10/12/2012 Inside Out South West

Hello, and welcome to Inside Out South West - stories and

investigations from where you live. Tonight, the Jersey child abuse

scandal. Will a long-awaited enquiry bring justice to victims?

This is the last chance for the survivors to be able to have their

say, for the truth to be exposed, and for everything to be documented

and evidenced. And as police investigate claims on the island

against Jimmy Savile, we speak to the man who ran the Jersey abuse

enquiry. If we had got that evidence, all of what's happening

now might not be happening, because we would have gone and got him.

Nick Baker explores a jewel of the South Devon coast.

What a great place it is! Berry Head's always been a favourite of

mine. I'm Sam Smith and this is Inside

Out South West. The Jimmy Savile scandal is posing

tough questions of many institutions, including the BBC. A

criminal investigation into Savile and his possible accomplices in

child abuse has thrown the spotlight onto Jersey and the

island's past enquiry into the abuse of children in care.

Campaigners hope there will now be prosecutions of suspects identified

during that enquiry but never brought to court.

The public face of Jimmy Savile. Good morning Spotlight viewers.

Here we are in Jersey creating a bit of litter lout, but it doesn't

really matter because I'm going to sweep up afterwards for three

shillings an hour. The DJ, TV star and charity fundraiser holding

court at Jersey's Battle of Flowers in 1969. Have a look at my queen.

This is my queen. There she is - gorgeous. My queen is marvellous.

She is the most beautiful queen you ever saw in your life - how about

that, then? But the revelations about Savile's dark side have

revived appalling memories on the island. Sarah was abused for years

at Jersey's now notorious children's home, Haut de la Garenne.

Now she lives in chaos, dependent on alcohol. But she's clear about

one thing. Jimmy Savile came to Haut de la Garenne. He came several

times. Sarah says she became a victim of Savile during one of his

regular visits to the home in the '70s. He was a dirty bustard.

Carrie Modral campaigns for victims of abuse. She told me that in 2008

she went to the police on other accusations whilst living at Haut

de la Garenne, on abuse that she suffered, and that she'd also

mentioned that Jimmy Savile had visited. And they were in the great

hall at Haut de la Garenne and he started touching her

inappropriately - hands rubbing up and down her body and tried to put

his hand up her skirt. She was 11 at the time. Her sister, who was

also there, was nine at the time. I believe that because of the abuse

she was already suffering, she knew what was going to happen or likely

to happen and she quickly got away from him, grabbed her sister and

dragged them out of the hall. disturbing as such allegations are,

Savile is only the most high profile of a number of suspected

abusers linked to Jersey's care homes. Victims like Sarah believe

the island's authorities failed to bring not just Savile to book, but

many other perpetrators. She's one of more than 100 people now

claiming compensation for what they suffered. Joe, who says he was

abused while in care, is one of them.

Well, sexual abuse and other things happened. I was in there for more

than 18 months and the abuse went on almost the full 18 months.

you tell anybody about it? I was told not to. By? By the persons.

Because we were just children, If we told anyone they wouldn't

believe us anyway. Joe, Sarah and others feel they've

been denied justice, despite a long and costly inquiry into allegations

of abuse on Jersey stretching back to the 1940s. What had lain a dark

secret for so many decades began to be exposed in 2006, when the then

commanding officer of the Jersey Sea Cadets was arrested for

downloading pornographic images. Jersey police began reviewing other

complaints. They made their investigation public and by 2007

nearly 70 people had come forward with allegations of abuse. Sarah

decided it was time to tell her story. Her son went to the police

with her. My mum gave details of what happened, very harrowing

details. I found it very, very distressing to be there with my mum,

but I felt I had to support her because there was no-one else.

flood of allegations against Savile has brought back his mum's worst

memories. The news re-ignites this, recently Jimmy Savile. She's, she's

crumbled under it, she hasn't... She's not strong enough to cope

with it. Jersey police say they have no record of Sarah reporting

abuse by Savile. They do say, however, they had a complaint about

him from someone else. The man - John - recently went on Jersey's

Channel TV to repeat what he told police in 2009. He put me on his

knee and he put his hand up my leg and then it went further and that

was it. When he'd finished doing whatever he did, I felt dirty

afterwards. And horrid. We've learned that John's complaint was

passed to the island's prosecutors, who decided there wasn't enough

evidence to proceed. I'm very, very angry because I did mention it to

the police before and I don't think they even spoke to him. The officer

who started the wider abuse investigation had retired by then.

