Child abuse claims in Jersey

By Tamasin Ford
Newsbeat reporter, Jersey

Built on a hilltop on the east coast of the island more than 140 years ago, Haut de la Garenne is a big, imposing, stone-fronted mansion.

Haut de la Garenne was a police station in TV series Bergerac

It lies in the heart of the Saint Martin, one of twelve parishes of Jersey.

The island is just 12 miles off the coast of Normandy and so has a distinctly French feel to it with French food in many of the restaurants and supermarkets.

As you walk around the streets, in and out of the shops, the French accents dotted around make you feel you could be in a little village in the middle of France.

But the news of a child abuse scandal spanning nearly half a century, taking place on islanders' doorsteps, has shocked the community.

"It's a lovely, tourist place," says Patrice, who works in the local shop in Gorey in Saint Martin.

"Lots of tourists come to this side of the island because of the castle."

Shock and disbelief

Sheila Godfrey has lived up the road from the former children's home all her life.

There are people talking about it just being one big cover-up. We'll just have to see what comes out in the water Jersey resident Paul Tandy

She said: "People feel quite distraught really to think anything's been happening like this on the island.

"We all live around here and just didn't know anything was going on.

"It makes you wonder what's been going on in all the years we were here. We never really noticed or saw anything. It's just sick."

'Years of abuse'

Police say this could be the worst case of child abuse ever experienced on British soil.

One of the two Springer Spaniels that found a body in Jersey

It is thought most of it took place in the 1970s and 80s.

Detectives are looking at the records of children who went missing from the home over the years, but they say they are so patchy, they can not be sure how many may have disappeared.

Some were written off as runaways.

"There's not really a lot you can say apart from disgust and fear that this has happened in a place you consider to be so safe," says Gillian Wilky, who moved to Jersey when she was eight, 13 years ago.

"When we first came here you could go out and not lock your doors and yet this type of thing still happens. It makes you question everything you feel about your security here really."

Claims of cover-up

It is thought many people tried to report claims of sexual abuse over the years, but nothing was done about it.

There are claims people have known what has being going on but have tried to cover it up.

Police say they will investigate whether care agencies failed to act.

It is only now long held secrets are coming to the surface.

The remains of one skeleton have already been found, but detectives fear there could be more.

They are searching six more sites in and around the grounds of the home.

Paul Tandy moved to the island six months ago.

He said: "Being a newcomer to the island to find something like this, you just can’t believe it happened.

"There are people talking about it just being one big cover-up. We'll just have to see what comes out in the water."