Monday, 6 February 2017

Child Abuse in the Northumbria Police Authrity 1960-2003 Part 1




The investigative and information provider on Child Abuse, Cathy Fox,  who uses the Freedom of Information site whatdotheyknow.com has published an important article on the experiences of a former child in care, Brian Clare, in the context of a police operation (Operation Rose) undertaken by Northumbria Police between 1997 and 2002 which asks if all those who made allegations against residential care officers were appropriately and effectively investigated by the local authorities and residential child care providing agencies.

In part one I reproduce this writing. In part two I attempt to place in context Operation Rose which was not the first major inquiry into Child Abuse conducted by Northumbria Police which covers the local authorities of Northumberland, Sunderland, Newcastle, Gateshead, North and South Tyneside. In 1976 the head of a Newcastle Child Care home was convicted and imprisoned for several offences against children. There was a subsequent investigation involving Police from North Wales why so many children from Newcastle were sent to a private home where its owners have twice been convicted and imprisoned, with other staff for offences against Children. There was a police investigation involving children who had been placed with Sunderland Council over 1991 and 1992. There were other investigations before and since.

An independent national Inquiry for England and Wales reported in 1997, the government published its response in 1998 and Parliament considered the recommendations, and the Government brought forward a three-year plan which involved significant additional expenditure. In 2002 the House of Commons Home Affairs Select committee decided to investigate police methods and if victims were colluding to achieve compensation and I include the information provided by Northumbria Police. I then explain my involvement in relation to the 1991/1992 Police investigation and in 1997 which led to a second police investigation which was undertaken by the officer already involved with the separate Operation Rose.  I conclude with a copy of the submission from the Association of Chief Constables to the Home Affairs select committee.



Part 1



The story of child abuse in the North East has not come out properly yet.
Operation Rose was one of the biggest child sexual abuse operations yet it remains largely unknown, and children’s homes and institutions which came under it have still not had the truth told in public. Indeed, most of the children’s homes and institutions that were investigated are still unknown by the public.
"Operation Rose was launched in 1997 by Northumbria Police after complaints were made that care workers and teachers had abused children in the past.
The three-year investigation involving 40 detectives led to 32 people being charged with a total of 142 offences. In total, 260 residents and former residents of 61 children’s homes made 503 allegations against 197 care workers for alleged physical and sexual abuse.
Of the 32 that were charged, six were found guilty and jailed for a total of 25 years and one other person pleaded guilty. Four suspects died prior to trial." [2]
Sunderland Council, who must shoulder much of the blame for child abuse in homes run by them, has recently been exemplary in releasing information see Witherwack Category [7] and Sunderland Category [3]
Northumberland Police have much of the information are refusing to release any information so far because it would take them too long to look through it.
" There are over 18,000 documents in relation to Operation Rose, of which there are approximately 90 storage boxes of hard copy documents. This includes over 12,000 actions, over 3,000 statements, and over 4,000 questionnaires. There are also approximately 50 storage boxes of exhibits."
Various requests are here.  I have found them one of the most unhelpful authorities.
2013 Apr 22 Northumbria Police FOI Recommendations on investigating child abuse for Northumbria Police [9] 
2013 Apr 23 Northumbria Police FOI Operation Rose information  [8]
2013 Aug 8 Northumbria Police FOI Reports from the Rose Inquiry and Care Homes involved [10] 
2013 Aug 8  Northumbria Police Operation Rose and Catalogue of Inquiry documents [4]
2013 Oct 14 Northumbria Police FOI Holmes database [11] 
Is this because they are incompetent and cannot file and retrieve documents efficiently or it is because they are covering up their part in the child abuse scandal in the North East?