I never saw statements saying that "Jimmy Savile assaulted me." I wish

I had, I really wish I had because if we had got that evidence, all of

what's happening now might not be happening, because we would have

gone and got him. That would have been a huge, significant boost to

the confidence of the victims if we'd gone and arrested Jimmy Savile.

And I make no apologies for saying that because we were in that

situation at the time where we needed to boost the confidence of

the victims in coming forward because they'd been so badly

treated. While John's allegation didn't lead to a prosecution, the

wider inquiry had been making progress since 2008 when a

disturbing find ignited media interest worldwide. This was not a

chance discovery. Specialist police search teams had been working their

way through Haut de la Garenne and its grounds since Tuesday. This

morning they discovered what appear to be the remains of a child's body.

Harper had received allegations of torture and even possible child

murder at Haut de la Garenne. So he ordered a search of the home and

under this stairwell was found what appeared to be part of a child's

skull. Obviously we now have a duty to make sure that there are no

other remains there, and if there are then we have to find them.

the search went on, the team found around 60 teeth and what appeared

to be more human remains. We found a number of human bones, which were

sent off to a laboratory at Sheffield University. The

anthropologist in the laboratory there, Professor Chamberlain I

think, said in his opinion the bones were human juvenile. Said

that they had been fleshed and fresh when they had been burnt and

buried, and as you can imagine this set alarm bells ringing. But the

scientists couldn't accurately date the bones. And while initial tests

on the skull-like fragment indicated it could have been human,

another expert suggested it was actually a piece of wood, or

coconut. That was a blow to the reputation of the inquiry and the

officers in charge. An independent report criticised Harper's handling

of the investigation, in particular his releases to the media. Today,

Harper is unapologetic for searching the building. In many

ways I suppose it was a diversion which led to nothing, but it was a

road that we had no choice but to go down. And I think if we'd walked

away at any stage then I'd be sitting here now trying to defend

the indefensible because we really had no choice but to go in there.

Despite this development, Harper and his team were amassing files of

evidence against a mounting number of suspects. They included police

officers, civil servants and members of the caring professions.

When I left we had what I termed 18 priority suspects, but we had well

over 100. So I think it was somewhere in the region of 150

suspects. We would have put forward files on most of the 18 priority

suspects, and I think I reckon that I had enough evidence to charge

probably 12 of them. So far, four people connected to Haut de la

Garenne have been prosecuted. Gordon Wateridge, who worked there,

was jailed for indecent assaults. Former resident, Michael Aubin,

pleaded guilty to gross indecency. And house parents Morag and Anthony

Jordan were jailed for cruelty. Their trial was the last to be held

in connection with the care home abuse inquiry, which closed in

December 2010. Now retired in Scotland, Lenny Harper remains

convinced there are other suspects who could have been brought to

court. Some of those cases were turned down by the office of the

Attorney General - the island's chief prosecutor.

On a number of occasions when the law officers' department through

Apology for the loss of subtitles for 50 seconds

the Attorney General's office But Lawyer Alan Collins, who is

acting for more than 50 people claiming compensation says he

understands the concerns over some prosecution decisions. I struggle

to understand why in some cases the evidence was not allowed to be

tested in the courts. So, I can understand where the victims are

coming from. But for all we know there may well be legitimate and

very credible explanations, OK? But that's not clear and I can

certainly recall one example where a particular victim was told that

there was going to be a prosecution, only to be told no there wasn't

going to be a prosecution. So you can easily understand as a result

of being told that, that there is confusion which then engenders

In 2008 an investigation has promised, four years later the

terms of reference have finally been announced. They have waited a

long time the victims hope it will lead to some cases being reopened.

