Comments
Digital copy of Witness 146's first witness statement to the States of Jersey Police providing an account of his experiences in care at Haut de la Garenne and Clos des Sables Family Group Home. Signature witnessed by Detective Constable Sztyber-Omer. [Some details redacted].
| Reference | ZC/D/AW1/B1/16/WS000084 |
| Date | 2 April 2008 |
| Scope and Content | Background and Home Life States that he was born in Jersey in 1960 and now lives in the United Kingdom and is self-employed. Refers to parents' marriage in 1960 and comments about his family life, referring to involvement of Social Services. States to have seen Social Services records, referring to his placement into care when he was aged 1 and a suicide attempt by his mother. Recalls getting into trouble with the Police as he got older, attending Parish Hall enquiries aged 11 or 12 whilst at St Helier Boys' School. Also recalls shoplifting and committing other similar offences and subsequently being placed into care at Haut de la Garenne. Refers to parents' divorce in 1974 and separation of family, referring to relatives sent to La Préférence and Le Chien [Les Chênes]. Notes that his father had custody of him and his siblings following the divorce. Institutions Includes references to his time at Haut de la Garenne, Brig-y-Don, a boarding school in Bristol, Clos des Sables [Family Group Home], St Helier Boys' School and Les Quennevais School. Recalls being placed in Brig-y-Don and another children's home prior to being placed at Haut de la Garenne. Describes first impressions of Haut de la Garenne, referring to the size of the building. Describes sleeping arrangements at Haut de la Garenne. Includes recollections of other children in residence, including other boys with whom he shared a room and a boy with whom he was sent to a school in Bristol aged 14. Recalls being at Haut de la Garenne for 6 to 8 months on remand before being placed into foster care at 108 Clos des Sables under the care of Janet Hughes and her husband. Includes recollections of other children at Clos des Sables, referring to sleeping arrangements and family groups in residence. Recalls living at Clos des Sables for 9 months before returning to Haut de la Garenne, citing abscondence, misbehaviour and drunkenness as possible reasons for his return. Includes recollections of his second spell at Haut de la Garenne, recalling members of staff including his houseparents and Morag [Kidd]. Recalls running away with other residents on multiple occasions, stating that he and the others would be placed into the detention rooms upon return to Haut de la Garenne. Includes a description of the detention rooms, referring to access to amenities and facilities. Recalls being stopped from going to school when aged 14 whilst awaiting a Magistrates Court appearance, referring to transfer from St Helier Boys' School to Les Quennevais [School]. Recalls being taught at Haut de la Garenne. Describes seeing the cellars on the television in relation to the investigation at Haut de la Garenne, recalling going in the cellar with the bath. Includes a description of the cellar, recalling how it was accessed. Describes having sexual intercourse with a female resident in the cellar and being seen by a female staff member, noting that the cellar was bricked up shortly after. Recalls staying at Haut de la Garenne until aged 15, noting that his involvement with the Police escalated until he was sent to a boarding school for boys in Bristol for assessment. Abuse and Consequences Refers to Mr [Leslie] Hughes being prosecuted for sexually abusing girls at Clos des Sables whilst Witness 146 was in residence there, stating to have had no awareness of this. Recalls being stripped of his clothing and placed in the detention rooms at Haut de la Garenne. Recalls being in the detention rooms frequently for running away, stating to have been placed in detention for a week at a time. Describes being roughly manhandled by his housefather at Haut de la Garenne. Includes recollections of being physically abused whilst at Haut de la Garenne. Describes an incident where he was physically abused by a housemother which left him with a broken finger. Recalls going to the treatment room and refusing to disclose who had caused his injury. States that he was subsequently taken to hospital and left with permanent injuries. States that he was sexually abused when he was 11, noting that the perpetrator was prosecuted. Recalls a sexual atmosphere at Haut de la Garenne in respect of the relationship between male residents. Comments on whether behaviour of residents at Haut de la Garenne was brought on by sexual abuse and child grooming, stating that he never witnessed anyone being abused. Recalls that some boys were worse than others with regards to their behaviour. Describes an incident where he was hit by a male member of staff at Haut de la Garenne after absconding with other residents to Gorey Harbour. States that he was physically, emotionally and sexually abused by his parents from an early age. Events since leaving Care States that a married couple who were houseparents at Haut de la Garenne used to visit him in prison. States that his life has changed since serving his sentence, referring to his marriage and upbringing of his child. Comments on the impact of the care system on his life, expressing anger at being lock up for long periods of time as a child and in relation to the hand injury he sustained. |
| Names | Hughes, Janet Hughes, Leslie Kidd, Morag Sztyber-Omer, Guillaume, Detective Constable Children's Services Clos des Sables Family Group Home Les Chênes Residential School Les Quennevais School Magistrates Court Operation Rectangle St Helier Boys' School States of Jersey Police |
| Keywords | abuse | allegations | boarding schools | cellars | child abuse | child grooming | childcare | Children | children's services | complaints | convictions | detention | detention cells | emotional abuse | evidence | families | Family Group Homes | fostering | IJCI | Imprisonment | injuries | interviews | offences | parish hall enquiries | physical abuse | Police | remand | sexual abuse | shoplifting | social services | statements | witness statements | witnesses |
| Places | Brig-y-Don, Coast Road, Bristol, 108, Clos des Sables, Gorey Harbour, Haut de la Garenne, La Préférence, St Martin, Les Chênes, Five Oaks, Les Quennevais |
| Dimensions | 1 pdf file |
| Language | English |
| Level of description | File |
| Access restrictions | PDF file - please click on the link to download |
| Closed until | 2100 |
Context:
Digital copy of Witness 146's first witness statement to the States of Jersey Police providing an account of his experiences in care at Haut de la Garenne and Clos des Sables Family Group Home. Signature witnessed by Detective Constable Sztyber-Omer. [Some details redacted].
ZC/D/AW1/B1/16/WS000084
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