This account was written by Brian Clare as far back as about 1992 on Dads Place Forum. Brian is one of the best known and longest serving campaigners against child sexual abuse.
A Story of a Real Survivor of Institutional Abuse - 'Survivor' - Brian Clare
I was born on the 23rd January 1968. In 1977 at the age of nine years old I was taken into the care of the local authority by the then, Sunderland Borough Council's, Social Services Department. As a child, I was a 'problem child' and I lived with my mother who was a single parent.
During my early years, my behaviour was such that my mother enlisted the support of Sunderland Social Services, and together, they decided that the care home system was the only way to control me. I understand that the reason I was taken into care was since I had Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD).
On or about 25 January 1977 I was placed in a local authority assessment centre and I remained there for one a half years. Between 18 July 1977and 26 August 1977 I was placed in a children’s' home in Northumberland.
I was returned to the assessment home between 26 August 1977 and 16 February 1978 before being transferred to another home in Sunderland, until September 1978, when again I was moved back to the assessment home. On 8 January 1979 I was moved to a very notorious home and I left care completely shortly before my 16th birthday.
Stannington Grove Hospital Before I was subjected to a care order, at the age of six I was admitted to Stannington Grove Hospital. I recall daily having been subjected to abuse. I was frequently being punched and hit by other children. The staff chose to do nothing about it.
Emsworth House Assessment Centre When I first entered Emsworth House I was eight years old. I recall clearly, being taken to a side room with my mother. I ran away from the home shortly after admission and the only reason was simply to be with my mam.
My punishment for running away was to regarded as a runaway risk and I was therefore treated like a prisoner. The secure unit was like a cell. I remember that there were no light switches or door handles on the inside of the room and there was one plastic light fitting in the centre of the ceiling.
In the door to the room there was a single square window which looked out onto the hall outside. The glass of course was reinforced. The bed was a rudimentary block with a mattress sat on it. The mattress and the pillows all had plastic covers on and there was no real bedding to speak of.
Anyway, I had to be content with my surroundings as I was required to spend seventeen hours in the secure unit each day. I have horrible memories of long nights spent in that room and it would true to say that suicide crossed my mind on many occasions. I stole a knife from the class room, during the day, to cut my wrists.
I hid it under the mattress. I never did go through with it I was allowed out of the secure unit during the day to attend a class room. I have distinct memories of an old lady who clearly liked her job., who used to teach in the class. She regularly placed drawing pins on my chair and forced me to sit on them.
She was also very fond of the ruler as a means of corporal punishment and she would often strike my knuckles with it. Another feature of class was the dunce hat, it was a conical hat, like you see in the cartoons. We would be made to wear this hat at times when we were considered to have done something wrong or stupid.
My education was not furthered because of any of my time spent in that class room. In the secure unit, I would be forced to go without clothes and had to go for periods of time, naked. Not only was this very cold but it was also degrading for an eight-year-old boy. Night times were especially bad at Emsworth.
I recall one male worker who would visit my room on a night and stand outside of my room looking through the glass at me. He would then switch the light on quickly for five to twenty minutes. This used to be make me very scared. I can see no other reason why he would do this at all, other than to make me frightened.
The same member of staff also abused me sexually. He had previously been a priest. He used to fondle my genitals and he would pull my pyjama bottoms down. At the time my hair was like Michael Jackson's and my pyjama top had a picture of Michael Jackson on it. This man made me masturbate him. He also raped me which caused me intense pain. To this day, it is extremely traumatic to talk about the sexual abuse I was subjected to.
Witherwack House the Most Notorious On 8 January 1979 I was transferred to Witherwack House, it was a couple of weeks before my eleventh birthday. As far as I know I was the very first resident in the home after it opened and I remained there until 1984. This was to be the worst five years of my live.
Almost immediately after moving to Witherwack House I was subjected to constant physical and psychological abuse by members of staff and 'care' workers. I was constantly picked on by members of staff who dragged me around by my neck; punched me, grabbed me by the testicles, gave me black eyes and a broken nose.
I was also forced into a bath of hot water and then cold water. When I was alone the staff beat me, punching me repeatedly with both fists in the stomach and my head, causing great pain. During one such instance I screamed and cried for them to stop but they just kept on beating me. I begged them and still it went on.
I was also sexually assaulted by a male member of staff who later became involved with child protection. He informed me that he would single me out for punishment the forms of punishment employed by the staff at Witherwack House included restraint techniques.
On one occasion my arm was held up my back so badly my shoulder blade needed medical treatment. My thumb would be bent backwards. until it touched my forearm. This was done at least daily and was extremely painful. I suffer from epilepsy and I believe this was caused by my head being hit of objects.
This was not reasonable punishment and force being used - this was evil. I often heard screams of other residents being abused. Indeed, I witnessed a rape of a girl who was eight or nine at the time - I tried to intervene but I was beaten senseless for my trouble - it was the best kicking of my life.
I was assaulted at least five or six times a day. On one occasion I was raped. Children were encouraged to have sex with each other and if we didn't we would be kicked and beaten all over again. I was also bullied by other children at the home, by the order of the staff - I carry the scars on my head to prove it.
Even now I have flashbacks and nightmares about the abuse. My life has been spoiled because of the abuse I have suffered, I do not trust people and sit and study people to try and understand them because I still feel people want to hurt me.
I believe that the Director of Social Services was fully aware of the abuse that went on as was the Assistant Director of Social Services.
Today and Tomorrow........... Because of my experiences, I have avidly campaigned against child abuse and spoken with local and national media on many occasions to spread the message and raise the awareness of child abuse amongst the public.
In a similar way to when I was in care when I felt it was my duty to absorb the abuse suffered by others, I continue to feel it is my responsibility as a survivor, to try and prevent it happening to others. I have canvassed my local MP and the Government for 15 years; I was awarded damages, but not Justice.
-
The abuse at Medomsley, Durham is finally receiving some way overdue attention thanks to some brave survivors and Operation Seabrook was opened in 2013. At present the CPS appear to be taking a long time to decide who goes to trial but hopefully a decision is imminent and favourable for survivors. See the Monsters of Medomsley blog for updates Operation Seabrook - Medomsley Detention Centre [5]
It is also unclear whether Medomsley, investigated by Durham Police was part of Operation Rose, although it could have been.
Please note that victims of abuse may be triggered by reading this information. These links are generally UK based.
·        The Sanctuary for the Abused [A] has advice on how to prevent triggers.
·        National Association for People Abused in Childhood [B] has a freephone helpline and has links to local support groups.
·        Other useful sites are One in Four [C]
·        and Havoca [D].
·        Useful post on Triggers [E]  from SurvivorsJustice [F] blog.
·        Jim Hoppers pages on Mindfulness [G]  and Meditation [H] may be useful.
·        Hwaairfan blog An Indigenous Australian Approach to Healing Trauma  [J]
·        Survivors UK for victims and survivors of male rape or the sexual abuse of men [K]
·        Voicing CSA group [L] helps arrange survivors meetings in your area
·        A Prescription for me blog Various emotional support links [M]
·        ShatterBoys -“Male Survivors Of Childhood Sexual Abuse Inspiring change, Through Shared Experience Whilst Building Connections…Together We Can Heal” [N]

