JUDGE APPEALS FOR NORTH WALES CHILD ABUSE SURVIVORS TO COME FORWARD

The deadline for people to come forward is March 29th 2013

Full details of the New Inquiry including contact details can be found at

http://www.justice.gov.uk/news/press-releases/macur-review/call-for-evidence

Commenting on the call for further evidence, Mrs Justice Macur said:

'To ensure I can thoroughly investigate allegations that the abuse of children in care in North Wales was not investigated in the course of the 'Waterhouse Inquiry' I am seeking further views on the issues relating to this Inquiry.

'We want to hear from as many individuals and interested parties as possible. This paper offers an opportunity for people and organisations to provide information or evidence that may help to provide some answers.'

Some of the questions we are seeking views on are:

1. Were the terms of reference for the Waterhouse Inquiry sufficiently wide to address all matters of legitimate public interest and/or disquiet concerning allegations of continuing abuse of children in care and the nature of child care procedures and practice in North Wales?
2. Was any undue restriction placed upon the terms of reference to prevent a full inquiry or examination of the evidence in order to protect any individual or organisation?
3. If not, did the Tribunal appear to restrict the terms of reference to avoid investigation or examination of relevant evidence?
4. Was any pressure brought to bear upon those participating in the Inquiry whether as members of the Tribunal, its staff, legal teams, witnesses or contributors to deflect, deter or conceal evidence of relevance to the Waterhouse Inquiry?
5. Were witnesses prevented or discouraged otherwise from giving relevant oral evidence or making statements? If so, by whom and/or in what circumstances?
6. Were all relevant witnesses invited to furnish statements and/or be heard by the Inquiry? If not, why not?
7. Were witnesses given adequate support (e.g. legal advice, advocacy or counselling) to facilitate giving evidence to the Inquiry?
8. Were the arrangements made for the Inquiry, including but not limited to, notice of the Inquiry and its proceedings, witness interviewing, location of Tribunal headquarters, configuration of hearing chamber, oral evidence taking, conducive to encourage the participation of relevant witnesses?

SURVIVORS   of sexual abuse at care homes in North Wales were today  again asked to come forward to aid the  fresh review into the disturbing claims.

Mrs Justice Macur is leading a review of the original Waterhouse Inquiry, which focused on claims at homes in the former council areas of Gwynedd and Clwyd since 1974.

The judge is looking at whether specific allegations were not investigated and urged alleged victims and all other interested parties to give further evidence.

Operation Pallial, led by Keith Bristow, Director General of the National Crime Agency, and the NSPCC have jointly rteceoved information from over 100 alleged victims since the begiunning of Novermber. The deadline for people to come forward is March 29. 

Justice Macur said: “To ensure I can thoroughly investigate allegations that the abuse of children in care in North Wales was not investigated in the course of the Waterhouse Inquiry I am seeking further views on the issues relating to this inquiry.
“We want to hear from as many individuals and interested parties as possible. This paper offers an opportunity for people and organisations to provide information or evidence that may help to provide some answers.”
Her review will run alongside a separate investigation by the National Crime Agency (NCA) that will look at the original police handling of the case and any other allegations made more recently.
The investigations follow allegations by one of the victims, Steve Messham, who said the original inquiry examined only a fraction of the claims of abuse.
That led to false child abuse allegations being made against former Tory politician Lord McAlpine.
Retired High Court judge Sir Ronald Waterhouse was appointed to head the original judicial inquiry that examined allegations of abuse of children in care.
The three-year investigation began in 1996, sat for more than 200 days and heard evidence from 259 complainants, of whom 129 gave oral testimony.
The report noted that for the “vast majority” of them this was the first opportunity for their accounts to be publicised and “very many of them expressed satisfaction” that this was achieved.
More recently, former residents of the Bryn Estyn children’s home in north Wales have complained that the inquiry, which reported in 2000, focused too narrowly on abuse by staff within the institution.
There have been claims that boys were taken outside the home for abuse by a paedophile network.
An intensive investigation by North Wales Police began in 1991, in which about 2,600 statements were obtained from individuals and which resulted in eight prosecutions and seven convictions of former care workers.
But speculation continued in North Wales that the actual abuse was on a much greater scale than the convictions suggested.
Mrs Justice Macur will look at whether the terms of reference for the Waterhouse Inquiry were wide enough and if restrictions were placed on the inquiry to protect any individual or organisation.
She will also consider whether witnesses were prevented or discouraged from giving relevant evidence.
The Macur review, set up by Justice secretary Chris Grayling in November, has asked for all responses to be received by March 29.