The Ministry of Justice has recently announced a settlement scheme to compensate former detainees of Medomsley Detention Centre in County Durham. The Centre inflicted ‘short, sharp, shock’ treatment on inmates throughout the 1960's until the 1990's, which many victims described as ‘tortuous’.
In January 2018, we appealed for witnesses following the conclusion of an investigation into over 1500 complaints made to Durham Police. Operation Seabrook was then launched in 2013 to investigate the extent of the abuse young victims suffered whilst detained in Medomsley Detention Centre.
Five former prison officers have already been convicted of physical assault on the detainees whilst at the detention Centre. Two further Officers are due to stand trial later this year.
The settlement scheme aims to provide former inmates with compensation arising from the physical and sexual assaults they suffered by the convicted officers. Claimants must provide access to their PNC records to prove the period in which they were detained. Compensation will be based on the duration a victim was detained for and whether they suffered physical and psychological injury as a result of their detention at Medomsley.
Our Abuse team at Ramsdens Solicitors represents claimants who were victims of abuse as detainees at Medomsley Detention Centre. If you were detained at Medomsley Detention Centre and suffered physical abuse, please contact our experienced team on 0113 887 1834.