Tilly Bailey & Irvine: Further charges over abuse at Medomsley Detention Centre

A further two former prison officers have been charged with physically and sexually abusing inmates at Medomsley Detention Centre and will stand trial.Ian Nicholson, aged 74, is charged with one count of misconduct in public office, three counts of buggery and four counts of assault occasioning actual bodily harm.Alexander Flavell, aged 86, is charged with misconduct in public office, indecent assault, one count of buggery and four counts of assault occasioning actual bodily harm. Both are due to appear at Newton Aycliffe Magistrates’ Court on 24 October 2019.Durham Police have confirmed that four men, who were being investigated as part of Operation Seabrook, will face no further action.The five former prison officers, Christopher Onslow, John McGee, Alan Bramley, Kevin Blakeley and Brian Johnson Greenwell, were jailed earlier this year for abusing former inmates at the detention centre following three separate trials. All five have launched appeals against their convictions.Durham Police launched the investigation known as ‘Operation Seabrook’ in 2013 and there are now over 1,800 reports from former inmates. Medomsley Detention Centre opened its doors in the 1960’s until it closed in 1988. The aim of the centre was to provide a ‘short, sharp, shock’ treatment to young offenders aged between 17-21 years and was primarily designed to prevent them from being sent to a mainstream prison.Unfortunately, allegations began to surface from former inmates who were subjected to sexual, physical and mental abuse from a number of prisons officers whilst they were detained in the centre. The regime has been described by former inmates as ‘brutal’.If you have been affected by the abuse at Medomsley Detention Centre and wish to speak to a solicitor, please contact Tilly Bailey & Irvine solicitor Nathalie Clayton. She already represents a large number of former inmates from Medomsley Detention Centre in respect of these claims.Call 01429 350062 for more information on solicitors near you in the North East.If you have not reported the abuse, please contact Durham Police on 101 or via their dedicated email address at [email protected]