- States of Jersey Police say they are to imminently quiz 13 famous figures
- They are among the 45 suspects identified as part of Operation Whistle
- The investigation is looking into allegations of child sex abuse on Jersey
Police
investigating child abuse claims on the island of Jersey say they are
set to question 13 celebrities, politicians and sports stars.
Detectives
have revealed that the prominent figures, who are 'well known' will be
quizzed 'imminently' into allegations of institutionalised sex offences
on the Channel island.
Their
identities have not been revealed but police have said that 13 of the
45 suspects are public figures, including media personalities,
politicians and sports people and they will be questioned as part of
Operation Whistle.
Haut de la Garnne, the former
children's home on the island of Jersey. Police investigating new
allegations of child abuse at the home and four other institutions, are
set to question 13 well known figures
The
alleged abuse is said to have occurred between the late 1930s until the
mid 2000s across four institutions, including the Haut de la Garenne
children's home.
The other institutions, which have not been named, are no longer functioning.
Detective
Superintendent Stewart Gull from States of Jersey Police, said his task
force expects to begin interview with the suspects imminently.
He said that there are around 50 victims and 45 suspects - some of whom are dead or not yet identified.
Detective Superintendent Stewart Gull
of States of Jersey Police, who confirmed the majority of the abuse
allegations date back to the 1970s and 80s
Mr
Gull said: 'Some of them are celebrities, politicians, some of them are
people in the media, some of them are sports people. These are people
who are well known.'
'Some of them are still alive and some of them are deceased but we will not be disclosing more than that.
'Some of them were visitors to the island, some will have been resident.'
He also confirmed that the most historic cases date back to the late 1930s but the majority are from the 1970s and 1980s.
Mr Gull added: 'The most recent cases have been reported in the last five to ten years. There may be arrests made imminently.
'There will be interviews soon and some of the suspects will have to travel to the Island from the UK.'
It
is understood that there may be some crossover with the Metropolitan
Police’s Operation Yewtree investigation into sexual abuse carried out
by the former children’s TV presenter, Jimmy Savile.
However,
Savile is not believed to be one of the 13 prominent suspects
identified but the force had fielded several further complaints about
abuse carried out by him in the island.
An
investigation was launched into allegations of historic child abuse in
Jersey in 2007 with former children's home Haut de la Garenne becoming
the focus.
By
February 2008, the investigating team had received some claims about
possible murders at Haut de la Garenne, a children's home for 86 years
until it closed in 1986
Detective Superintendent Stewart Gull
from States of Jersey Police say some of the prominent figures will have
to travel to the island, pictured, to be interviewed
There
were also suggestions that human remains were entombed in concrete in
the building but it later turned out to be a piece of coconut.
However,
the investigation did show numerous instances of abuse against past
residents, with one former staff member being convicted of abuse.
Gordon Wateridge, was found guilty of eight indecent assaults on teenage girls and jailed for two years in August.