29.01.2014
Officers have revealed that 143 people have now given accounts regarding alleged treatment at the centre in the 1970s and 1980s, with BBC’s Inside Out programme being told that inmates even went so far as to ask each other to break their legs in order to move elsewhere.
According to the BBC, 70 detectives are working on the inquiry into abuse at the centre, which is looking at what happened, providing support to victims and holding any responsible to account if they are still alive.
An original investigation led to the conviction of prison officer Neville Husband in 2003 and of storeman Leslie Johnson in 2005 in relation to abuse at the centre. Both men have since died.
Working on the case, Dep Supt Paul Goundry said: “The accounts we have heard have been horrific and have shaken some very experienced detectives who are working on this.”
Gemma Allsop, a legal specialist at Irwin Mitchell’s Newcastle office, said: “News of the growing number of allegations in relation to abuse at Medomsley Detention Centre are hugely concerning and have shocked a great many people in the North East.
“High-profile cases related to abuse which have been in the media in recent months have meant that victims with concerns over such activity feel much more confident that their voices will be heard on such matters, perhaps more so than in the past.
“It is vital that anyone affected by the serious issues raised in relation to this centre is given access to the right care and support to help them recover from the huge psychological cars caused by abuse, with such trauma often affecting victims for decades.
“Attention will then need to turn to ensuring that those responsible, where possible, can be held to account and also that lessons will ultimately be learned which will ensure the same issues will never be seen again.”
More Than 140 Alleged Victims Have Contacted Police
The number of people who have come forward regarding alleged abuse at the Medomsley Detention Centre in County Durham has increased to more than 140 since August, according to police investigating the cases.Officers have revealed that 143 people have now given accounts regarding alleged treatment at the centre in the 1970s and 1980s, with BBC’s Inside Out programme being told that inmates even went so far as to ask each other to break their legs in order to move elsewhere.
According to the BBC, 70 detectives are working on the inquiry into abuse at the centre, which is looking at what happened, providing support to victims and holding any responsible to account if they are still alive.
An original investigation led to the conviction of prison officer Neville Husband in 2003 and of storeman Leslie Johnson in 2005 in relation to abuse at the centre. Both men have since died.
Working on the case, Dep Supt Paul Goundry said: “The accounts we have heard have been horrific and have shaken some very experienced detectives who are working on this.”
Gemma Allsop, a legal specialist at Irwin Mitchell’s Newcastle office, said: “News of the growing number of allegations in relation to abuse at Medomsley Detention Centre are hugely concerning and have shocked a great many people in the North East.
“High-profile cases related to abuse which have been in the media in recent months have meant that victims with concerns over such activity feel much more confident that their voices will be heard on such matters, perhaps more so than in the past.
“It is vital that anyone affected by the serious issues raised in relation to this centre is given access to the right care and support to help them recover from the huge psychological cars caused by abuse, with such trauma often affecting victims for decades.
“Attention will then need to turn to ensuring that those responsible, where possible, can be held to account and also that lessons will ultimately be learned which will ensure the same issues will never be seen again.”
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