Links
[2] 2002 The Journal ‘Carers and teachers had their lives ruined’ via Needleblog Beaconhill Children’s Home https://theneedleblog.wordpress.com/operation-greenlight/north-west-england/northumberland/beaconhill-childrens-home/
[3] Cathy Fox Blog Category Sunderland https://cathyfox.wordpress.com/?s=sunderland
[4] 2013 Aug 8 Cathy Fox to Northumbria Police Operation Rose and Catalogue of Inquiry documents https://www.whatdotheyknow.com/request/operation_rose_and_catalogue_of#incoming-417460
[5] 2017 Jan 16 Monsters of Medomsley blog Operation Seabrook - Medomsley Detention Centre http://themonsterofmedomsley.blogspot.co.uk/2017/01/operation-seabrook-medomsley-detention.html
[6] 2007 May Brian Clares old blog Operation Rose "My Story" http://operationrose.blogspot.co.uk/2007/05/my-story.html
[7] Cathy Fox Blog Witherwack Category https://cathyfox.wordpress.com/?s=witherwack
[8] 2013 Apr 23 Northumbria Police FOI Operation Rose information https://www.whatdotheyknow.com/request/operation_rose_information#comment-39810
[9] 2013 Apr 22 Northumbria Police FOI Recommendations on investigating child abuse for Northumbria Police https://www.whatdotheyknow.com/request/recommendations_on_investigating#outgoing-269231
[10] 2013 Aug 8 Northumbria Police FOI Reports from the Rose Inquiry and Care Homes involved https://www.whatdotheyknow.com/request/reports_from_the_rose_inquiry_an#incoming-442040
[11] 2013 Oct 14 Northumbria Police FOI Holmes database https://www.whatdotheyknow.com/request/holmes_database#incoming-439468
[F] SurvivorsJustice Blog http://survivorsjustice.com/
[J] 2016 Jan 5 Hwaairfan blog An Indigenous Australian Approach to Healing Trauma https://hwaairfan.wordpress.com/2016/01/05/an-indigenous-australian-approach-to-healing-trauma/
[K] Survivors UK website for victims and survivors of male rape or the sexual abuse of men https://www.survivorsuk.org/ and twitter https://twitter.com/SurvivorsUK
[L] Voicing CSA website – http://voicingcsa.uk/ helps arrange survivors meetings in your area. Voicing CSA supports the IICSA and VSCP and works to help adult survivors of child sexual abuse find their voice
[M] A Prescription for me blog Various emotional support links https://aprescriptionforme.wordpress.com/help/#emotionalsupport
[N] ShatterBoys -“Male Survivors Of Childhood Sexual Abuse Inspiring change, Through Shared Experience Whilst Building Connections…Together We Can Heal”.  blog – https://shatterboysuk.wordpress.com/ email – shatterboysuk@gmail.com facebook – https://www.facebook.com/shatterboysuk/?fref=ts twitter – @Shatter_Boys_UK
This is all written in good faith but if there is anything that needs to be corrected please email correctionsrose1@cathyfox.33mail.com quoting the article title
If you would like to contact me in confidence, please email confidencesrose1@cathyfox.33mail.com
cathyfox
the truth will out, the truth will shout, the truth will set us free
“The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is that good men do nothing” – Edmund Burke
“He who does not bellow the truth when he knows the truth makes himself the accomplice of liars and forgers.” Charles Peguy
To sin by silence when we should protest makes cowards out of men  – Ella  Wheeler Wilcox
Every time we act in the face of fear, we dilute it’s power and increase our confidence – via Gary Havener
“Our lives begin to end the day we become silent about things that matter” – Martin Luther King Jr.
Only the small secrets need to be protected, the large ones are kept secret by public incredulity - Marshall McLuhan





