Abuse victims urged to come forward

Abuse victims urged to come forward

A national appeal for children who were abused while in care in north Wales was launched yesterday by the judicial tribunal set up to investigate the abuse. Up to 200 or more young people alleging abuse will want to give evidence to the tribunal and 70 are already understood to have been in contact with lawyers.

The hearings begin taking evidence in the New Year and are expected to last for 12 months. Six former police officers will have legal representation, as well as a number of care workers.

Sir Ronald Waterhouse, chairman of the judicial tribunal, only the fourth of its kind in 30 years, told a preliminary hearing yesterday that he was inviting anyone with information to contact the tribunal via the Solicitor to the Tribunal, PO Box 13, Deeside, CH5 3ZR or by telephoning 0800 320321.

The tribunal was set up to investigate the abuse of children in care in the former county council areas of Clwyd and Gwynedd since 1974. It will also look at whether agencies and authorities responsible for child- care could have prevented abuse or detected it earlie