Jersey Care Inquiry: Former Les Chenes teacher 'never witnessed any abuse'

Mario Lundy worked at Les Chenes during the 1980s

A former teacher at a school at the centre of a child abuse inquiry said she did not witness any mistreatment.

The inquiry is investigating accusations of child abuse in Jersey's care system dating back to 1945.

Several former pupils of Les Chenes School have accused the island's former director of education, Mario Lundy, of carrying out attacks.

Former teacher Monique Webb said Mr Lundy had been forced to intervene physically but had not abused children.

Mrs Webb claimed that she never witnessed any abuse at Les Chenes and added that if she thought that children were being mistreated, she would have reported it.

Some pupils allege that Mario Lundy and another teacher used a practice nicknamed "pinballing", which involved roughly pushing children around the room.

Mrs Webb, who is now in her 80s, told Chairman Frances Oldham that she had never heard of the term.

The first phase of the hearing, which began in 2014, ended in March, with more than 200 witnesses giving evidence.

In its second phase, the inquiry will hear from those who worked in children's services and those accused of abuse.

Chief Minister Ian Gorst has set a deadline of December 2016 for the inquiry to conclude its investigations.