Abuse inquiry ‘was a poorly-managed mess’

By Jess Stevenson

THE historic child abuse inquiry in Jersey was a poorly-managed mess, according to Detective Superintendent Mick Gradwell.

Det. Sup. Gradwell, who yesterday finished his contract as leader of the Haut de la Garenne inquiry and is now able to speak freely, said that the investigation had started along UK policy lines but things went wrong when excavations began at the former children’s home.

After the decision was made to excavate without any supporting intelligence or hard evidence, the differences between management of the operation and recognised good practice became obvious.

‘There was no justification for going into Haut de la Garenne as they did. It was a complete and total waste of public money, time and effort.’

Det. Sup. Gradwell said his predecessor, now-retired deputy police chief Lenny Harper, had been offered every opportunity to manage the inquiry in accordance with established guidelines.

But he had refused to listen to the advice of an experienced senior investigating officer whom he had been offered by the Association of Chief Police Officers’ Homicide Working Group in the UK.

Det. Sup. Gradwell said that that officer had recommended that Mr Harper follow the Matrix system used in other historical abuse inquiries - where the most serious cases in a major investigation are given priority and sufficient evidence to go to court is gathered before people are charged.

‘Mr Harper refused to listen to his advice and asked the officer to leave the island,’ said Det. Sup. Gradwell.