This article is from the source 'bbc' and was first published or seen on . It will not be checked again for changes.
You can find the current article at its original source at http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/rss/-/1/hi/world/europe/jersey/7723860.stm
The article has changed 9 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
| Version 7 | Version 8 |
|---|---|
| 'No child murders' in Jersey home | 'No child murders' in Jersey home |
| (10 minutes later) | |
| Detectives probing alleged abuse at a Jersey children's home have said no-one was murdered there and previously released evidence had been inaccurate. | Detectives probing alleged abuse at a Jersey children's home have said no-one was murdered there and previously released evidence had been inaccurate. |
| The Deputy Chief Officer, David Warcup, said there was no evidence that any children had been murdered or bodies destroyed at the former home. | The Deputy Chief Officer, David Warcup, said there was no evidence that any children had been murdered or bodies destroyed at the former home. |
| Police are investigating abuse claims centring on Haut de la Garenne home. | Police are investigating abuse claims centring on Haut de la Garenne home. |
| Former police chief Lenny Harper said he was "surprised" by the comments, which misrepresented what he had said. | Former police chief Lenny Harper said he was "surprised" by the comments, which misrepresented what he had said. |
| Mr Warcup expressed "much regret" at "misleading" information released by his predecessor on items found at the property. | Mr Warcup expressed "much regret" at "misleading" information released by his predecessor on items found at the property. |
| Detectives said only three of the bone fragments found could be human, and two of these were hundreds of years old. | Detectives said only three of the bone fragments found could be human, and two of these were hundreds of years old. |
| Detective Superintendent Michael Gradwell then discredited a number of the claims made about the operation by the island's former deputy chief officer, Lenny Harper. | Detective Superintendent Michael Gradwell then discredited a number of the claims made about the operation by the island's former deputy chief officer, Lenny Harper. |
| • After being examined by experts from the British Museum, a fragment thought to have been from a skull turned out to be a piece of Victorian coconut shell. | • After being examined by experts from the British Museum, a fragment thought to have been from a skull turned out to be a piece of Victorian coconut shell. |
| • "Shackles" found in rubble turned out to be "a rusty piece of metal", and there was no evidence to suggest it had been used for anything suspicious. | • "Shackles" found in rubble turned out to be "a rusty piece of metal", and there was no evidence to suggest it had been used for anything suspicious. |
| • There was no blood in the cellar, and the bath blood was said to have been found in had not been used since 1920. | • There was no blood in the cellar, and the bath blood was said to have been found in had not been used since 1920. |
| • The "secret underground chambers" were just holes in the floor, "not dungeons or cellars". | • The "secret underground chambers" were just holes in the floor, "not dungeons or cellars". |
| • Most of the 170 pieces of bone found in the search came from animals. Three were human and two of these dated from between 1470-1670 and 1650-1950 respectively. | |
| Mr Warcup said: "Our assessment is that the forensic recoveries do not indicate that there have been murders of children or other persons at Haut de la Garenne. | Mr Warcup said: "Our assessment is that the forensic recoveries do not indicate that there have been murders of children or other persons at Haut de la Garenne. |
| "Nor do we believe that the evidence indicates that bodies have been destroyed, buried or hidden at Haut de la Garenne. | "Nor do we believe that the evidence indicates that bodies have been destroyed, buried or hidden at Haut de la Garenne. |
| "It's very unfortunate and I very much regret that information was put into the public domain by the States of Jersey police about certain finds at Haut de la Garenne, which was not strictly accurate." | "It's very unfortunate and I very much regret that information was put into the public domain by the States of Jersey police about certain finds at Haut de la Garenne, which was not strictly accurate." |
| The investigation into the home had cost "just over £4m", Mr Warcup added. | The investigation into the home had cost "just over £4m", Mr Warcup added. |
| Mr Gradwell said the child abuse inquiry would continue. | Mr Gradwell said the child abuse inquiry would continue. |
| He said: "The purpose of today is to say there is a child abuse inquiry but in terms of Haut de la Garenne, there was no murder." | He said: "The purpose of today is to say there is a child abuse inquiry but in terms of Haut de la Garenne, there was no murder." |
| The officer said he was not blaming Mr Harper, adding: "I am not judge, juror or executioner - I am not looking to apportion blame." | The officer said he was not blaming Mr Harper, adding: "I am not judge, juror or executioner - I am not looking to apportion blame." |
| Jersey's Chief Minister, Senator Frank Walker, and the newly appointed Home Affairs Minister, Deputy Andrew Lewis, will outline their response to the developments later. | Jersey's Chief Minister, Senator Frank Walker, and the newly appointed Home Affairs Minister, Deputy Andrew Lewis, will outline their response to the developments later. |
| Jersey Police launched the investigation into the Haut de la Garenne site, which was a youth hostel in recent years, in 2006. | Jersey Police launched the investigation into the Haut de la Garenne site, which was a youth hostel in recent years, in 2006. |
| It became public in February when officers said they had found what was believed to be part of a child's skull but was in fact a piece of coconut. | It became public in February when officers said they had found what was believed to be part of a child's skull but was in fact a piece of coconut. |
| Scores of people then came forward saying they had been abused at the home between the early 1960s and 1986. | Scores of people then came forward saying they had been abused at the home between the early 1960s and 1986. |