Part 2

There are several aspects of this review of what happened to Mr Clare during his period in residential care and the originally separate Operation Rose, Northumbria police Operation to which you refer which merits comment. The first is that the numbers of Homes, complainants and alleged perpetrators which you have included have not been published before, and for once, you do not provide a reference for the overall totals and which are important if they can be substantiated. If the numbers of alleged victims can be substantiated, then there is a question mark over the thoroughness of past police investigations where according to the official report by Northumbria police in 2002 trawling was applied in relation to one in ten of the former residents of the homes investigated.

There are three issues. The first is the extent of police investigations and their outcome since Operations Rose was ended in 2002, In his respect I was advised by Northumbria Police at a meeting with them in 2014 of a recent successful prosecution in relation to one staff member of a home closed over a decade before and which had been the subject of a Department of Health special inspection 1991/1992 and which has been published online.  The investigation and any prosecution after 2002 will be part of the annual statistical information in police authorities and it will be interesting to learn if the National Inquiry has requested such information or it has been requested by the Home Affairs Select Committee of the House of Commons. For each police authority in England Wales how many persons have been investigated and how many convictions obtained in relation to offences of child abuse committed before 2002?

Secondly, since the publicity concerning the conviction of Savile thousands of victim survivors have self-referred themselves to the police and since 2014 been referred through the non-statutory and statutory national inquiry for England and Wales which is focussed on sexual abuse.  Large numbers of survivors are reported to have come forward. It will therefore be of value to break down the information between the period before 2002, between 2002 and the conviction of Saville and the period since.

