TWO men have been charged with non-recent child sexual exploitation following an investigation into allegations at the former Coed Glas children’s assessment centre in Abergavenny
The men aged 65 and 69 were arrested on Friday June 20 and have since been charged with 45 offences between them.
A 69-year-old man from Rhondda Cynon Taf has been charged with 38 offences:
- Three counts of indecent assault on a girl under the age of 16 years
- One count of attempt to indecently assault a girl under the age of 16 years
- 14 counts of indecent assault on boy under the age of 14 years
- 20 counts of assault / ill-treat / neglect / abandon a child / young person to cause unnecessary suffering / injury
A 65-year-old man from Blaenau Gwent has been charged with seven counts of indecent assault on a boy under the age of 14 years.
Both have been bailed and are due to appear at Newport Magistrates’ Court on July 3.
Operation Spinney has been investigating reports made by men and women of sexual and physical abuse committed against them as children predominantly at the former Coed Glas Assessment Centre, Abergavenny, between the 1970s and 1990s. The charges relate to 16 victims.
The centre at the time was the responsibility of the former Gwent County Council and has been closed since 1995.
Detective Chief Superintendent Andrew Tuck of Gwent Police, said: “A team of detectives has been working closely with the Crown Prosecution Service and local authorities as part of a long-running investigation into allegations of non-recent sexual offences relating to the former children’s home in Abergavenny. This has resulted in us being able to charge two men for a number of sexual offences against children.
“We are committed to securing justice for the victims in this investigation and continue to support them alongside specialist agencies.
“We would ask for people to respect the judicial process and avoid online speculation on this case. This is to ensure the integrity of the investigation and court proceedings.
“We take all reports of child exploitation seriously and would urge anyone who has suffered abuse or has concerns about someone who may be suffering to come forward and speak to the police. We will listen to you and investigate all offences and also ensure you have access to any help or support you need.”
Help available for victims
To report child sexual exploitation, please contact us online or by calling 101. If you or someone you know is in immediate danger or vulnerable to harm, please call 999.
For more information and support agencies available, please visit Advice about child abuse | Gwent Police
If you or someone you know needs urgent mental health care but it's not life threatening, you can call NHS 111 selecting option 2. This helpline is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, and is free to call from a mobile (even when the caller has no credit left) or from a landline. More information can be found here - Mental Health Crisis - Aneurin Bevan University Health Board.
Hannah von Dadelszen, Chief Crown Prosecutor of the Crown Prosecution Service, said: “The Crown Prosecution Service has received a full file of evidence from the Gwent Police and has authorised the investigation team to charge two defendants with multiple counts of child sexual offences.
“This charging decision was made by the Organised Child Sexual Abuse Unit, which has a team of specialist prosecutors to lead on these complex and sensitive cases.
“The Crown Prosecution Service reminds all concerned that criminal proceedings against these defendants are now active and that they have a right to a fair trial. It is extremely important that there should be no reporting, commentary or sharing of information online which could in any way prejudice these proceedings.”