Island 'needs mainland judges'

From The Times
February 27, 2008

Jack Straw is to be asked to send independent judges to Jersey to take charge of cases after claims that previous abuse allegations have been covered up. Senator Stuart Syvret said he would also ask the Justice Secretary to appoint independent prosecutors from the mainland. “I have no confidence that there will be proper separation of the executive and judiciary without the appointment of independent judges,” he said.

Mr Syvret claimed that his fears were raised by a damning report on a child abuse scandal at Jersey’s only boys’ public school which he claimed was “swept under the carpet” by the authorities. Andrew Jervis-Dykes, a maths teacher, was jailed for four years in April 1999 after pleading guilty to indecent assault in connection with the offences at Victoria College. An independent report was commissioned by the college and education chiefs said officials had acted to protect the school’s reputation and the member of staff, not the pupil.

Mr Syvret said that two senior members of Jersey’s judiciary were closely involved with the school at the time.

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