Abuse victims: The fight for compensation goes on

Les Chenes Credit: ITV Channel

Residents of a former secure school in Jersey have told ITV News they fear promises of a compensation scheme from government may never materialise.

It comes three months after ministers pledged to come up with a redress package for those alleging they were abused while locked up at Les Chenes.

The facility closed in 2003.

Last December, the Government of Jersey said they were working on some form of compensation, as victims weren't eligible under a previous scheme which was limited to abuse which happened between 1945 and 1994.

The group from Les Chenes attended between the late 1990s and early 2000s.

One victim, who we're calling David, described his own experience at Les Chenes.

He said he knew of former residents whose lives had been ruined by their experience.

Alan Collins is the lawyer representing former residents. He threatened to sue the government last September if they didn't take action. In December they announced a scheme would be set up.

The government has told ITV News "work is being done to prepare the scheme and get it up and running but it is a substantial piece of work and doesn't happen overnight."

The Council of Ministers is due to discuss progress when it meets on 3 April.

The brutal regime at Les Chenes emerged during the Independent Jersey Care Inquiry.

It heard allegations of children being bounced like pinballs off the walls. Several witnesses spoke of violent assaults on children, and youngsters lifted in the air by their ears.

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