News

A three-year investigation into allegations of historic sexual and physical abuse at children's homes in the North East ended last week with the final trial, that of Esme Allenby, who was cleared.

Northumbria Police's Operation Rose led to the charging of 32 suspects with 142 offences. A total of 260 residents and former residents of 61 children's homes made over 500 allegations of rape, buggery, indecent assault, assault and physical restraint involving 197 care workers.

Six people were found guilty of a variety of charges with five jailed for a total of 25 years and one sentenced to 12 months' imprisonment suspended for two years. Four suspects died before the trial.

The inquiry began in the summer of 1997 after a woman in her twenties disclosed to a social worker that she and a friend had been sexually and physically abused while living in a children's home.

As part of their investigations the police inquiry team wrote to 10 per cent of former residents informing them that an inquiry had begun into a home in which they had once lived and asking if they had any information which might help.

The courts upheld the process - known as trawling - accepting the letters sought information and did not make suggestions to recipients.

But Falsely Accused Carers and Teachers (Fact) has claimed that the operation "with its devastatingly damaging, wild prosecutions of cases having no merit" had succeeded in ruining the lives of large numbers of innocent people.

In an open letter to the chief constable of Northumbria Police, Fact said: "The real cost in terms of the blighted careers of experienced, caring and well qualified staff who have been rendered unemployable despite being found not guilty can only be imagined."

But Northumbria Police assistant chief constable John Scott defended the operation. "It was a thorough and professional investigation which sought to establish the truth behind what happened to children who were entrusted to the care of others."

All the agencies involved in the inquiry have reviewed the processes undertaken in the investigation. Best practice recommendations include considering tape recording all victim interviews, not just those with children, and for social services departments to consider the retention of staff discipline records.