Arrests made in historical sex abuse case at Shefford Boys' Home

Hertfordshire Mercury
February 24, 2015

http://www.hertfordshiremercury.co.uk/Arrests-historical-sex-abuse-case-Shefford-Boys/story-26073995-detail/story.html

St Francis Boys' Home, Shefford

Arrests have been made as part of an investigation into historical cases of sexual abuse of children at a former Catholic orphanage.

Two men have been arrested and a further two people interviewed in connection with alleged child abuse at St Francis Boys' Home in Shefford during the 1960s and 1970s.

A 72-year-old man from Bedford was arrested on suspicion of sexually assaulting four children, while a 79-year-old man from Mundford, Norfolk, was arrested on suspicion of six sexual and 14 physical assaults on children at the home.

Both men have been bailed until April.

It is thought more than 100 boys could have been abused at High Street Home before it was closed in 1973.

Many of the victims have said Father John Ryan, who died in 2008, abused them while he ran the home in the 1960s.

Others claim Father Wilfred Johnson, who ran the home between 1945 and 1954, preyed on them. He died in 1994.

A 68-year-old man was voluntarily interviewed under caution for sexual assault, enquiries are on-going.

A 78-year-old woman from Shefford was interviewed under caution for sexual assault. She has been released with no further action.

Bedfordshire police revealed that all four interviews took place in the last two weeks and that the victims have been updated over the weekend.

So far detectives have spoken to more than 80 victims during the course of the investigation, dubbed Operation Haryana.

Further potential suspects have been identified and will be interviewed in due course.

Bedfordshire police are preparing a report based on the interviews which will be submitted to the Crown Prosecution Service once it is complete.