Monday 22 April 2013

Jersey's Dean and the Victim's Tale

Readers who have been following my two previous “Dean Blogs” below will be aware that considerable concern has been expressed about the health and whereabouts of the victim known as HG. Last Thursday a person purporting to be HG made contact with me and after making relevant checks I am satisfied as to her authenticity.

The matter is now quite involved but in summary, in July 2008 HG made a complaint to Jersey’s Dean about being the victim of inappropriate conduct by a church warden. She felt her complaint had not been satisfactorily addressed so made a complaint to the former Bishop of Winchester. Again she felt her concerns had not been addressed to her satisfaction. She informed the police but they found there was insufficient evidence to support criminal charges.

HG sought justice for two years and it is alleged that she harassed both the Dean and former Bishop which led to her arrest in September 2010. She was held in police custody and remanded in La Moye prison for 2 weeks before being bound over to leave the Island for three years. Having read the Court Transcript I have serious concerns about the circumstances of the arrest, detention and conviction and have made repeated requests to the Chief Minister to instigate an investigation but my request has fallen on deaf ears. On HG’s return to the UK she was again arrested in July 2011for harassment and incarcerated. HG is autistic and since returning to the UK she has no fixed abode or employment.

However HG’s plea for justice has led to a review by Jan Korris into the circumstances of her complaint, the Archbishop of Canterbury and the current Bishop of Winchester have both issued a public apology although HG claims she has not been officially made aware of it. In addition to the withdrawal of the Dean’s Commission a visitation/investigation by John Gladwin is underway. These are all positive actions but have come so late in the day and at a horrific personal price.

Given her experience it is not surprising that HG has lost all confidence and trust in the Police and the Church and feels most aggrieved at the insensitive manner in which both Bodies have treated her.

It is evident that there is a body of people including Senator Bailhache who feel that the Dean has been treated unfairly, the withdrawal of his Commission is both unreasonable and unconstitutional and the Dean should be reinstated. However it is disappointing that the very same group have displayed little or no sympathy/support for the victim HG who is now regarded as the villain.

The group from Jersey is exerting pressure on the Archbishop of Canterbury to intervene and for Bishop Dakin to reconsider his decision to withdraw the Dean's Commission and have him reinstated by Liberation Day on 9th of May. What is evident is that both men are not being swayed and are holding firm with the decision taken some six weeks ago. It is a fact that the Dean’s Commission has been withdrawn; we should all be pressing for the Visitation to be undertaken without any undue delay. I have expressed that view to Winchester and asked that a completion target date is made known.

Whilst there is considerable support for the Dean it is apparent that the forgotten person is HG. She tells me that her experience at the hands of the Police and Church has been life changing. She now has a criminal record, has little trust for anyone and her wounds are deep but has been encouraged by the support she has found via the Blogs and that is why she has contacted me for advice and support which I am happy to give and to act as her intermediary when necessary.

My first concern is for HG’s health and safety, the need for her to have a sense of her own value and know there are people who are concerned for her well being and are prepared to help her if she will let them. However this process will take time and patience but time can be a healer.

This Blog gives an update on the sorry affair. I titled my last Blog “A Voice in the Wilderness” HG’s voice is now being heard and this Blog will provide for a wider platform for it to be heard and I urge those tasked with sorting out the sorry mess will do so in a spirit of goodwill, unison and urgency. Above all else they should remember that HG is a real person who has suffered at the hands of professional people.

In my first "Dean Blog" I questioned the ability of our Health, Social Services, Police, Courts, Legal Advisors and other relevant agencies and were they fully trained and resourced to respond to people like HG. It is now evident that they, including the Church of England have much to learn and must do better.









59 comments:

  1. The key to all this lays in the Jersey court case where your concerns are well placed Bob. Keep digging in that area and you will see what purpose the courts serve to our government.

    To HG my support is with you and thank you for speaking to Bob and on the voiceforchildren blog these are people you CAN trust.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you for your support.
      I had concerns about the arrest from the outset and asked the Ch Minister to instigate an investigation. Having read the Court Transcript gave further to support re my concerns. Now that I have heard from HG my concerns have increased and I have again written to the Ch. Minister

      Delete
    2. I have not read the transcripts but from the start, my concern/question has been, given HG's mental condition, why was prison the first option instead of sending her to St Saviour's for appropriate help?

      Delete
  2. Well done Bob, if anybody can helpits you, I sincerely hope people sit up and listen and are held accountable for their actions. HG was very brave to stand up and take action, she must see it through to the end, she has huge respect and support from me.

