse, both sexual and physical. Police officers have interviewed thousands of former residents and at least 200 former … [Read more...]
‘Witch hunt’ claim over abuse inquiry
March 25, 2002 from Leave a Comment
Thirteen men have been jailed for a total of more than 100 years in South Wales Police's biggestever child abuse investigation. But the style of the inquiry is the subject of growing national debate and will soon be discussed by Westminster's influential Home Affairs Select Committee. Today the Echo exclusively publishes special testimonies prepared for five of the jailed abusers. The men - who have the support of their families - claim South Wales Police's Operation Goldfinch is nothing more than a modern-day witch-hunt. They argue witnesses have been persuaded to give false evidence by a combination of police pressure and attractive compensation payments of up to £100,000. Once a number of allegations have been made, critics say it is impossible for the accused to prove they did not do anything. Among those to show us their testimony is convicted child abuser Derek Brushett, who was headmaster of Bryn-y-Don approved school in Dinas Powys for six years in the 1970s and is now … [Read more...]
