13/03/2014

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:00:00. > :00:11.Good evening. Abuse in Jersey's care That's all from us. Now it's

:00:12. > :00:14.Good evening. Abuse in Jersey's care system is to be investigated again

:00:15. > :00:18.and the panel looking into those historic allegations are appealing

:00:19. > :00:21.for more witnesses to come forward. Police began investigating claims of

:00:22. > :00:25.abuse at the former children's home at Haut De La Garenne in 2006, but

:00:26. > :00:28.it was the launch of a murder investigation at the site in 2008

:00:29. > :00:34.that thrust Jersey's care system into the international Spotlight.

:00:35. > :00:38.Detectives later said there was no evidence that any children had been

:00:39. > :00:41.murdered. But seven people were successfully prosecuted in relation

:00:42. > :00:45.to abuse. A compensation scheme for victims was launched in 2012. This

:00:46. > :00:49.latest inquiry was approved by the States last year and will officially

:00:50. > :00:53.launch at the start of April. Louise Walter has the details.

:00:54. > :00:56.The murder investigation launched here might not, in the end, have

:00:57. > :01:03.found evidence of that particular crime, but it did put Jersey's care

:01:04. > :01:07.system squarely in the public eye. People came forward with their

:01:08. > :01:18.stories of their time in care. Some shared their experiences with the

:01:19. > :01:26.BBC's Inside Out programme. He has come back from work, picked up a

:01:27. > :01:33.badminton racket and broke it on my brother 's legs. We would be

:01:34. > :01:36.punished if we spoke out of turn. The Independent Jersey Care Inquiry

:01:37. > :01:39.is not the first to investigate historic cases of abuse. Indeed, as

:01:40. > :01:41.well as the original three`year police investigation, there have

:01:42. > :01:47.been eight independent reports since 2008. But throughout it all, there's

:01:48. > :01:52.been claims and counter claims of a cover`up culture in the island.

:01:53. > :02:01.Today the woman in charge said she could reassure people of the

:02:02. > :02:07.inquiry's impartiality. We're independent and transparent. We are

:02:08. > :02:14.listening for them to tell their story, we want to give them a voice

:02:15. > :02:19.and we can look rigorously, robust lake at the care system over these

:02:20. > :02:23.years. At the hope that the island can move forward. Today's call for

:02:24. > :02:28.witnesses is welcomed by Jersey Care Leavers Association and they hope it

:02:29. > :02:34.could lead to future prosecutions. In a lot of people have bottled up

:02:35. > :02:39.their experiences. They were told they were liars. This is the time

:02:40. > :02:46.that they are going to be listened to and they can tell their story and

:02:47. > :02:48.they will be heard with compassion and understanding, instead of

:02:49. > :02:52.criticism. The inquiry will launch officially at the start of April.

:02:53. > :02:57.And there's more information about how to get in touch with the inquiry

:02:58. > :03:01.on the BBC Jersey website. A man from Jersey is campaigning for

:03:02. > :03:04.a better mental health service because he thinks the current system

:03:05. > :03:07.is failing people in need. Mark Leonard has struggled with severe

:03:08. > :03:14.depression, and tried to take his own life several times last year. He

:03:15. > :03:17.spoke to our reporter Jen Smith. Mark Leonard is feeling positive at

:03:18. > :03:26.the moment. But that's not always the case. Last year he hit the

:03:27. > :03:35.lowest point of his life. I'm furniture that act unfortunately

:03:36. > :03:39.from August it escalated. It led to three suicide attempts in eight

:03:40. > :03:43.days. Mark sought help from a psychologist but was told the wait

:03:44. > :03:46.to see one could be up to nine months. He doesn't think that's good

:03:47. > :03:53.enough, and is campaigning for a better service. I know they are a

:03:54. > :04:03.busy department but when you are suffering as low as I was, you won't

:04:04. > :04:07.help immediately. I know that sounds selfish but it is not. And today the

