St Monica's church home baby deaths: Tim Farron calls for police probe

Tim Farron described the experiences of women at St Monica's as "horrific"

A Cumbrian MP has called for a police investigation into baby deaths and allegations of abuse at a former church home for unmarried mothers.

Following a BBC investigation into St Monica's in Kendal, Tim Farron, who represents Westmorland and Furness, said "justice needs to be done".

The Church of England home, run by the Diocese of Carlisle, was a place teenage girls were sent to have their babies away from view.

It operated from 1918 until 1970.

Stephen and Judith Hindley met and married after her time at St Monica's

Stephen Hindley, who lost his wife Judith to suicide in 2006, told the BBC she took her own life because of the treatment she suffered at the home as a teenager.

She lost her baby, also named Stephen, at the home when he was 11 weeks old, after allegedly being refused hospital treatment for him.

After his wife's death, Mr Hindley discovered her baby was buried in an unmarked grave at Parkside Cemetery.

The BBC has seen a letter sent to Mr Hindley, from what was then South Lakeland District Council, confirming the area was used for "public burials" and warning him there were other burials in the unmarked grave.

• If you have been affected by any of the issues in this article, you can find details of organisations that can help via the BBC Action Line.

Former Liberal Democrat leader Mr Farron said: "It's appalling, I'm utterly heartbroken for Stephen and for Judith, who passed away, and for all their family.

"It's utterly horrific and what this had revealed is that, it looks like, in a cemetery that I know well, there are perhaps tens of babies, unnamed in an unmarked grave, who died due to poor care at St Monica's in the 1960s in Kendal.

"It's tragic and horrific to think what those women went through and what they may still be going through.

"There needs to be a police investigation and every one of those babies needs to be named and remembered and justice needs to be done."

'Appalling circumstances'

Mr Farron said he would push Cumbria Police to start a criminal investigation, promising to talk to the force about "the abuse of women and their babies."

He said he believed it was "extremely likely" the babies "died from a lack of care, in appalling circumstances because they weren't cared for properly".

In a statement, Cumbria Police said it "has not at this stage received any official report of an offence having been committed in relation to this issue".

The force said anyone with information about possible criminality should contact officers.

St Monica's in Kendal was run by Carlisle Diocese

The Carlisle Diocese, who ran the home on behalf of the Church of England, has issued a full apology to Mr Hindley.

A spokesperson said: "We are committed to continue to work alongside Mr Hindley as he seeks answers and, furthermore, we are fully prepared to co-operate with other statutory agencies as necessary."

The BBC has approached all of the councils who were formerly involved in funding the home, which was paid for entirely by public money.

Westmorland and Furness Council and Cumberland Council said they will also work with statutory agencies if requested.

Lancashire County Council stated it was formed in 1974 from a previous authority.

A spokesman continued: "We cannot comment on specific cases but, in general, this means that Lancashire County Council in its current form did not 'place' individuals or otherwise fund 'placements' at St Monica's."