Rolf Harris prosecutor to lead St Helena child abuse probe

By The Press Association21st November 2014News EnglandChild Abuse, Government / Politics, Inquiry, News England

The prosecutor in the trial of Rolf Harris will lead an inquiry into allegations that two Government departments were involved in a conspiracy to cover up child abuse.

Foreign Secretary Philip Hammond told MPs he has agreed that Sasha Wass QC will be appointed to head the independent investigation connected to the British overseas territory of St Helena.

He said the allegations involve claims relating to child abuse in the territory, police corruption and incompetence and a “conspiracy” by the St Helena government, the Foreign Office and the Department for International Development (DfiD) to “cover these up”.

Former employees of the St Helena government raised fresh concerns in July, which followed a number of allegations in recent years about child safety and police corruption.

William Hague agreed to set up an independent panel of experts to investigate the new claims before leaving his post as foreign secretary.

Ms Wass said the inquiry will visit St Helena for three weeks next March and a public report on the panel’s findings would emerge in “late summer” next year.

She added: “In the event of recommendations for further criminal investigation, these will be presented to the police.”

In a written statement to MPs, Mr Hammond said Ms Wass will conduct an initial review of the allegations contained in various documents and will be provided with full disclosure of UK papers.

He said: “These allegations involve claims relating to child abuse in the territory, police corruption and incompetence, and a conspiracy by the St Helena government (SHG), the FCO and Dfid to cover these up.

“We are bound to take such allegations extremely seriously.”

Mr Hammond reiterated investigations had taken place since allegations linked to child safety were first raised in late 2012.

He noted a number of arrests and convictions for child sex offences have also taken place.

Mr Hammond added: “More, however, needs to be done. This new inquiry will not be quick. But it will be thorough.

“I am confident that the facts will be established.”

Details of the latest allegations first emerged following written questions in Parliament from Liberal Democrat MP John Hemming.

The Birmingham Yardley MP, among other questions, asked the Foreign Office to explain how it was ensuring a new airport on the island did not lead to the “development of child sex tourism” in the territory.

Former Foreign Office minister Mark Simmonds said in his replies in July: “The FCO and Dfid have been working closely with the UK police, who have investigated reports into child sex abuse on St Helena and continue to do so.”

Mr Hemming said he is pleased the Government is taking the claims seriously, describing the appointment of Ms Wass as a “good choice”.

He added: “People got through to me expressing concerns as to what’s been going on and suggesting that I prompted some action from the Government, so I consider this to be a success.

“At the end of the day, I’ll keep an eye on the process. It’s not enough to say that’s solved it.

“There has been a tendency in the Civil Service to close down things. I think they have learned lessons from this to some extent.

“It’s not that we say it’s all been sorted now – we keep an eye on the process as well as the wider inquiry (into historic child sex abuse).”

Ms Wass was prosecuting lawyer in the case of disgraced entertainer Harris, who was convicted of 12 indecent assaults at London’s Southwark Crown Court in June – one on an eight-year-old autograph hunter, two on girls in their early teens and a catalogue of abuse against his daughter’s friend over 16 years.

On the issue of Foreign Office involvement in an inquiry investigating claims against the department, Ms Wass said it would provide funding, support and administrative assistance as required.

She said the inquiry will “otherwise be totally independent”.

The Foreign Office has agreed to allow access to “all relevant papers” from its department, Dfid and the St Helena Government and its authorities, Ms Wass said.

She went on: “The inquiry will also request the opportunity to interview current and former officials, and other relevant persons, and to take oral and written submissions as evidence.”