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UK child migrant so hungry she 'ate grain meant for pigs' UK child migrant so hungry she 'ate grain meant for pigs'
(35 minutes later)
A woman who was sent from England to Australia as a child was molested and left so hungry she ate grain meant for pigs, an inquiry has heard.A woman who was sent from England to Australia as a child was molested and left so hungry she ate grain meant for pigs, an inquiry has heard.
Marcelle O'Brien, now in her 70s, was four years old when she was sent to a home in Pinjarra, western Australia, run by the Fairbridge Society.Marcelle O'Brien, now in her 70s, was four years old when she was sent to a home in Pinjarra, western Australia, run by the Fairbridge Society.
She was molested by her school's deputy principal and caned, the inquiry heard.She was molested by her school's deputy principal and caned, the inquiry heard.
Ms O'Brien is the first victim to give evidence to the Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse. Ms O'Brien was the first victim to give evidence to the Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse.
She described the "mental cruelty" and "sadistic" treatment she endured at the home where she was forced to do "slave labour".She described the "mental cruelty" and "sadistic" treatment she endured at the home where she was forced to do "slave labour".
The inquiry heard she had been told "you've got no parents - they're all dead".
The abuse scandal of the British children sent abroadThe abuse scandal of the British children sent abroad
'Name the villains', abuse inquiry told'Name the villains', abuse inquiry told
How will the inquiry work?How will the inquiry work?
Ms O'Brien described being so hungry that she was reduced to eating grain meant for pigs that were kept at the Fairbridge home. The inquiry heard Ms O'Brien had lived in a "loving and caring" home with a foster mother in Lingfield, Surrey, immediately before being sent abroad.
She told the hearing later after she had left the home and was in employment she raped by three men, but she did not tell anyone about what happened. The foster mother later wrote to the then-Queen, wife of King George VI, in an effort to get Ms O'Brien back to the UK so she could adopt her, the inquiry was told.
"They think you're the instigator - you're the dirty bitch, you asked for it. So what's the point in telling them anything," she said. A letter to the society to the Queen's Lady in Waiting said Ms O 'Brien was "happy at Fairbridge" and to uproot her would "not be in the child's best interests".
The inquiry heard that Ms O'Brien's mother was unaware where daughter had gone. The palace was apparently reassured by the Fairbridge response.
Henrietta Hill QC, counsel to the inquiry, asked: "Is it your understanding that your mother did not know that you had gone to Australia?" A letter from the Lady in Waiting to the society said "the Queen was pleased to hear" that it was considered to be in Ms O'Brien's interests to remain at the school.
"That's true, yes," Ms O'Brien replied, before adding: "She didn't know where I was." Ms O'Brien told the inquiry panel: "They didn't take any notice. The Royal Family just didn't want to know anything. They stopped you from going back to your own original home."
Hurt and angerHurt and anger
Analysis by Tom Symonds, home affairs correspondentAnalysis by Tom Symonds, home affairs correspondent
After the tortured two-and-a half-year birth of this inquiry, it has been hard to remember the reason it was set up. To allow victims of sexual abuse the opportunity to give their accounts. After the tortured two-and-a half-year birth of this inquiry, it has been hard to remember the reason it was set up: namely, to allow victims of sexual abuse the opportunity to give their accounts.
The hurt and anger with which British child migrant Marcelle O'Brien has been left, was plain to see. Much of the inquiry's detailed work is being done out of the public eye, so occasions like this are significant. The hurt and anger with which British child migrant Marcelle O'Brien has been left was plain to see. Much of the inquiry's detailed work is being done out of the public eye, so occasions like this are significant.
It was also clear that the inquiry is interested in links between child abuse and power.It was also clear that the inquiry is interested in links between child abuse and power.
The Fairbridge Society in whose care Marcelle was trusted, had royal and establishment supporters. The evidence showed it was prepared to discredit the birth parents of its children. The Fairbridge Society, in whose care Marcelle was trusted, had royal and establishment supporters. The evidence shows it was prepared to discredit the birth parents of its children.
But the names of the Fairbridge deputy principal Marcelle O'Brien says indecently assaulted her, and the "cottage mother" who treated her so badly, were not given, despite calls for the "guilty to be named". But the names of the Fairbridge deputy principal that Marcelle O'Brien says indecently assaulted her, and the "cottage mother" who treated her so badly were not given, despite calls for the "guilty to be named".
This is not a court. The inquiry has no powers of prosecution, only the remit to make "findings of fact".This is not a court. The inquiry has no powers of prosecution, only the remit to make "findings of fact".
It is trying to avoid reaching conclusions about wrongdoing by individuals, unless they are required to show wrongdoing by institutions.It is trying to avoid reaching conclusions about wrongdoing by individuals, unless they are required to show wrongdoing by institutions.
But that will not satisfy some of its critics.But that will not satisfy some of its critics.
Immediately before being sent abroad, Ms O'Brien had lived with a foster mother in Lingfield, Surrey, which she described as "a loving and caring home". The inquiry later heard from a 70-year-old British man who was sent to live at an Australian "farm school", where he was repeatedly sexually abused and raped.
The foster mother later wrote to the Queen in an effort to get Ms O'Brien back to the UK, the inquiry was told. Giving evidence anonymously, he said he was targeted by a group of older boys who would drag him into the bathroom or into scrub land and "make you do what they wanted you to".
Subsequent correspondence between the Queen's Lady in Waiting and the Fairbridge Society was read out at the hearing. He was also sexually abused by a priest and told the panel: "When he attacked you it was when you got dressed for the choir, he would make sure you were on your own and that's when he would attack you or abuse you."
"The child's undesirable mother wanted her emigrated," said a letter from the society to the Lady in Waiting. The witness lives on his own and says the sexual abuse has made it difficult for him to build relationships with women.
Ms O'Brien told the inquiry this was untrue, adding: "She never wanted that. She wouldn't have wanted that." "I've had to live with this for 62 years now. I live it 7 days a week, 24 hours a day. But you can't get it out of your mind because it's imprinted on your mind. There's no way you can get away from it," he said.
The palace was apparently reassured by the Fairbridge response. 'Angry and disgusted'
A letter from the Lady in Waiting to the society said "the Queen was pleased to hear" that it was considered to be in Ms O'Brien's interests to remain at the school. Another witness, Peter Bagshaw, told the inquiry he had been sexually abused both at homes in England and after he was migrated.
Ms O'Brien told the inquiry panel: "They didn't take any notice. The Royal Family just didn't want to know anything. They stopped you from going back to your own original home." In Australia, he was sexually abused by a large man "who could easily beat me up if he wanted" and he felt powerless to do anything because "I was in a strange country and knew nobody," the panel heard.
The first phase of the inquiry is looking at the way organisations have protected children outside the UK. "I still feel angry and disgusted that any kid would be put through that," his statement said.
The first phase of the child sexual abuse inquiry is looking at the way organisations have protected children outside the UK.
Between 7,000 and 10,000 children were moved to Australia after World War Two.Between 7,000 and 10,000 children were moved to Australia after World War Two.
They were recruited by religious institutions from both the Anglican and Catholic churches, or charities, including Barnardo's and the Fairbridge Society, with the aim of giving them a better life.They were recruited by religious institutions from both the Anglican and Catholic churches, or charities, including Barnardo's and the Fairbridge Society, with the aim of giving them a better life.