Police defend abuse inquiry

The force spent £5m investigating abuse allegations

A high-ranking police officer has insisted his force would continue to use controversial methods to investigate child abuse.

Assistant Chief Constable John Scott of Northumbria Police defended the techniques used by officers during an inquiry into allegations of abuse in North East care homes.

The force came under fire at the conclusion of the £5m Operation Rose on Tuesday from innocent carers investigated by police following allegations dating back 30 years

They complained about "trawling" methods where officers re-visited former care home clients asking if they had ever experienced any problems while in care.

Scores of carers and teachers have had their lives ruined and the lives of their families destroyed by these actions

Ray Johnston, Fact

A total of 530 complaints were made against 197 former carers and teachers during the three-year investigation.

Thirty-two people were brought before the courts to face allegations relating to both physical and sexual abuse, of whom 26 were found not guilty.

Six people were found guilty of a range of crimes including rape and indecent assault and were jailed for a total of more than 20 years.

The North East branch of Falsely Accused Carers and Teachers (Fact) said on Tuesday that lives had been ruined because innocent people were suspended and vilified after accusations were made.

Ray Johnston, co-chairman of Fact (North East) , said: "Scores of carers and teachers have had their lives ruined and the lives of their families destroyed by these actions.

Similar inquiries

"People who abuse children physically or sexually should be caught and punished but the methods employed by Northumbria Police have brought the downfall of innocent people."

The inquiry began in the summer of 1997 after a woman in her 20s told a social worker that she and a friend had been sexually and physically abused while in care at a Newcastle-Upon-Tyne care home.

Mr Scott today told a news conference at Northumbria Police HQ on Wednesday: "In many respects, we would conduct the inquiry in the same way, were we to do it again.

"However, a number of recommendations have been made to establish best practice should any other police force need to conduct similar investigations in the future."

It is understood that as many as 85 similar investigations had taken place, or were still under way in police forces nationwide.