THE TRUTH, IT WOULD seem, is finally out. As the result of the publication of another article by David Rose in the Mail on Sunday, we now know a great deal more about why Lenny Harper, the officer in charge of the Haut de la Garenne investigation in Jersey, embarked upon his sensational excavation of the grounds of the former children's home. Thanks to Rose and to Detective Chief Superintendent Mick Gradwell, who took over the reins of the investigation from Harper when he retired last August, we also know that there were very good reasons for not digging. These reasons were set out by a senior Jersey police officer just eleven days before the dig began.On 12 February 2008 the senior officer in question made his own sober assessment of the state of the evidence in an email to Jersey forensic services manager Vicky Coupland. There was, in his view, no reason even to contemplate embarking on an excavation. 'We have not a shred of evidence to suggest there is anything there,' he wrote.
According to any 'reasoned assessment', the officer in question went on to write, it was hard to see how a child could have been buried in concrete in an institution full of children. There was also the near inevitability that any excavation would throw up a series of false trails which could only have the effect of diverting the inquiry from its real object - that of investigating allegations of sexual abuse, 'There is going to be blood from spotty teenagers,' the officer wrote in his email. 'We could end up being massively distracted by small bits of blood that have no relevance. In all the statements and intelligence we have not even a suggestion that there may be or have been bodies.'
So what was the identity of this senior Jersey police officer, who assessed the folly of embarking on an excavation so soberly and so well? Curiously enough it was none other than Lenny Harper himself.
Given Harper's momentary wisdom, the question which needs to be answered is how it was that he came to change his mind. Since Harper's original instincts were so sound, whose forensic intelligence took over and eventually came to drive the entire investigation? The picture at the beginning of this post provides a clue. For more details read David Rose's article.
Here we are in the middle of April 2010. Nothing has been done to bring Harper and Graham Power to book. Harper retired last August. Power remains suspended.He goes in July and the clock is ticking to that end, and yet questions remain as to why Power, as Chief Constable, didn't intervene or show any leadership, when his deputy was so obviously in control. Was Power constrained for some reason? Both have contributed to the rambling hate filled political blog of self exiled Senator Stuart Syvret.He has remained in London,despite a trivial driving license offence, supported by some very unworldly Liberal Democrat MP's.Though I doubt they support him now.Harper's lone investigation to seek murder, torture and complicate political pedophilia has cost Jersey dearly.The cost of that investigation is almost a third of the budget deficit.
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ReplyDeleteNow that the Wiltshire police report is out and clearly demonstrates a catastrophic failure in all aspects of the Jersey abuse enquiry and no culpability for those police officers, whom are allowed to retire on full pensions, something might be learnt in the future.
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