Remains of five children found at Jersey care home - but killers will escape justice

13 April 2012

At least five youngsters died in suspicious circumstances at the Jersey children's home of horrors - but no one will be charged with murder, police have revealed.


Their burnt and cut remains were hidden and secretly moved around, but police say it is proving impossible to accurately date when they died.

Announcing defeat yesterday, detectives said it was likely nobody would be brought to justice for their deaths.

Grim: Police have found the remains of five children at Haut de la Garenne

Grim: Police have found the remains of five children at Haut de la Garenne

It comes amid persistent suspicions of a cover-up on the Channel Island and campaigners responded by calling for the British Government to intervene.

Former children's home Haut de la Garenne has been at the centre of a massive abuse probe since human bone fragments and secret 'torture' cellars were discovered there earlier this year.

Police said the search of the home had so far unearthed 150 bone fragments and 65 milk teeth which tests showed did not come from living bodies.

Analysis suggested at least five children aged 4 to 11 died there, and foul play is suspected because many of the bone fragments had been cut or burnt.

Deputy Chief Police Officer Lenny Harper, who is leading the investigation, said the forensic evidence was 'substantially corroborated' by witness statements from former child residents who claim they were victims of terrible sexual and physical abuse.

There were also chilling discoveries of shackles and secret chambers. But to the anger of survivors, he said it would still not be enough to bring murder charges.

Painstaking: Police clear away an area of land at the rear of the home

He said: 'We were pinning our hopes on the process of carbon dating. The latest information we're getting is that for the period we're looking at, it's not going to be possible to give us an exact time of death.

'It is obvious there will not be a homicide inquiry even though these children might have died illegally.'

Mr Harper, who is due to retire in August, said he was unhappy about the results but told the BBC's Today programme: 'I am disappointed but I console myself with the thought that I've done what I can - my team has been absolutely superb.'

Mr Harper has come under severe pressure from Jersey's elite who are fearful of the damage to the island's tourism industry caused by the scandal.

But he said: 'We cannot get away from the fact that we have found the remains of at least five children there, no matter how certain politicians in Jersey would like to attack us.

'Attempts have been made to burn these remains and hide them, so we can't get away from that, but at the end of the day there just might not be the evidence there to bring a homicide inquiry and bring anybody to justice for whatever crimes took place.'

Abuse: Forensic teams discovered teeth and bone fragments in the cellars

Abuse: Forensic teams discovered teeth and bone fragments in the cellars

The former Jersey health minister Stuart Syvret said the UK Government must now step in.

He said: 'The only hope for justice is if London intervenes and it sends a completely independent judiciary, prosecution and courts.'

Liberal Democrat MP John Hemming said the investigation should continue.

He said: 'There are efforts to cover this up, there are no doubts about that. There are a lot of people who are resisting, both in Jersey and on the mainland.

'What is clear is that there are five cases where there is sufficient evidence to prosecute but the prosecution has been shut down in some form or other.'

He said there was corroborating evidence from witnesses that should be enough to mount a case, although it may not be possible to prosecute for murder.

Hidden: There is evidence the children's bodies were burnt and cut up before attempts were made to conceal them

Hidden: There is evidence the children's bodies were burnt and cut up before attempts were made to conceal them

Investigations at the home started in February after the discovery of what was initially believed to be part of a child's skull, though that was later found to be part of a coconut.

Nonetheless scores of people came forward claiming they were drugged, raped and beaten between the early 1960s and 1980s.

Police excavated four secret underground chambers at the site, referred to as punishment rooms by some victims, and found shackles and a large bloodstained bath.

Three men have been charged with sex abuse offences as part of the inquiry into historical abuse.

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