Home Sec: New Wales Child Abuse Inquiry

The director general of the National Crime Agency will investigate historic allegations of child abuse at North Wales care homes, Home Secretary Theresa May has told the Commons.

Keith Bristow will lead investigations into new claims of sex offences carried out in the 70s and 80s, and review how previous inquiries were carried out.

The move comes after a paedophile victim alleged that a senior Conservative party figure had abused children in social care in the 70s.

The Home Secretary said North Wales Police chief constable Mark Polin asked Mr Bristow to "assess the allegations recently received, to review the historic police investigations and investigate any fresh allegations reported to police into the alleged historic abuse in North Wales care homes".

Mrs May said Serious Organised Crime Agency and Child Exploitation and Online Protection Centre experts would also take part in the review.

The abuse claims centre on the Bryn Estyn boys home in Wrexham

She said Home Office funds were available if needed and added that Mr Bristow's report into the historic investigation and any fresh allegations would be complete by April.

Shealso said an independent review led by a "senior figure" would take place to see if a late-1990s inquiry by Sir Ronald Waterhouse "was properly constituted and did its job".

The Home Secretary's statement to MPs follows claims last week on the BBC's Newsnight programme that Sir Ronald's 2000 report "Lost in Care" did not name many suspected abusers because it was defamatory.

Mrs May said: "The report found no evidence of a paedophile ring beyond the care system which was the basis of the rumours that followed the original police investigation, and indeed one of the allegations that has been made in the last week.

"Last Friday, a victim of sexual abuse at one of the homes named in the report - Steve Messham - alleged that the inquiry did not look at abuse outside the care homes, and he renewed allegations against the police and several individuals.

Alleged victim Keith Gregory says there was a "cover-up" of serious abuse

"This Government is treating these allegations with the utmost seriousness. Child abuse is a hateful, abhorrent and disgusting crime, and we must not allow these allegations to go unanswered."

She said victims who came forward would be supported, adding: "Those of us in positions of authority and responsibility will not shirk our duty to support you."

Speaking on the second day of his visit to the Middle East earlier, Prime Minister David Cameron said: "These are very, very concerning allegations, they are dreadful allegations. We must get to the bottom of it as quickly as possible on behalf of the victims.

"That is why I have ordered this rapid investigation into the previous inquiry to find out whether there was something wrong with it and make sure the victims are properly listened to."

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