Friday 1 January 2016

Former staff at Medomsley Detention Centre quizzed on abuse



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Detectives leading the UK’s biggest investigation into historic sexual abuse have spoken to 30 former staff members at the detention centre where young victims were preyed on.

A total of 1,254 victims have come forward to tell Durham Police that they were physically or sexually abused in the 60s, 70s, and 80s at Medomsley Detention Centre near Consett, which closed in 1988.

This was where guard Neville Husband and his accomplice Leslie Johnson were able to commit sex attacks on vulnerable young men, many of whom were briefly locked up for offences which would nowadays be dealt with by community orders.

Both were jailed and have since died.

Their offending led Durham Police to launch Operation Seabrook, a huge investigation which has seen retired detectives brought back in to help with the in-depth inquiry.

Officers have spoken to 30 former prison officers, staff members or governors.

Two of the 30 were arrested on suspicion of physical and sexual assaults.

Source