Report Details Systemic Abuse at Medomsley Detention Centre, where Prolific Sex Offender Operated
London – A newly released report details widespread abuse and failings at Medomsley detention centre, a now-closed institution where former minister John Husband sexually assaulted young men. The report, published today, highlights a pattern of ignored complaints and systemic failures that allowed abuse to flourish for years.
Husband retired from the Prison Service in 1990, receiving the Imperial Service Medal for meritorious duty.He later trained as a minister,becoming officially inducted in June 1994 at Waddington street United Reformed church.
His double life came to light in 1999 when he was arrested during Operation Voice, a UK-wide inquiry into the distribution of child sexual abuse materials.though the initial case was dismissed in court, Husband was reinstated as a minister in June 2000.
Further investigations led to his conviction in 2003 on 10 counts of indecent assault and one count of rape against five teenagers at Medomsley, initially receiving an eight-year prison sentence. In 2005, he was charged with four additional offences, extending his sentence to 10 years.
The report’s publication has been welcomed by victim advocates,but also criticized for not going far enough.David Greenwood, a lawyer representing Medomsley victims since 2001, called the report “a milestone along the road to exposing the shocking facts of detention centres and borstals around the country,” while stating it ”left many unanswered questions.” Greenwood is advocating for a full public inquiry to investigate “the scale of state-sponsored violence against detainees, the missed opportunities to stop it, and its consequences for a generation of boys.”
Justice Secretary Alex Usher acknowledged the failures of multiple authorities, stating that victims had been failed and abuse had been allowed to “ruin lives.” He added that, for many young men, “a short sentence had become a life sentence,” but dismissed the need for a public inquiry.
Medomsley detention centre, which housed young male offenders, closed in 2002 following concerns about conditions and allegations of abuse. The report’s findings are expected to reignite calls for greater scrutiny of past practices within the UK’s youth justice system.
