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From The Times
February 29, 2008

Senior island officials are caught up in abuse inquiry

Phil Mourant, John Rodhouse, John Le Marquand, Charles Smith, Reg Jeune, Jim Thompson

Simon de Bruxelles and David Brown

A number of high-profile names in Jersey society have been caught up in the child-abuse scandal.

Channel Television suggested yesterday that among those people who should perhaps have known what was going on at the home was Reg Jeune, once one of the island’s most powerful politicians. Mr Jeune, a retired former senator and Finance Minister, was president of the education committee from 1971 to 1984, when police claim abuse was at its worst.

Former staff at the home include the island’s current director of education. Mario Lundy, who worked at the Haut de la Garenne before its closure in 1986, is one of a number of States of Jersey employees connected to the home. Mr Lundy declined to comment.

Frank Walker, the island’s Chief Minister, said that no current government employees were the “subject of any police recommendation”.

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Mr Jeune declined to come to the door of his pink granite farmhouse on the outskirts of St Helier yesterday.

Others who should perhaps have known the facts were named by Channel Television last night as John Le Marquand, education committee president in the early 1960s, Herbert Wimberley, the director of education, and Patricia Thornton, the children’s officer. At the time, Colin Tilbrook was a headmaster at Haut de la Garenne.

Mr Jeune was replaced as education committee president in 1984 by Phil G. Mourant.

Charles Smith, the assistant children’s officer since 1964, succeeded Mrs Thornton in 1973. In 1974 John Rodhouse succeeded Mr Wimberley as director of education. Jim Thomson, now dead, became superintendent at the home in 1979.

Does this again highlight how the obvious cancer of paedophilia is infecting society , reaching areas that should be only occupied by those who are responsible, balanced, compassionate and insightful. This incident can only reinforce the apparent distrusful and lack of belief young people in care / general have for adults and society. Although I hold massive resevations in reference to the return of the death penalty,I do struggle to to see any reason to argue against such a decision in this case for those who are held responsible for this outrage. This whole incident leads me to feel that many of the staff at the home had been selected from a group of people who all knowingly shared a common desire. Having a career in the care industry I can only vouch for the high level of transparency that surrounds appropriate practice and that it helps to identify / eradicate such individuals who appered to have been in post at Haut De La Garenne and those resposable for their appointment.

Alan , Braintree , GB

Unthinkable and shameful that anyone in a position of power with a responsibility to protect children should instead abuse that power to protect themselves and their friends instead. Time now to redress this with the full force of the law. Let justice be done, though the heavens fall.

Emma, Cambridge, UK

Time to declare direct rule, start suspending people and getting to the bottom of what has been allowed to happen here.

It would be a good oppotunity to clean house in the financial sector to.

Trotsky, London,

The problem Is chemical castration is reversable

Jason Bierce, Richmond , Surrey

i agree...chemical castration and lock them up in the cellars until they rot...this is the only suitable punishment for such heinous and sickening acts on children...what is with this country and lack of controls on those who are most vulnerable???

c, LONDON, united kingdom

Let's just put the whole evil lot of them back in the cellars, and wall them up. They can spend the few last days of their lives thinking about what they did - and what they failed to do.

How evil can people be? Jersey is showing us ....

Jane Scott, London, UK

This is a case of the cover-up being almost as terrible as the crimes which seem to have been committed because it allowed them to carry on for years on end. I hope no-one is going to be allowed to "get away with it" just because they are old.

Fred James, Worcester, UK,

This case, and others that affect the hurt, abuse, defilement of children make for a strong case for the return of the death penalty.

Michael N Putt, Eastbourne,

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