Soldiers Join Search In Jersey

A specialist military team has been called in to assist in the search for human remains at a former Jersey care home, where a child's skull was found last month.

The six-man team will use hi-tech radar equipment to assist forensic experts as the search continues at the Haut de la Garenne building. However, journalists will not be allowed to take photographs of the squad, due to the highly sensitive nature of the equipment they use.

The building, which closed as a care home in 1986, is being searched as part of an investigation into allegations of sexual abuse in Jersey, dating back to the 1960s.

Around 160 people have claimed that they were abused at the home, during the 1960s, 70s and 80s.

Searches have been continuing at Haut de la Garenne since the discovery of a child's skull in the building on February 23.

The main focus of the search has been in the building's cellar, where four bricked-up chambers have been discovered. It is understood that witnesses and alleged victims have claimed that children were abused and described the rooms, which they claimed were used as "punishment rooms".

A number of items have also been removed from the building. Police have not confirmed what the items are, saying only that they were items, which witnesses had said were in the area of the home where children were allegedly abused. However, it has reported that the items are believed to include a set of shackles.

Bones have also been found at the site, but so far none of them have been from humans. And disturbing graffiti was also found in one of the chambers. It said: "I've been bad for years and years".

(KMcA/JM)