Wateridge Described As A Sexual Bully In Jersey Abuse Case

Gordon Wateridge, then in his 40's, was a house parent at Haut de la Garenne from 1970 to 1974.

The Jersey Royal Court has heard testimony from an unnamed 53-year-old woman how Wateridge used to grab her and grope her breasts and inner thighs. She said, "I remember lying on my back with my feet on the floor, he was pretending to tickle me but from my point of view he was having a good feel."

"His hands would be moving up and down inside my thighs."

Asked how she felt at the time and why she never told anyone of the abuse, she replied she knew it was wrong and made her feel creepy, but she was only 13 or 14 and he was a big man. She told the court she never told anyone, "because no one would have listened."

The court heard from another witness that Wateridge would smack bottoms and give bear hugs to the girls at the home. The children nicknamed Wateridge, "The Perv".

A man testified Wateridge threw him to the ground after he told him to leave his sister alone. "He grabbed my hair and said, "Is there a problem, boy?' I said 'no' and he pushed me to the floor."

Prosecutor Stephen Baker asserted that Wateridge abused his position of responsibility at the home and was a persistent sexual bully.

The trial was to have resumed yesterday morning, but was temporarily postponed due to additional evidence being discovered.

Wateridge has denied all 19 charges against him.

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Channel Island Self-Government Should Not Be Guaranteed

An interesting article from the JEP.

During a visit to Guernsey, Lord William Wallace of Saltaire was asked about the notion of full independence for the Islands. Wallace, a Liberal peer, says the UK needs to clamp down on Channel Island Autonomy - adding full independence would be 'horrifying'.

Decisions made hundreds of years ago aren't necessarily valid today and he added small jurisdictions that attract vast amounts of offshore money are difficult to govern without falling prey to corruption.

Apparently, there is a wider concern about the governing of Jersey and the fallout is not just confined to the Haut de la Garenne judicial fiasco!

Many thanks to Mark Le Sueur for keeping me apprised of the undercurrent in Jersey!

JEP