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May launches north Wales child abuse inquiry May launches north Wales child abuse inquiry
(35 minutes later)
Home Secretary Theresa May has announced a new police inquiry into allegations of child abuse in North Wales dating back to the 1970s and 80s.Home Secretary Theresa May has announced a new police inquiry into allegations of child abuse in North Wales dating back to the 1970s and 80s.
She said the head of the National Crime Agency would investigate any fresh allegations, and examine the way the police handled the original complaints.She said the head of the National Crime Agency would investigate any fresh allegations, and examine the way the police handled the original complaints.
One victim has alleged that a senior Conservative figure from the Thatcher era was involved in the abuse.One victim has alleged that a senior Conservative figure from the Thatcher era was involved in the abuse.
He said an inquiry in 2000 failed to fully examine all the claims.He said an inquiry in 2000 failed to fully examine all the claims.
The allegations of abuse began to emerge in the 1990s. They were highlighted again last week when Steve Messham made his claims.The allegations of abuse began to emerge in the 1990s. They were highlighted again last week when Steve Messham made his claims.
"In the home it was the standard abuse which was violent and sexual. Outside it was like you were sold," he told BBC Newsnight last week, and detailed being tied down and raped in a hotel room."In the home it was the standard abuse which was violent and sexual. Outside it was like you were sold," he told BBC Newsnight last week, and detailed being tied down and raped in a hotel room.
The crime agency head, Keith Bristow, will look at how the historic claims were handled, and at fresh allegations. He will report by April 2013, Mrs May told MPs.The crime agency head, Keith Bristow, will look at how the historic claims were handled, and at fresh allegations. He will report by April 2013, Mrs May told MPs.
The Serious and Organised Crime Agency and the Child Exploitation and Online Protection Centre will also be involved.The Serious and Organised Crime Agency and the Child Exploitation and Online Protection Centre will also be involved.
In a statement to MPs, Mrs May said: "The government is treating these allegations with the utmost seriousness.In a statement to MPs, Mrs May said: "The government is treating these allegations with the utmost seriousness.
"Child abuse is a hateful, abhorrent and disgusting crime, and we must not allow these allegations to go unanswered, and I therefore urge anybody who has information relating to these allegations to go to the police.""Child abuse is a hateful, abhorrent and disgusting crime, and we must not allow these allegations to go unanswered, and I therefore urge anybody who has information relating to these allegations to go to the police."
She said North Wales Police chief constable Mark Polin had asked Mr Bristow to "assess the allegations recently received, to review the historic police investigations and investigate any fresh allegations reported to police into the alleged historic abuse in North Wales care homes". Mr Messham, who is meeting the Welsh Secretary David Jones, said he was "delighted" that further investigations would be carried out.
However, he added: "I'm still cautious, I want to be sure that it's a thorough investigation. We were told the last one was - it certainly wasn't."
Wider abuse claimsWider abuse claims
An inquiry was set up in 1996 to examine the allegations of abuse in Gwynedd and Clwyd Council areas. Sir Ronald Waterhouse's inquiry sat for 203 days and heard evidence from 650 people, with more than 80 people named as abusers - mainly care workers and teachers. North Wales Police did investigate the care home abuse claims in 1991. Of eight prosecutions, seven former care workers were convicted. But it was widely believed that the abuse was on a far greater scale, prompting the setting up of a public inquiry in 1996 to look again at the abuse claims.
After the report was published in 2000, there were 140 compensation claims settled on behalf of the victims. Headed by Sir Ronald Waterhouse, the inquiry heard evidence from 650 people, with more than 80 people named as abusers - mainly care workers and teachers.
After the report was published in 2000, there were 140 compensation claims settled on behalf of the victims, and numerous recommendations about children in care homes.
However, concerns have now been raised that the remit of the inquiry was too narrow, and that it failed to consider allegations about children being taken out of the homes to be made available to abusers.However, concerns have now been raised that the remit of the inquiry was too narrow, and that it failed to consider allegations about children being taken out of the homes to be made available to abusers.
