Tilly Bailey & Irvine offers support to Medomsley Detention Centre abuse victims

The trio of former officers had subjected vulnerable teenagers to daily abuse at Medomsley Detention Centre during the 1970s and ‘80s, which had become the subject of a vast investigation by Durham Police that reportedly involved 1,800 witnesses.

Three Jailed

Christopher Onslow (73), John McGee (75) and Kevin Blakely (67) were all convicted and handed jail sentences, while a further two officers were also convicted following the three trials held. They will be sentenced later this month.

‘A Violent and Brutal Regime’

Judge Howard Crowson said pushing, shoving and even giving inmates a clip round the ear would not have constituted misconduct in the ‘70s and ‘80s.

Judge Crowson said: “For many years, trainees from Medomsley Detention Centre shared a common sense of grievance. Many had experienced brutality at the hands of prison officers but nobody wanted to hear it.

“Those who had the courage to complain when they were released were either ignored or warned that to pursue the complaint would risk a return to Medomsley – nobody wanted to risk that.

“In those days any complaint was likely to be regarded as further evidence that the trainee was anti-social, that he had not learned his lesson and was complaining about appropriate treatment.”

“These trials have vindicated the claims of the trainees from Medomsley Detention Centre who said that it hid a violent and brutal regime.”

Help For The Victims

We at Tilly Bailey & Irvine Law Firm have been among the leading North East firms reaching out to help the victims who suffered.

TBI’s specialist injury solicitors have already offered support to in excess of 60 former inmates.

The compensation obtained for these gentleman “goes someway to acknowledging their horrendous ordeals”, says Gemma Tunney, of our Personal Injury department.

We urge you to come forward if you have suffered from abuse such as this.

We will offer the sympathetic support that you require, so call our Teesside solicitors on 01429 350062 or visit www.tbilaw.co.uk