Thirdly, there are number of complicating issues. The National Inquiry and its referral system to the police is focussed on sexual abuse.  For the past two nights (February 2nd and 3rd Channel 4 news at 7pm as featured two programmes which allege the Church of England at its highest levels covered up the excessive and inappropriate use of physical chastisement by one individual. The extent of excessive damaging and inappropriate physical discipline of children, one form of child abuse, has been side stepped by government in terms of holding any form of inquiry into its extent, although much physical violence towards children and adults has a sexual aspect.

At the age of 12 when attending an independent Catholic school, I was physically assaulted together with at least half a dozen boys at the same time because the French master (not a priest) did not like the way we pronounced a simple phrase. I was ashamed to say anything at home because I had cried. However, one of the others must have done so because the master was never seen again at the school.  Many children have coped with physical punishment without experiencing long term consequences but in my instance, it was part of a chain of experiences which had commenced early childhood. I will write about these experiences if I become comfortable about doing so.

In 1992 the Guardian newspaper published my article on the more general reasons why I resigned from my position as Director of Social Services, Sunderland after just over one year, having been a Director of Social Services, South Tyneside from 1974 to 1990, and become an ad hoc Department of Health Inspector of Social Services in 1987, which required signing the official secrets acts. In the article, I wrote of the difficulty of separating the cause and effect of what happened before going into care from what happened during care in relation to the impact on the rest of our lives in terms of our subsequent behaviour and relationships. Those of us who have had challenging childhoods are likely to interpret the experiences of others through our own, and to do with less objectivity than those whose childhoods are looked back upon with a genuine fondness.

It is wrong and damaging for any child to experience any form of abuse and the impact on the child will be no different if happened in residential care, in a foster home by adopters, by a relative, someone known who holds a position of authority or trust, or by a stranger. Those who fail to stop someone abusing, protect that individual or cover up and where the individual continues to commit offences, are in my judgement just as guilty of causing harm as the individual perpetrator. How many individuals have been investigated and then charged, prosecuted and convicted for the offence of conspiracy to pervert the course of justice in this respect before 2002, between 2002 and 2012 and for each year since?

There are questions to be asked about any accumulation of numbers involving complex situations and complex people, especially when those providing the information face career threats if they do not meet targets, have made mistakes, or have not been as good at their job as they should be. It is always important to understand the context especially if the numbers reflect long periods of time, or have changed over a period.

Returning to the numbers involved specific to Operation Rose it is important to understand that only part of these relate to Sunderland Council. Operation Rose commenced in 1997 because of the report to the police of one former girl in care in relation to a Newcastle managed establishment and the second investigation focussed on Sunderland (the first was during1991-1993) commenced in relation to some new allegations from former children in care not previously investigated, so in 1998 they were investigated by the same officers involved in Operation Rose. Chief superintending Inspector Dave Wilson made clear the position at a recorded media conference in 1997. I retain a copy of all regional media from that time together with a chronological summary and commentary.

The significance of establishing if the total of past allegations investigated by the police is accurate is that it has never been clear before if all the allegations and concerns referred during 1991/1992, in 1997 and in 1998 or included in the 2002/2003 civil action for reparations were investigated by the police and in appropriate instances referred to the Crown Prosecution service and to the courts. In 2002 my pro bono lawyers and those representing 60 former children involved in the Civil Action provided lists of former children, alleged perpetrators and homes for me to check on possible overlaps.

There were over 100 names of complainants but only three names were on both lists.  Some of the information given to the Police, the Department of Health and the Secretary of State for Social Services 1991/1993 did not specify potential perpetrators but the total I could establish was in the order of 120.  The number of local authority homes or homes provided by other bodies was approximately 60.

