CONFIDENCE in the child abuse inquiry is at an all-time low, according to a group set up by alleged victims.

The Jersey Care Leavers Association say that they are extremely concerned about the recent comments by Lenny Harper, the former head of the Haut de la Garenne inquiry, and are pleading with the States to meet them urgently.

The care leavers group have written to the Chief Minister calling for a public apology from the States of Jersey and want them to open a commission of inquiry to investigate the allegations of historic child abuse in the Island’s care homes.

A statement released to the JEP read: ‘We are distressed to hear that in Mr Harper’s opinion the victims’ interests are being sacrificed. He refers to a marked reluctance to vigorously pursue the allegations to their natural conclusion in court, as they would have been in jurisdictions within the UK.’

• Picture: Haut de la Garenne has been at the heart of the historical abuse inquiry