Home Secretary announces police inquiry into child abuse in North Wales

The Home Secretary, Theresa May, has announced that The National Crime Agency will lead the investigation into fresh allegations of child abuse in children's homes in North Wales.

In a statement today Theresa May said the director genreal of the NCA, Keith Bristow, would review the original police handling of the case, which dates back to the 1970s and 1980s, as well as looking at the latest allegations by one of the victims.

The full video report by our Political Editor Adrian Masters is at the bottom of this article.

The Welsh Secretary David Jones met with Steve Messham to hear his allegations that he was abused. Mr Messham was in care at the Bryn Estyn children's home near Wrexham when boys there were the victims of a paedophile ring.

Before the meeting Mr Messham said:

Speaking after the meeting Mr Jones said:

After the meeting Mr Messham said he felt 'fairly optimistic' about what would happen next. But he added that he was not confident about how a second inquiry would be conducted.

Speaking outside the Wales Office on Whitehall, where the meeting took place, he said:

Mr Messham added that he wanted to meet the Prime Minister to discuss the situation with him and that he was due to speak to the NCA, which he plans to "fully cooperate" with.

There's also the question of what form the process would take, whether or not it would be, say, a public inquiry or review of evidence and those terms of reference would have to be agreed with the person appointed to lead the investigation.

In 2000, the report of the Waterhouse Inquiry found that there had been extensive abuse at several north Wales children's homes, with a paedophile ring centred on Bryn Estyn. The names of alleged paedophiles were also withheld because it was thought that there was little chance of successfully prosecuting them.

Details of the separate investigation into the Waterhouse report itself are expected to emerge in the next few days. That's partly because the Prime Minister has said a 'senior figure' will be appointed to lead it and sources say it could take some time to identify the right person.

The First Minister also met with the Children's Commissioner for Wales, Keith Towler, today. Mr Towler was one of the first to call for a re-examination of the allegations.

Speaking at today's FMQ's, the First Minister also said any future inquiry would require a joint approach from both Governments

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