This is the last chance for the survivors to be able to have their

say, the treat to be exposed, and everything to be documented with

evidence. The man in charge of criminal justice policy in Jersey

says the inquiry would have a wide remit but it might not necessarily

mean pieces are revisited. Part and parcel of this inquiry process will

be looking at the process that was followed by prosecutors in relation

to the decisions. If we discover weaknesses and we have let these

people down, what are we going to do? Have you decided? This is more

complicated than you are making it. Prosecutors it could not revisit

cases that are already looked at. Why? Unless there is new evidence.

Why not? Why not? Yes. There might be cases... They could be look at

some of these cases. In some cases they have. Should they? I am happy

to leave it to the inquiry to come up with a view. Haven't these

people waited long enough? criminal justice process never news

very fast in relation to these matters. At the moment we do not

know if mistakes were made by prosecutors. The government has

apologised for failings in the care system and pledged compensation of

�60,000 for each victim. Those who grow up suffering cruelty and

sexual abuse say they want to seek their tormentors in court. Money

isn't the point. It is getting justice. It is getting justice. It

has devastated my life. To be a man from Jersey, people with space to

work for you, working against you, it is wrong. I just hope that with

the Jimmy Savile affair bring this back into the limelight again, that

justice for the victims is now going to happen. I have watched my

mother go from somebody who was one of the funniest people, one of the

most happy-go-lucky people to a real shadow of herself. She is not

the person she was. They were in care and it's the one thing they

never got. Care. The independent inquiry begins next year, more

waiting but also more hope for those who say this is their last

chance to justice. And if you have been affected by the issues in

tonight's programme, you can call Next, a stroll around one of the

highlights of the South West Coast Lines, a wildlife haven that looks

calm and tranquil but is something of a battleground.

Berry Head - near, in fact, almost in the fishing village of Brixham.

If there's a better nature reserve near a major town in the South West

then I'd like to know about it The reserve is run by the Torbay

Coast and Countryside Trust perched on the cliffs above Torbay - right

on the doorstep of 100,000 lucky Where land meets the sea is a good

place for wildlife. The maritime heath gives way to lovely vertical

cliffs complete with breeding seabirds and then this wonderful

pristine foreign and Rusland. And some rather lovely rarities. Like

this - white rock rose - a real speciality here but nationally rare.

And this rest harrow - more of a meadow specialist and abundant at

this time of year. And another - viper's bugloss - a beautiful very

distinctive plant you tend to find in drier, waste places. One reason

in this place is good for wild flowers is beneath my feet. There

isn't an awful lot of it, very thin skin of soil. It is so thin the

bare bones of the landscape of picking through. This thin soil is

a new treat poor which means those big hungry nutrient thirsty plants

cannot get a hold and it allows these lovelies to flourish. Plants

like this beautiful pyramidal orchid doing well here. Good news

for these rare wildflowers then and the insects that thrive on them

like this bee taking the last gram of pollen from this valerian and

these beetles mating on a dandelion And in their turn the insect

attracts farmland birds. Like this relatively common one a whitethroat

in early June singing its heart out. And this much more of a rarity. The

This bird has been reintroduced in South Devon and in Cornwall and

it's really great to see them thriving some way from the places

they been brought back. But all this mix of plant insect and bird

life needs a lot of support because left to its own devices nature can

take over. The problem is course. They can nest in it and sing but it

does have a tendency to get carried away. It swamps other species. It

needs to be kept in check. That is easier said than done. This looks

like a beautiful floral bank, a perfect place for a picnic but you

can see these spiny sections, this course Bush. It could be a course

bang. Time to bring in the heavy mob .These beautiful sheep are

Solways from St Kilda - really rugged sheep for testing coastal

conditions and they like nothing more than gorse shoots and coarse

grasses to nibble at and take out. These animals have a job to do.

