Operation Pallial: 275 come forward with allegations

Police investigating allegations of historical sexual abuse in the North Wales care system have said 275 people have come forward to report that they were assaulted or mistreated.

As of the beginning of June, Operation Pallial, which is being led by the National Crime Agency (NCA), is investigating 49 people as potential suspects.

NCA investigators have been given 120 names or partial names of people said to have been involved in abuse, and work continues to fully identify them.

Investigators currently believe there are potentially 61 repeat offenders. 21 have been arrested and ten men charged. Sixteen are believed to have died and efforts are being made to locate others in the UK and abroad.

In total the inquiry is examining alleged abuse at 28 care homes in North Wales with offences believed to have occured between 1953 and 1995.

With thirty officers based in Warrington working on the case, the NCA says it expects more arrests and charges in the months to come.

Police say they’ve had a positive response from those who have reported abuse allegations and promise to update all victims on what has come of the information they have given, whether it leads to an arrest or not.

The inquiry was announced in November 2012 by the home secretary, Theresa May, following a discredited BBC Newsnight report in which a former children’s home resident claimed he had been abused by a senior Conservative from the Thatcher era.

Operation Pallial is examining alleged abuse at 28 care homes. Its investigation is expected to continue into next year and beyond. Officers believe more victims could come forward and expect to make further arrests.