Hollybrook abuse survivor takes fight to Southampton council meeting

A woman who was sexually abused in a children's home in the 1950s has spoken at a council meeting to demand an apology.

Mo Simmons, 80, spent two years at council-owned Hollybrook Children's Home in Southampton from 1951.

She urged Southampton City Council to "cut the red tape" and investigate what happened at the home.

The authority has said it "has no legal powers" because the abuse happened before it formed in 1997.

Mrs Simmons said she was 10 years old when she arrived at the home, where she was raped and beaten over the course of two years.

She told councillors: "It's been 70 years since I was left at the entrance to Hollybrook Children's Home with my two younger brothers - and I'm still seeking justice for my family today."

She said many, including her brother, were "not able to cope with what happened to them in that home and died earlier than they should have".

"It's taken me all of my life to get answers because every step of the way I seem to have been blocked," she said.

"I want to know why I had to endure more than a child should have.

"I want an apology and an inquiry from you so that others like myself and my brother will get the justice we are entitled to."

The local authority has so far refused to accept responsibility, because her abuse pre-dates it being formed as a unitary authority in 1997.

Cllr Daniel Fitzhenry, leader of Southampton City Council said in reply to her deputation that she had "courage" to speak at the meeting.

He said: "Not as leader of a council but as one person to another, I'm deeply sorry and moved by what you've been through and what you've suffered, and the difficulties that you and your brothers have faced.

"While we don't have the legal powers to have an investigation we will do everything we can - as people first and as politicians and elected representatives across the chamber - to help you on your journey for justice."

Mrs Simmons said after the meeting she was "disappointed" with the council's reaction to her speech, and added that she wanted to "go to Parliament, what they said in there wasn't enough".

• How does inquiry into historical child sexual abuse work?

• Abuse survivors lose compensation test case

Dr Jon Bird, from the charity National Association of People Abused in Childhood, said it is common in historical abuse cases for victims to be unable to get justice because of a lack of accountability from councils.

He said: "They can't afford to do anything that may sound like they're accepting liability because they'd get sued, not only by Mo but by anyone else who might be alive."

The council holds all the paper records from Hollybrook children's home in their archives and has previously told the BBC that it "sympathises" with Mrs Simmons.

Dr Bird said it was "profoundly depressing" and "immoral" that councils have found a "legal loophole".