Jersey probe police chief suspended

Press Association

The £4.5 million child abuse inquiry on Jersey is in disarray after a police chief was suspended for his role in a discredited murder investigation.

Graham Power, the most senior officer in the force, was suspended after Deputy Chief Officer David Warcup dismissed the evidence collected and said there were no suspicious deaths at former children's home Haut de la Garenne.

"There is no suggestion there has been murder or any bodies destroyed," said Mr Warcup.

The comments sparked a political row on the island, with Deputy Andrew Lewis, the home affairs minister, attacking officers' conduct as he confirmed Mr Power was suspended.

Announcing an independent investigation would be launched, he said: "It is evident that we didn't receive all the information about the historic abuse inquiry that we should have received, and that some aspects of this critically important police investigation have not been conducted properly."

Both Mr Power and his former deputy Lenny Harper denied any wrongdoing throughout their investigation.

Mr Power marched into BBC Radio Jersey's studios to "rigorously contest any allegations".

Mr Harper, who led the investigation until his retirement in August, was left "stunned" by some of the comments.

Giving his reaction to criticism of his work by his successor, he said: "He's entitled to his opinion. We did what we felt we had to do."

Chief minister Frank Walker revealed more than £1.5 million was "unnecessarily" spent on digging up the site as he spoke of his concern about the damage the scandal had done to the island's reputation.