Carer guilty of Jersey sex attacks

UKPA

A former carer at a Jersey children's home has been found guilty of indecently assaulting teenagers while he worked there in the 1970s.

Gordon Wateridge, nicknamed "the Perv" by his victims, carried out a string of assaults against teenage girls at the Haut de la Garenne home.

The 78-year-old, described as a "persistent sexual bully", was found guilty of eight charges of indecent assault and one charge of assault following a trial at Jersey Royal Court.

Wateridge, who was born in Croydon, south London, and now lives in the Jersey parish of St Clement, was the first person to be charged in connection with an historic abuse investigation on the island, police said.

Speaking outside court, Detective Superintendent Mick Gradwell, from the States of Jersey police, said: "Gordon Wateridge, a house parent at Haut de la Garenne, was a sexual bully towards vulnerable young girls in his care.

"We hope the complainants involved in this trial have received some comfort from the decision reached by the court.

"I would like to take this opportunity to acknowledge the hard work and effort of the people involved in this case such as the investigation team, the witness liaison officers and the legal team, as well as the challenges the complainants have had to face both before and during this trial.

"The historical abuse inquiry is continuing and there is another case in the court process.

"I am unable to comment about the investigation in wider detail at this time.

"We would like to emphasise that the States of Jersey Police take reports of historical abuse seriously, and are committed to investigating them."