Victims of abuse in north Wales awarded damages

Thirteen victims of child abuse have been awarded damages
totalling more than £300,000 by the high court, by
Alex Dobson.

The victims, who were all former residents of children’s
homes in North Wales and Shropshire, run by the privately owned
Bryn Alyn Community, received compensation ranging from £5,000
to £47,000 for abuse that took place at the homes between 1973
and 1991.

Bryn Alyn was run by former managing director, John Allen, who
was convicted in 1995 of six offences of indecent assault on
residents and jailed for six years. The company went into voluntary
liquidation in 1997.

Billhar Singh Uppal, solicitor for the claimants, said: “This is
a victory for the claimants who were required to prove everything
including the abuse. While the judgement is in favour of the
claimants – a recognition that the system of care was wholly
inappropriate and that the abuse took place – the funds awarded by
the judge in each claim, are capable of review by the court of
appeal.

“Permission to appeal has been given in three cases and each of
the remaining claimants will consider the question of appeal as to
damages,” he said.

* Peter Clarke, the Children’s Commissioner for Wales,
will now carry out his role of safeguarding the young people of
Wales in accordance with the United Nations Convention on the
Rights of the Child.

Jane Hutt, minister for health and social services at the Welsh
Assembly, said: “This is yet another first for Wales and for the
UK. Not only do we have the UK’s first independent, statutory
children’s commissioner, but these regulations represent the
first legislation in the UK which refers in this way to the
convention.”