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    Replies
    1. Thank you,

      I am hoping for a fair and speedy investigation/visitation so that any one found guilty is taken to task.

      Delete
  3. The rare broadside delivered by Advocate Fogarty a few weeks ago at Scrutiny should have had a salutary response from the Health/prison/courts/legal system of this Island but not so. Instead I witnessed the usual PR everything is wonderful defensive follow-up during the next two, more or less, staged hearings. It was a pity as always that the general public was not allowed to express their own personal views to counter the health dept window dressing or at least for Advocate Fogarty to be called in to reply there and then.

    I understand that HG was not represented by Fogarty but there is a need for all involved from Magistrete, to lawyers, police, prison officers, medics and the blessed Dean and his people to meet up ASAP to thrash out proper policies and practices to cope with such events.
    The focus on the "constitutional relationship" and the "royal connection" in some quarters shows that far too many in this Island are just not fit for any office.
    I wonder who the unfortunate people were that Adv Fogarty described and I note that their names were removed from the Scrutiny record.
    Anonimity may well be inevitable in such circumstances but it is a very handy device for those seeking to bury unpleasant truths.

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    1. In my Blogs I have raised concern about the competency of the various agencies engaged in Health Care and Advocate Fogarty comments are welcomed but sadly will probably be ignored.

      HG was not represented by Advocate Fogarty and as mentioned above I have concerns about the overall handling of HG’s arrest and conviction.

      It does appear that there is more concern about constitutional matters than addressing abuse, but what's new?

      Delete
  4. Thank you for this update, Bob. I am alarmed to learn that HG still has no fixed home or employment as I had been told that she was in touch with a church, who I thought were at least helping her with housing. I am also alarmed to learn that the Dean could be back at work shortly. Whilst I do support the idea of reconcilliation, I still support former Bishop Gladwin's investigation as anything else stinks of whitewash as far as I'm concerned.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. HG may wish to comment on her housing situation.

      I have heard of a possible meeting between the Dean and the Bishop but it does not mean that the Dean will be reinstated.

      I would have thought the investigation would have to be completed first, otherwise why was the Dean's Commission withdrawn in the first place.

      Delete
  5. As long as any church intervenes in my life, or any other service, without my consent on behalf of the diocese of Winchester, I will reject them because of the way I have been treated and how violated I feel by the intervention.
    Because of trauma, I cannot be housed yet.
    I do not want pressure from the Diocese of Winchester, it is harmful to me. I am not fit for employment physically or mentally and maybe never will be again. But eventually, if I am allowed to continue to heal myself, with help from the people and services I have chosen, I will be housed. any pressure will break the process. HG

    ReplyDelete
  6. "She now has a criminal record"

    They try to give all the Pindown victims one of those if they possibly can, it makes it easier for them to shove people into the long grass.

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    Replies
    1. You are correct about the criminal record,why the matter not dealt with by way of a Parish Hall Enquiry. Where was our caring society, where were our health experts?

      Delete
  7. They ought to be thankful that ILM is not conducting the inquiry, else the Dean would be out for a few years.

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  8. Jacques Michel Chartier22 April 2013 at 20:14

    It is disgraceful how the establishment and the media have portrayed the Dean as the victim. My thoughts are with HG, I hope that she gets the support that she needs. Thank you for keeping us updated, Bob.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you. I am certain the support that HG is receiving through the Blogs will be appreciated.

      Delete
  9. Bob.

    Have you made the island's State Media aware of this latest Blog Posting? If so, they will now be aware that HG is in contact with you and you must be inundated with requests by them asking you to put them in contact with HG?

    If you haven't been contacted by the State Media, then one has to ask why not? Why would the island's State Media not want to give HG a voice?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. When I published my Blog I did email the website to the Media but I have not had any response.

      It is appears that the Blog is of little interest to the Media as HG is being portrayed as the Villain. What a sad world we live in.

      Delete
    2. When I published my Blog I emailed the website to the Media but I have not had any response.

      It is appears that the Blog is of little interest to the Media as HG is being portrayed as the Villain. What a sad world we live in.

      Delete
  10. Well well well, it looks like CTV are giving us again a one sided piece of journalism the idea that the Dean will be back to his job soon (on tonights news). Philip Bailhache has done once again what he always does, uses his stance on Jersey law to get what he wants, what about HG. Her life! I feel ashamed to be from Jersey, utterly ashamed.

