Jersey abuse probe pair released

A 70-year-old man and a 69-year-old woman arrested over claims of abuse of children in care on Jersey have been released without charge.

The pair were questioned over allegations of assaults said to have taken place in the 1960s and 70s.

A police spokeswoman said the arrests were linked to former children's home Haut de la Garenne.

Detectives have found charred bone fragments and teeth belonging to children in the cellar of the building.

Officers say the position of the teeth suggests they ended up in the cellar sometime after the 1940s and tests showed most were "very unlikely to have come out naturally before death".

Following the release of the pair, a spokeswoman for the States of Jersey Police said a lawyer dealing with police "revised his advice to the investigating officers" following the arrests.

She said: "Following discussion, the investigating officers requested a Centenier to attend Police Headquarters to charge the suspects.

"Despite stating that the evidence was present, the Centenier declined to charge.

"The States of Jersey Police have no alternative, therefore, but to release the two suspects without charge."

Abuse allegations

Centeniers, who are people elected by voters based in their parish, are the only officers authorised to charge or bail suspects.

Three people have so far been charged in connection with historic abuse allegations.

Michael Aubin, 45, originally from Jersey, is accused of committing one serious offence against a male child and two counts of indecent assault against separate male children between 1977 and 1980.

Gordon Claude Wateridge, 76, originally from Croydon, south London, is charged with three offences of indecent assault on girls under 16 between 1969 and 1979.

Claude Donnelly, 68, of St Brelade, on Jersey - arrested as part of the wider inquiry - is charged with raping and sexually assaulting a 12-year-old girl on Jersey between 1971 and 1974.

Earlier this month, a 50-year-old former police officer was arrested on suspicion of "serious crimes" at Haut de la Garenne and elsewhere on Jersey. He was released pending further inquiries.

More than 100 people have made allegations of abuse at the home between the early 1960s and 1986.