Survivors of Kirklevington Detention Centre have spoken out about feeling ignored and forgotten, as a police investigation into the historical abuse stretches into its 11th year with little progress. More than 800 individuals have come forward with allegations of physical and sexual abuse at the facility, which operated as a youth detention centre in North Yorkshire from the 1960s to the 1990s.
Despite the scale of the allegations, many survivors fear that justice is slipping away, as delays in the legal process have meant that some suspects have died before facing charges.
A Decades Long Battle for Justice
Kirklevington Detention Centre was designed as a “short, sharp shock” facility for boys aged 14 to 17, aimed at deterring them from future crime. Instead, many former detainees recall it as a place of systematic abuse where staff regularly inflicted violence and mistreatment on vulnerable teenagers.
For survivors, the wait for justice has been excruciating. Cleveland Police launched Operation Magnolia in 2014, investigating allegations from hundreds of former detainees. Yet, more than a decade later, the survivors say they are no closer to justice or closure.
Despite 21 suspects being interviewed, and case files being submitted to the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS), no convictions have been secured. In some cases, suspects have died before decisions on prosecution could even be made.
“Degrading, Insulting and Inhumane”
Solicitor Alistair Smith, who represents former detainees, spoke with BBC Look North:
“It’s an astonishing length of time and I’ve never heard of an investigation going on this long, it’s in its 11th year. These victims deserve a lot better. It’s degrading, it’s insulting and its inhumane. They would probably never have reported it, if they knew it would have gone on for so long.”
Cleveland Police has maintained that officers are working “tirelessly” to bring offenders to justice and confirmed that four additional case files have now been submitted to the CPS, with another four still under review.
But for survivors who have already waited decades to be heard, the frustration is growing.
Seeking Justice
If you or anyone you know has experienced abuse at the hands of officers in either Medomsley Detention Centre, Consett or Kirklevington Detention Centre Yarm, please do get in touch with us for an informal discussion by calling us on 01642 247656 or emailing us at medomsley@watsonwoodhouse.co.uk.