You will appreciate that Medomsley was not in the category of establishments mentioned. Medomsley was a Detention Centre managed directly by the prison department of the Home Office and where such establishments are now managed by the Department of Justice. It was not located in the area managed by the Northumbria Police Force which covers Northumberland and the five local authorities of Tyne and Wear. Sunderland the largest authority, and where I was Director of Social Services 1991/1992, Newcastle, Gateshead, North Tyneside and South Tyneside where I was Director of Social Services 1974/1990. Three of four longest serving Directors of Services/Directors of Social Work in the UK worked for authorities in Tyne and Wear.  The Director of Social Services Newcastle 1971-1993 and who have been Children’s officer at Newcastle and before that at Gateshead where he described the hostel for Girls as the town brothel, and the Director of Social Services Sunderland 1971-1990.

Official statements about Operation Rose were made in the form of memorandum submitted to the 2002-2003 House of Commons Home Affairs Select Committee chaired by the Sunderland South, Member of Parliament, Chris Mullin in their fourth report to Parliament concerned with investigations into allegations of past child abuse and on the question of reparations. The main recommendation was that trawling of former children and investigations into the past should stop unless authorised by a Judge and Civil actions in such cases should become part of a reformed Criminal Injuries Board system. Former Prime Minister David Cameron and present Deputy Leader of the Labour Party Tom Watson were members together with Mr David Winnick who remains a member. It is for this reason the National Inquiry continues to have difficulty in responding to requests from a committee which is part of one the institutions that it is said was involved in the alleged cover up. Another chairman of this Committee was employed as a solicitor in two of the local authorities under investigation by the Statutory Committee. I am not suggesting complicity in cover up by any member of the Home Affairs Committee, past or present, but it is the kind of association which led to the first two chairmen of the original non-statutory inquiry standing down. A solution is for an ad hoc committee of both Houses to be created to which the National Inquiry could present published reports and answers questions.

Indeed, when in 1991 as Director of Social Services, Sunderland, I decided I had no alternative but to draw the attention of Northumbria police to matters that had come to my attention, I made the point that I was not commenting on the validity of the allegations but believed they should have been referred to the police because of what was alleged and which the Crown in subsequent criminal proceedings described as akin to torture. It is not generally known that consequently I was asked by defence lawyers as well as Northumbria Police to give evidence at the Pre-Trial hearing of criminal proceedings in 1993, meeting with the prosecution and Northumbria Police beforehand and spending a day in a room with the former children who were crown witnesses in proceedings which led to two convictions and one finding of not guilty, separated from the Councillors and Council officers who were also asked to attend.

Similarly, there has been the ongoing belief that I have been gagged or silenced from talking about matters in relation to Sunderland Council because of an Order of the High Court made in 1993, following on from a similar Order made in relation to Northumbria Police arising from a widely-circulated article by Nick Davies in the Guardian in 1998, part of a three-article investigation which he has placed on line with his other articles.

The 1993 Order specified that all the documentation involved and listed in an affidavit is protected and cannot be destroyed unless I authorise and the Order also makes clear my ongoing ability to communicate about matters, including confidential and restricted matters with central and local government, the police and the judicial system. This enabled me to communicate with Secretaries of State in 1997 before and after the General Election and Northumbria Police, and being visited at my home to discuss access to confidential information in 1999 which I referred to my pro bono lawyers.

I referred matters to the Solicitor General in 1998 and followed the written advice given by someone who became Permanent Secretary Cabinet office 2010-2015 and is presently Permanent Secretary at the Department of Justice. I had contact, and a meeting, with Northumbria Police in 2014, after communicating with the then Secretary of State for Education, and have had periodic communication with Sunderland Council since the autumn of 2013. As your report states, uniquely, Sunderland Council has been able to publish some information which at the time I marked private and confidential thus disclosing the names as well as the designations of those circulated. All public officials, particularly those who have worked or had responsibility for child protection and social services more generally are restricted from disclosing matters about individuals which come to their attention during their official work.

It is also important to stress that local authorities were prevented from admitting liability about what happened to children in care and in other institutions or at the hands of those employed by all forms of national institutions by the Liability insurers they are required to have contracts unless they are to manage liability directly as some authorities have chosen to do. In 1993 Sunderland Council was instructed by its Liability Insurers to initiate High Court Injunctions to prevent information which Northumbria Police had passed from me to the prosecution and to lawyers for the defence becoming public through criminal proceedings.
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