Kirklevington prison abuse allegations: Hundreds of former inmates come forward

• 09:09, 13 Jun 2016
• Updated 09:09, 13 Jun 2016
• By Mike Blackburn

More than 200 people have now contacted Cleveland Police over historic allegations they were assaulted at Kirklevington 

 

Kirklevington Grange Prison

 

Hundreds of former inmates of a Teesside prison have now come forward claiming they suffered serious abuse there as teenagers.

Cleveland Police is investigating historic allegations ranging from the 1960s to the 1990s when Kirklevington operated as a mixed remand centre.

In February The Gazette reported how the force was investigating allegations from more than 70 former Kirklevington inmates.

Following media reports of the probe that figure has now risen to a staggering 222 people who have contacted Cleveland Police.

One former prisoner David Ginelly, who was transferred to Kirklevington as a teenager in the 1970s from Tong Park near Bradford, went on television to talk about his alleged experiences of abuse.

He told BBC’s Inside Out programme he was “dragged out of the van by my hair, thrown up the wall, thrown into a cold bath, smashed against the wall and told I must memorise all these rules”.

“I have never been a saint and I don’t doubt that what I have done deserved punishment - but not brutality, not to that extent, not at 14 years old,” he said.

'Evidence must be robust'

Five police forces across the north are investigating historic allegations of abuse at least 11 different institutions which house troubled teenagers, including Kirklevington.

Molly Frost, from Jordans solicitors in West Yorkshire, is representing many of the claimants and said she understands why growing numbers of former inmates are willing to speak out.

“Once a person sees that other people are talking about abuse they feel empowered themselves to do the same,” she said.

James Wharton, Conservative MP for Stockton South, is backing the police probe.

“If there is evidence of wrongdoing then the police should take action, crimes of this nature leave long-lasting scars and damage and cannot be allowed to go unpunished,” he said previously.

 

 Northern Powerhouse minister and Stockton South MP James Wharton 

“Any evidence must be robust and any resulting investigation appropriate, but if there was abuse then those who perpetrated it need to be brought to justice.”

A Ministry of Justice has also urged anyone with evidence of abuse to “bring it to the attention of the appropriate authorities so it can be examined as a matter of serious concern”.

A Cleveland Police spokesperson said today: “So far we have had 222 people come forward. The investigation is ongoing."

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Police investigate abuse claims from more than 70 former inmates of Kirklevington prison

Cleveland Police investigating historic allegations ranging from 1960s to 1990s when Kirklevington operated as mixed remand centre.

• 16:40, 3 Feb 2016
• Updated 16:44, 3 Feb 2016
• By Mike Blackburn

 

  

Kirklevington Grange Prison

 

More than 70 former inmates of Kirklevington Prison in Yarm have made allegations of being seriously assaulted and abused there as teenagers.

Cleveland Police is investigating historic allegations ranging from the 1960s to the 1990s when Kirklevington operated as a mixed remand centre.

Stockton South MP James Wharton said if police uncovered evidence of abuse then the perpetrators “need to be brought to justice.”

David Ginelly was transferred to Kirklevington as a teenager in the 1970s from Tong Park near Bradford and claims he suffered horrific abuse.

 

David Ginelly was transferred to Kirklevington as a teenager in the 1970s 

He told BBC’s Inside Out programme: “I arrived here late at night, dragged out of the van by my hair, thrown up the wall, thrown into a cold bath, smashed against the wall and told I must memorise all these rules.

“I have never been a saint and I don’t doubt that what I have done deserved punishment - but not brutality, not to that extent, not at 14-years-old.

“It just opens up cans of worms and demons that I’d long since tried to put to the back of my head. You can’t just put things away and shelf them like that, they’re always going to resurface.”

Five police forces across the north are investigating historic allegations of abuse at at least 11 different institutions which house troubled teenagers, including Kirklevington.

Another former inmate, who wanted to remain anonymous, was transferred to Kirklevington after being caught trespassing on the railway.

He said: “All aspects of the daily routine was physical violence, serious assaults from 6am in morning till 7pm at night you were assaulted, you were kicked, you were punched. It just never stopped, not even at 7pm when you went to bed.”

Such allegations are 'extremely worrying'

Molly Frost, from Jordans solicitors in West Yorkshire, is representing many of the claimants. She said: “I think one of the reasons that people feel more able to come forward is because socially it is much more acceptable now to talk about what happened.

“Once a person sees that other people are talking about abuse they feel empowered themselves to do the same.”

James Wharton, Conservative MP for Stockton South said any such allegations were “extremely worrying”.

“If there is evidence of wrongdoing then the police should take action, crimes of this nature leave long-lasting scars and damage and cannot be allowed to go unpunished.

“Any evidence must be robust and any resulting investigation appropriate, but if there was abuse then those who perpetrated it need to be brought to justice.”

A Ministry of Justice spokesperson said: “Anyone with evidence of abuse should bring it to the attention of the appropriate authorities so it can be examined as a matter of serious concern.”

A Cleveland Police spokesperson said allegations from more than 70 former Kirklevington inmates were being investigated. No charges have yet been made and enquiries are ongoing.

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Abuse claims by former Kirklevington inmates

• 24 March 2016 
• From the section Tees

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Image caption Kirklevington was converted into a resettlement prison for adult male offenders in 1992

Allegations of historical abuse have been made by former inmates of a remand centre on Teesside.

Cleveland Police confirmed 165 men have now claimed they were assaulted by staff at HMP Kirklevington, near Yarm.

The claims of bullying and excessive physical punishment date from the 1960s to the 1980s when they were teenagers at the facility, when it operated as a mixed remand centre.

The force said no arrests had been made and the investigation was ongoing.

A Ministry of Justice spokesperson said: "Anyone with evidence of abuse should bring it to the attention of the appropriate authorities so it can be examined as a matter of serious concern."

Kirklevington was converted to a resettlement prison for adult male offenders in 1992.

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