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4.8 The Deputy of St. Martin of the Minister for Home Affairs regarding allegations made in relation to abuse in the stone bath or immediate area of Haut de la Garenne:
Will the Minister inform Members how many allegations were made in relation to abuse in the stone bath or immediate area at Haut de la Garenne; why and when was the bath demolished, who gave authority to demolish it and what did its demolition and removal cost?
Senator B.I. Le Marquand (The Minister for Home Affairs):
I cannot give a figure in relation to the first part of the question because of the general nature of many of the allegations made in terms of place et cetera, but of course this figure is within the figure of 30 made by 8 people which I have previously given. The bath and the drain were dismantled for evidential purposes on instructions of the Senior Investigating Officer at the time who was the former Deputy Chief Officer
prior to the building being handed back, with his agreement, on 10th July 2008. I
cannot quantify the cost in relation to the dismantling for evidential purposes.
- The Deputy of St. Martin :
I think this saga may well run on because I gather that a sample was removed ... a sample of blood was found by the Bedfordshire Police and sent off to a forensic laboratory. Is the Minister able to give us a result of that particular sample ... sorry, I will come again, is the Minister able to give us a result of the examination of that blood? Was a prosecution followed?
Senator B.I. Le Marquand:
No, I am not. This is clearly an operational matter and it is not matter that I would delve into unless I had a very, very specific question and thought it appropriate to answer.
- The Deputy of St. Martin :
Could I again get back to the demolition of the bath, is the Minister able to say that ... could I ask where the Minister has received information that the bath was demolished prior to the departure of the former Deputy Chief Officer? Because my understanding is that a sample of the stone was removed to be taken away for sample but certainly not that the stone bath was demolished.
Senator B.I. Le Marquand:
I can only act in a case like this on the information which is provided to me which in this case has been provided to me by the Acting Chief Officer.