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  11. HG needs to be fully protected if the media get involved as this could add more trauma to her in my opiniom

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you, it is a good point and HG needs protection.

      Fortunately very few people are aware of her whereabouts and we hope it will stay that way until HG is confident and well enough to choose when to meet the media, if ever.

      Delete
  12. DEAR BOB
    You are doing a great job on your blog please will you pass on my best wishers to HG i hope it all come,s good for her. As for gorst iv seen more backbone in a jellyfish and i would not trust this man to do the right thing in fact i know he will not gorst is just there to do what bailhache wants just like most of the dishonourable ministers who are a disgrace to jersey unfortunately i had the misfurtune to meet some of them and most make a mockery of the truth.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you,

      HG is reading the comments and is being heartened by the support she is receiving.

      Delete
  13. Bob, I hope that you don't mind me replying but this matter and the aggressive media in Jersey are causing me trauma and yes it will be worse if they come after me. HG

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    Replies
    1. This comment has been removed by the author.

      Delete
    2. Re the above.

      I'm sorry but I can't do much about the media, but they will have to come through me before being able to speak to HG.

      Delete
  14. HG - Please try and stay strong. If it is any small comfort the victims of the Child Abuse saga were also villified in the Jersey MSM, leading to members of the public being led to think 'they were not telling the truth' or 'were only after compensation'.

    Thanks to good bloggers like Bob and VFC and Rico Sorda, good politicians (who are few and far between here)and other supporters, after 5 years they will now see justice in the form of a Committee of Inquiry, where hopefully the truth will out.

    It is not of a lot of consolation to you that such matters usually do take time, but no one need know where you are and furthermore you do not HAVE to speak with the MSM. Stay safe and strong in the knowledge that you have good people behind you.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you for your supportive comments.

      MSM means Main Stream Media.

      Delete
    2. Thank you. Bob if you are willing to print this comment. The member of church who has been somewhat judgemental of me on BBC Jersey has never met me.
      My full story is not known to the media, and Jesus said 'Let he who is without sin cast the first stone'. HG.

      Delete
  15. Well done Mr Hill for standing up for this lady who has been so badly let down by the "Jersey Way". She has shown incredible bravery in trying so hard to have her concerns addressed in the way they should have been at the outset of this dreadful abuse. I think we all knew this was going to be covered up to protect the dean but the depth of this bigotry by Baillache and his cronies becomes more shocking by the day. I would also ask why Autism Jersey have not been involved in this? Surely they should have been helping and advising HG? To HG I would like to say please don't feel alone, you have much more support here in Jersey than you realise, people are so fed up with the bullyboy tactics used against people by the establishment and old boys networks. My son is autistic and having suffered years of bullying and abuse from a manager at his workplace he, like you, said enough is enough. He singlehandedly took on a very large English chainstore with all their lawyers and pr people and he won his case because he told the truth and refused to be treated in this way. Like you, the stress took it's toll on him and affected his health both mentally and physically, but he is well now and still says he would do it again tomorrow just to stand up for autistic people and he now has a wonderful job with caring employers.So there is hope for you HG,and I wish a much happier future for you too.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hi Donna, thank you for your post and well done to your son for what he did! well done for his courage! I am glad things worked out well for him.
      I would like to say of Autism Jersey, they were doing their best but at the time they were in crisis with funding and resources and truly short staffed, I also found it hard to trust them due to the diocese and police involving them when I was already a client. I was in a bad way and it was hard for me to trust Autism Jersey and hard for them to support me, especially as time and resources were not really available. They tried to refer my for psychological support but the psychology services were not prepared to help someone with Autism as they stated that they felt out of their depth. Both Autism Jersey and myself campaigned for psychological help to be provided to people on the Autistic Spectrum but by the time the States answered that, it was too late for me. HG :)

      Delete
  16. Unbelievable and scary that Psychology services felt out of their depth handling you, HG. I'm glad you feel you can trust at least some of the people around you.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hi anonymous.
      The psychological services were turning away a number of people with Autistic Spectrum Disorders, including myself and other Autism Jersey clients who had traumas that they needed help with. Autism Jersey quite rightly stood up and said that this was wrong and campaigned for a change. I assisted them as best I could by going on the local radio, television and in the JEP, as an anonymous Autistic person and telling my story, how I was traumatized by some experiences I had had and wanted psychological help and was being refused due to my autism.

      I had to be anonymous due to how sensetive the situation with the abuse was.
      Eventually the campaign was answered by provision being made for Autistic Spectrum people in need of psychological help. But by the time I was referred and awaiting an appointment with psychological services, things were too bad and I was arrested, on trial, in prison and then out of Jersey. It was too late.

