Photographic evidence of men abusing boys in care homes 'deliberately destroyed' by Court Order
A worker at a council where two investigations were carried out into abuse says victim’s photos were ordered to be destroyed.
Channel 4
Photographs of men abusing boys in the North Wales paedophile scandal
were deliberately destroyed by the authorities, it was revealed today.
Sian Griffiths worked for Clwyd Council in the inquiry office on the 1994 Jillings and six years later on the Waterhouse inquiry which looked into the systematic abuse at the children’s homes.
She told ITV News that victim Steve Messham’s photos of alleged abuse were ordered to be destroyed.
Mr Messham says photos captured lots of men raping boys, including a prominent Conservative figure he accuses of abusing him.
He says he could see men’s faces clearly, but the police said they could not identify them from the pictures.
Ms Griffiths was asked: “Messham talked about photos that he had of abuse taking place. Do you know what happened to them?”
“We were supplied with copies of court documents…there was an order made for the book of photos to be destroyed.
“So Messham’s photos of alleged abuse…were destroyed?
“They were. Well that’s what’s in court papers – official documents.”
That could have been vital evidence?
“It could. Yes.”
She added there were people mentioned in the Waterhouse Inquiry in 2000 who probably got away with the abuse.
She said: “I think probably there were. On the basis that the allegations were historical and there was nobody to corroborate what the complainants were saying or files or registers to back up what they were saying.
"I imagine yes there are people who weren’t convicted for their offences.”
Meanwhile, Labour MP Ann Clwyd today revealed she had read the 1994 report by John Jillings into the abuse before it was pulped and called for it to be published.
She said: “It shows rape and torture... the effects on those young boys cannot be underestimated.”
The report was trashed on the insistence of Clwyd Council’s insurers, who feared a wave of writs from victims.
Sian Griffiths worked for Clwyd Council in the inquiry office on the 1994 Jillings and six years later on the Waterhouse inquiry which looked into the systematic abuse at the children’s homes.
She told ITV News that victim Steve Messham’s photos of alleged abuse were ordered to be destroyed.
Mr Messham says photos captured lots of men raping boys, including a prominent Conservative figure he accuses of abusing him.
He says he could see men’s faces clearly, but the police said they could not identify them from the pictures.
Ms Griffiths was asked: “Messham talked about photos that he had of abuse taking place. Do you know what happened to them?”
“We were supplied with copies of court documents…there was an order made for the book of photos to be destroyed.
“So Messham’s photos of alleged abuse…were destroyed?
“They were. Well that’s what’s in court papers – official documents.”
That could have been vital evidence?
“It could. Yes.”
She added there were people mentioned in the Waterhouse Inquiry in 2000 who probably got away with the abuse.
She said: “I think probably there were. On the basis that the allegations were historical and there was nobody to corroborate what the complainants were saying or files or registers to back up what they were saying.
"I imagine yes there are people who weren’t convicted for their offences.”
Meanwhile, Labour MP Ann Clwyd today revealed she had read the 1994 report by John Jillings into the abuse before it was pulped and called for it to be published.
She said: “It shows rape and torture... the effects on those young boys cannot be underestimated.”
The report was trashed on the insistence of Clwyd Council’s insurers, who feared a wave of writs from victims.
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