What do you use them for? They are very good at grazing the scrub

which is what we want. At this time of year they take out grass species

and in winter they will move on to the scrub, the blackthorn and they

are good at eradicating it in quite large areas through grazing. It

allows the other grasses to flourish. I assume it is working.

The flowers have been incredible. He yes, definitely. They are

getting into the inaccessible areas that the Rangers cannot cut. They

are a valuable tool in our conservation efforts. I guess they

add another level of interest as well. They are nice animals to look.

Attractive sheep. Yes, I shouldn't say it but they are more

intelligence than what to find on most farms. You will get letters!

Of course they don't want to eradicate the gorse - it can be a

valuable habitat in its own right. Heathland specialists like this

stone chat will eat spiders living on the limbs of the gorse. They

have a good plant variety here- this linnet taking advantage of

seed from a dock head. It's all about getting it things in balance.

I have to watch my footing because even though it is not a sharp drop,

it is a rather rapid roll into the ocean. It is worth the risk because

from here I get to do some of the best sea bird watching available in

The place abounds in outstanding seabirds - these razor bills with

those unmistakeable beaks. These gannets ever ready to dive into the

It's also a bit of an aerial battleground - this peregrine with

its unmistakable silhouette rising above the cliffs before swooping

down and past a lucky, and startled This shag is flying to a series of

limestone ledges that make a great breeding ground for kittiwakes and

the standout species here - the You can spend all day studying

these creatures - there over nine hundred of them on the ledges. It's

breeding season and you'd think this would be a safe place to breed.

But guillemots only lay one egg and they are vulnerable to predators -

a study being done here has counted over 20 eggs taken this year it's

likely as much as four times that get taken. And these seem to be the

culprits - crows. The crows are very intelligent - they've learnt

it's hard to get at eggs when the adults are in a row - like an army

they can stick together and protect their flanks. The guillemots take

it in turns to swoop at the crow. By targeting an isolated bird they

have a better chance - the crow goes for the guillemots legs and

flicks it off but the guillemot won't give up it comes in and

The crow flies back and attacks It's all over. The egg is

unprotected and the crow flies off But there's a twist - all set to

tuck in on a nearby ledge the crow is mobbed by a gull who gets the

There's evidence of the cows work all around - empty egg shells right

on the cliff edge. This aid has been retrieved from the top. It

gives us an opportunity to look at what it's all about. The guillemots

have come to breed. This is the focus of their lives. Look at the

beautiful marbling on the egg. Every a key is unique. It enables

the adults to recognise their own eggs. The other thing but it's

quite call about this egg is its shape. It is extreme. There are

lots of theories as to why, my favourite is a if you are on a

naked rock shelf, you roll off into the sea but a guillemot egg would

roll around in a big arc and stays on the shelf. With a precarious

ledge and with predators around - it's good to see that most of the

eggs do indeed hatch and emerge as chicks. Once they fall off the

ledge and into the water they are off. And there is some further good

news - parents of eggs that have been lost often have another in the

The ledge is the largest breeding site in the south of England and

numbers thankfully are on the slight increase. The cliff is

protected by law as it's vital the birds aren't disturbed during the

breeding season. When they are disturbed they display this

characteristic head bobbing movement. It's thought to be

anxiety behaviour. We need to appreciate these birds only from a

I am almost at the end of my visit. You can walk around in a couple of

hours but you might want to spend longer in the breeding season. What

a great place, it's a favourite of mine. Consider the birds we have

seen, most of the species are birds of Conservation Concern, many are

struggling against old school farm practices. Birds are suffering

because of falling fish stocks but for the time being here everything

seems to be doing OK. A rare place this. Long may it continue to be a