      Delete
  17. Although the Comment is now strictly related to this Blog I have allowed it to be published for the two following reasons:

    1.I did intend to publish a Blog on the referendum last weekend but with HG making contact I considered her concerns to be more important than the high jacked Electoral Commission and Referendum in which I am loathed to participate. However because I believe in equality I will be voting for Option A.

    2.The above comment illustrates the Main Stream Media's indiffernce to get to the bottom of issues which affect the ordinary members of the public.

    The Media has not mentioned my request to the Ch Minister to instigate an investigation into HG’s arrest, conviction and spurious reasons for her departure from the Island or that contact has now been made with her. However a vast amount of time has been given to those who have written to the Archbishop of Canterbury and Bishop of Winchester on behalf of the Dean.

    There was even a report on Monday that the Bishop of Winchester was meeting the Dean on Friday which according to Winchester is untrue. So I ask where is the balance, where is the equality?

    ReplyDelete
  18. Dear Bob, how hateful can CTV be? they allowed an article to go out stating that the Dean is being visited by the Dean and soon the Dean may be back to work! and this is not true, how cruel can CTV be, how very cruel. HG, my thoughts are with you during this very difficult time. I am ashamed to be Jersey, truly ashamed.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I do not know what research was carried out by Channel TV before running the news item, but the information I have received certainly does not agree with the contents.
      Perhaps we shall to wait until Friday to see if there was a meeting.

      Delete
    2. Don't be ashamed to be Jersey, the whole of Jersey is not to blame for this, a few people are. HG

      Delete
  19. What about the warden, he seems to have gone completely off the radar, what PB has done here (yet again) simply encapsulates all that happened over HDLG.

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    Replies
    1. There are a number of issues to be addressed via the ongoing Visitation/Investigation and the sooner it is concluded the better.

      Delete
  20. Replies
    1. I heard this news this morning - I am VERY disappointed. HG, should you be reading this, please know that some people regard this is a whitewash.

      Delete
    2. Well done to Voice for Children on publishing the press release so speedily.

      The Church authorities have had months if not years to get its act together but its handling of the suspension/Commission withdrawal leaves a lot to be desired.

      Normally suspensions are imposed to allow for the Investigation into the complaint to be undertaken during the suspension period. As it is clear that the Investigation/ Visitation have not been completed one must ask why was the Commission withdrawn in the first place.

      I have been in contact with HG, she was not aware of the reinstatement nor has she received the Dean’s apology.

      Delete
    3. I don't know what it has all been about, from start to finish but I know it has not been about my welfare or the injustices. I haven't received any apology and I am not sure how the Dean was considered to be acting in good faith, considering what he has said and done. HG

      Delete
  21. Bob.

    I'm sure HG will be aware as to how "The Jersey Way" operates and as the alleged victim she will be the last to find anything out, if at all, through the proper channels.

    My thoughts and support remain with HG as does many of good islanders.

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  22. I am very upset to hear of this HG my thoughts are with you. Bob, the interview not once did the Dean consider HG, it was all about him. I feel sickened to death by this.

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  23. Thanks for the info.

    Readers please note that I shall publish a new Blog on the reinstatement of the Dean tomorrow.

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  24. What message is this sending out, I notice 'he' was re-instated at the week-end, nice and quick! I feel extremely sad by this whole affair, the lady who has suffered is once again the last to hear an apology and the last to know. HG I have a candle lighting for you to remain strong and that you know people in Jersey most of us do care about YOU.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you. Don't worry, I know the difference between the Church of England and the real world and I know that there are good people in Jersey. HG

      Delete
  25. I shall comment on the message being sent out in a new Blog tomorrow. You are right to be concerned that HG was not informed of the apology or the reinstatement. I am addressing that matter.

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  26. Thank you all for your support. HG :)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. HG.

      You, and all victims, were offered a voice of support on BBC State Radio but it (BBC) refused it as documented HERE

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    2. who is the person arguing with you? :) HG

      Delete
  27. The next press release from the Diocese of Winchester will be that they are re-instating EY and claiming that he 'acted in good faith'!

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  28. There will be no need because the Church Warden was never suspended.

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  29. Brilliant! He is still a warden then? The mind boggles!

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    Replies
    1. No, according to the Korris Report the Warden was advised not to stand when his term of office expired, but he would be welcomed back at another time.

      Delete