Aug 21 2013
by Andrea O'Neill, East Kilbride News
MP Michael McCann is campaigning for justice for an East Kilbride man who was raped in a borstal when he was a teenager.
John McCabe suffered six months of horrific sex abuse at the hands of prison officer Neville Husband when he was a 17-year-old inmate.
Police last week launched an investigation into an alleged cover-up at notorious English borstal Medomsley Detention Centre.
Husband is believed to have been part of a prison paedophile ring.
The shocking case was re-opened thanks to the brave testimony of
49-year-old John and the help of his old school friend, East Kilbride MP
Michael McCann.
Michael, who was a classmate of John’s at St Bride’s High School in the 1970s, said: “He (John) got into trouble with the authorities when he was young and he has paid a gruesome price.
“I knew it would be tough to restart an investigation when the events took place so long ago and the person who appears to have been the main protagonist is dead but people that commit crimes must face justice.
“I have been working hard to convince the police to look into this case. I am pleased that the case has been re-opened and John and I want to support the Durham Police investigation fully.
“We have been working behind the scenes for several months discussing how best to make an appeal for information about abuse that took place either inside or outside Medomsley Detention Centre.
“I am pleased to say that the police have received a number of calls in relation to the investigation.
“We know that young men attempted to report abuse 30 years ago but they were let down by the authorities and John McCabe’s bravery in revealing his story has already encouraged others to come forward.
“Young men like John were detained by the State and then they were abused by agents of the State and others inside and outside Medomsley.
“Only Neville Husband and Lesley Johnson were convicted. The others, and there are undoubtedly others, are still at liberty.
“They must be caught, prosecuted and sent to jail for their heinous crimes.”
Medomsley Detention Centre in County Durham has been at the centre of a sex abuse scandal after former guard, Neville Husband, was found guilty of the mass rape of boys under his care.
The sickening assaults took place over a period of nearly 15 years during the 1970s and 80s.
Husband was eventually snared and jailed for 12 years. Also jailed was Lesley Johnson, a store man at Medomsley, who went down for six years.
Both are now dead.
Police are probing new claims that Husband and Johnson were not acting alone and that the rape of young inmates was systematically carried out in various other locations outside Medomsley by a larger group of sexual predators.
The horrific crimes were initially thought to have taken place solely inside the centre and at the home Husband shared with his wife and young son.
John was sent to Medomsley for nine months after being found guilty of a break-in at a jewellers in Scarborough.
He was raped by Husband nearly every day during his detention.
Apart from the physical abuse, he had to deal with the mental torture of what was happening to him.
After his release he buried the sickening experience at Medomsley in the back of his mind and set about building a new life for himself.
John, who is now happily married with three children, last year summoned up the courage to contact Durham Police, who launched an investigation.
However, the Crown Prosecution Service decided not to take any further action against Husband, stating it was not in the public interest to do so.
John said: “I was devastated by this decision.
“My last hope for justice was to approach my local MP Michael McCann.
“Thankfully Michael gave me his full support and with his help I went to the police again.
“After he campaigned for a new investigation, including raising the matter direct with David Cameron at Prime Minister’s Questions, the case was re-opened.
“I am completely confident the authorities will carry out a full investigation into what happened at Medomsley because they are now convinced that Husband and Johnson were not acting alone.”
Source East Kilbride News
MP Michael McCann is campaigning for justice for an East Kilbride man who was raped in a borstal when he was a teenager.
John McCabe suffered six months of horrific sex abuse at the hands of prison officer Neville Husband when he was a 17-year-old inmate.
Police last week launched an investigation into an alleged cover-up at notorious English borstal Medomsley Detention Centre.
Husband is believed to have been part of a prison paedophile ring.
Michael, who was a classmate of John’s at St Bride’s High School in the 1970s, said: “He (John) got into trouble with the authorities when he was young and he has paid a gruesome price.
“I knew it would be tough to restart an investigation when the events took place so long ago and the person who appears to have been the main protagonist is dead but people that commit crimes must face justice.
“I have been working hard to convince the police to look into this case. I am pleased that the case has been re-opened and John and I want to support the Durham Police investigation fully.
“We have been working behind the scenes for several months discussing how best to make an appeal for information about abuse that took place either inside or outside Medomsley Detention Centre.
“I am pleased to say that the police have received a number of calls in relation to the investigation.
“We know that young men attempted to report abuse 30 years ago but they were let down by the authorities and John McCabe’s bravery in revealing his story has already encouraged others to come forward.
“Young men like John were detained by the State and then they were abused by agents of the State and others inside and outside Medomsley.
“Only Neville Husband and Lesley Johnson were convicted. The others, and there are undoubtedly others, are still at liberty.
“They must be caught, prosecuted and sent to jail for their heinous crimes.”
Medomsley Detention Centre in County Durham has been at the centre of a sex abuse scandal after former guard, Neville Husband, was found guilty of the mass rape of boys under his care.
The sickening assaults took place over a period of nearly 15 years during the 1970s and 80s.
Husband was eventually snared and jailed for 12 years. Also jailed was Lesley Johnson, a store man at Medomsley, who went down for six years.
Both are now dead.
Police are probing new claims that Husband and Johnson were not acting alone and that the rape of young inmates was systematically carried out in various other locations outside Medomsley by a larger group of sexual predators.
The horrific crimes were initially thought to have taken place solely inside the centre and at the home Husband shared with his wife and young son.
John was sent to Medomsley for nine months after being found guilty of a break-in at a jewellers in Scarborough.
He was raped by Husband nearly every day during his detention.
Apart from the physical abuse, he had to deal with the mental torture of what was happening to him.
After his release he buried the sickening experience at Medomsley in the back of his mind and set about building a new life for himself.
John, who is now happily married with three children, last year summoned up the courage to contact Durham Police, who launched an investigation.
However, the Crown Prosecution Service decided not to take any further action against Husband, stating it was not in the public interest to do so.
John said: “I was devastated by this decision.
“My last hope for justice was to approach my local MP Michael McCann.
“Thankfully Michael gave me his full support and with his help I went to the police again.
“After he campaigned for a new investigation, including raising the matter direct with David Cameron at Prime Minister’s Questions, the case was re-opened.
“I am completely confident the authorities will carry out a full investigation into what happened at Medomsley because they are now convinced that Husband and Johnson were not acting alone.”
Source East Kilbride News