:04:08. > :04:10.issue of waiting times for mental health patients was raised before a

:04:11. > :04:34.government scrutiny panel and it seems political pressure for better

:04:35. > :04:37.care is mounting. Jersey's Health and Social Services department

:04:38. > :04:40.declined an interview on camera but did send us a statement. In it it

:04:41. > :04:43.says it can't discuss individual cases for reasons of confidentiality

:04:44. > :04:46.and it wouldn't be in Mark's best interests. But it did say it's

:04:47. > :04:51.experienced "a significant increase in referrals ` on average 45 a

:04:52. > :04:54.week." There's to be "substantial investment in services over the next

:04:55. > :05:03.two years leading to the appointment of 13 staff." Mark's worried the

:05:04. > :05:06.current long wait could end in tragedy. He hopes he's listened to

:05:07. > :05:11.before then. A man had to be cut out of a car

:05:12. > :05:14.after it overturned in St Helier this morning. It happened outside

:05:15. > :05:18.the Royal Hotel. Roads were closed and buses were diverted for several

:05:19. > :05:20.hours. The man rescued was taken to hospital, his injuries aren't

:05:21. > :05:22.thought to be serious. The children's playground at

:05:23. > :05:28.Guernsey's Saumarez Park will close on Monday to allow work to start on

:05:29. > :05:31.its redevelopment. The new park will include a new 29`metre long pirate

:05:32. > :05:34.ship, which will take six weeks to install. Eventually developers are

:05:35. > :05:37.hoping to build a boating lake, a skateboard area and install adult

:05:38. > :05:50.gym equipment ` if they get the money. If community support so we

:05:51. > :05:57.haven't had the benefit of large trust. We are at phase one, there

:05:58. > :06:00.are two more easy is to go. We still need the funding for those other two

:06:01. > :06:03.phases. Weather`wise, fog has been the big

:06:04. > :06:06.story today. This was Guernsey Airport this morning. Flights in and

:06:07. > :06:09.out of all Channel Islands airports suffered severe disruption with just

:06:10. > :06:12.a few getting in and out. Conditions are expected to improve by

:06:13. > :06:16.mid`morning tomorrow. And BBC Radio Guernsey and BBC Radio Jersey will

:06:17. > :06:23.be on air from 6am with the latest forecast and travel updates. But

:06:24. > :06:24.from me it's goodnight. I'll leave you with the weather with David

:06:25. > :06:37.Braine. Mist and fog again tonight. We do

:06:38. > :06:49.have a problem bursting tomorrow morning. There is the possibility of

:06:50. > :06:55.travel disruption. Night`time temperature is getting down to is

:06:56. > :07:08.about six Celsius. A dull start to the day tomorrow. A fair amount of

:07:09. > :07:14.low cloud and temperatures of ten or 11 Celsius. When the Sun comes out

:07:15. > :07:19.the temperatures will rise. A reasonable day on Sunday but

:07:20. > :07:23.temperatures are held down because of the wind. Top figure of around 12

:07:24. > :07:33.Celsius. From us it is good night. than it did today across parts of

:07:34. > :07:41.the Thames estuary, temperatures could be 17 or 18 degrees. Now we

:07:42. > :07:48.will get the National forecast. It has been a funny day. Warm and

:07:49. > :07:51.sunny for some, cool and mystique for others, cloudy and damp for a

:07:52. > :07:56.few. Wet weather getting into northern Scotland tonight. Fog is

:07:57. > :08:00.the issue. It already is across the heart of England with thick patches.

:08:01. > :08:05.It could become widespread through the rest of the night. Touches of

:08:06. > :08:09.frost where the skies remain clear for any length of time. Tomorrow

:08:10. > :08:14.morning, difficult conditions across more central and southern parts of

:08:15. > :08:18.England. Dense patches. If you are planning a journey early, allow

:08:19. > :08:21.extra time because you could run into trouble.