Mrs May's statement came a day after Prime Minister David Cameron announced that a senior independent figure, yet to be named, would lead an urgent investigation into whether the Waterhouse Inquiry did its job.Mrs May's statement came a day after Prime Minister David Cameron announced that a senior independent figure, yet to be named, would lead an urgent investigation into whether the Waterhouse Inquiry did its job.
Richard Scorer, a solicitor who represented 30 victims at the Waterhouse Inquiry, said it was important to note the terms of reference for that investigation. Richard Scorer, a solicitor who represented 30 victims at the Waterhouse Inquiry, said the previous inquiry had done a "thorough job" of looking into "what it set out to investigate".
He said the previous inquiry had done a "thorough job" of looking into "what it set out to investigate".
"It could not and did not look into broader paedophile networks. That is not what it was primarily set up to do," he said."It could not and did not look into broader paedophile networks. That is not what it was primarily set up to do," he said.
"What we are now talking about is a broader set of issues.""What we are now talking about is a broader set of issues."
Labour's Ian Lucas, MP for Wrexham, said: "There's a strong sense... that evidence was supressed at the time and has been supressed ever since."
He told Radio 4's World at One that he was "concerned that we will still not see all the evidence given to the Waterhouse inquiry."
A social worker who exposed the abuse, Alison Taylor, said "there's a lot more to be told… but whether it will get told is another matter".
One victim, Martin Watkinson, said what was "finally" needed was "justice for the victims, and prison sentences for the people who were abusing."
The latest abuse inquiries come in the midst of several inquiries into separate allegations of widespread abuse by former BBC presenter Jimmy Savile, relating to hundreds of victims over many decades.The latest abuse inquiries come in the midst of several inquiries into separate allegations of widespread abuse by former BBC presenter Jimmy Savile, relating to hundreds of victims over many decades.
Mrs May told MPs that Her Majesty's Inspectorate of Constabulary was looking at all forces that received allegations in relation to Savile. It would examine whether these allegations were investigated properly, and identify wider lessons from the response of the police forces involved.Mrs May told MPs that Her Majesty's Inspectorate of Constabulary was looking at all forces that received allegations in relation to Savile. It would examine whether these allegations were investigated properly, and identify wider lessons from the response of the police forces involved.
She said the HMIC would also "take into account any lessons that emerge from these latest allegations".She said the HMIC would also "take into account any lessons that emerge from these latest allegations".
Defamatory contentDefamatory content
North Wales Police did investigate the care home abuse claims in 1991. Of eight prosecutions, seven former care workers were convicted.
"Despite the investigation and convictions, it was widely believed that the abuse was in fact on a far greater scale," Mrs May said.
A report by Clwyd Council's own inquiry was never published because so much of its content was considered to be defamatory.
Shadow home secretary Yvette Cooper warned that there could be confusion as a result of the number of different investigations into child abuse allegations.Shadow home secretary Yvette Cooper warned that there could be confusion as a result of the number of different investigations into child abuse allegations.
Her call for a single overarching public inquiry was echoed by a number MPs.Her call for a single overarching public inquiry was echoed by a number MPs.
"We have already raised concerns that the Savile investigations ought to be brought under a single inquiry and we remain concerned that these multiple inquiries have no way to draw together the common themes, the problems, the lessons that need to be learned."We have already raised concerns that the Savile investigations ought to be brought under a single inquiry and we remain concerned that these multiple inquiries have no way to draw together the common themes, the problems, the lessons that need to be learned.
"Of course we need to get to the bottom of what is happening in each case, but at the moment the framework the government has set out risks being very confused.""Of course we need to get to the bottom of what is happening in each case, but at the moment the framework the government has set out risks being very confused."
Mrs May responded: "If, at the end of the processes that we've set in train, it appears that it is necessary to move forward to a wider investigation then we will look at that."Mrs May responded: "If, at the end of the processes that we've set in train, it appears that it is necessary to move forward to a wider investigation then we will look at that."