Former Haut de la Garenne resident tells of abuse

The Haut de la Garenne home eventually closed in 1986

A former resident of the Haut de la Garenne children's home was abused by a member of staff and residents in the 1960s and '70s, an inquiry heard.

A witness known as Mr K, aged 50, gave evidence to the Independent Jersey Care Inquiry (ICJI) by video link from the UK.

Mr K said he was at the home for 13 years, and described the time as "horrific".

He told the inquiry he felt he missed out on his childhood completely.

He said: "I learned a lot of terrible, bad behaviour and habits that I carried on into adult life."

'At risk'

Mr K said he was sexually abused from a young age while at another home, Aviemore, and later by Michael Aubin who was convicted as an adult of assaults of children at Haut de la Garenne.

He also described being raped by a member of staff and two residents while at Haut de la Garenne.

During the inquiry Mr K was shown a memo dated August 1977 to the former head of the children's service detailing how Michael Aubin had made advances to Mr K and that he was reprimanded by officials.

Mr. K said he was angry, saying: "This record clearly shows I was at risk of sexual abuse from other residents, but nothing appears to have been done about it.

"This is a good example of the abuse taking place when other children and staff were out of the way."

Mr K said corporal punishment at the home was excessive, that he had been given three or six lashes with a cane for misbehaving, and then put in a detention cell.

"Staff went overboard and I actually think some of them enjoyed it; one time I was hit so much that the cane broke on me," he said.

The inquiry continues.