Following an extraordinary Crown Court hearing where Nottingham Police and Child Protection Services were unable to give evidence, child abuse victim and key witness to the Beechwood abuse, Melanie Shaw, has been remanded in Peterborough Prison until October.
Members of the public attending the hearing at Nottingham Crown Court on Friday 25 July 2014 described a chaotic hearing in which the prosecution failed to present evidence, despite the judge urging them to do so by mentioning fingerprints and palm prints. In what were described as awkward statements to the judge, the prosecution excused themselves for the lack of evidence and promised to present evidence “shortly”. Despite the lack of evidence against Melanie, her status as an abuse victim and her importance as a key witness to widespread child abuse, the judge was happy to keep Melanie in custody, keeping her in a prison where she was already suffering from bullying, strip searches, refusal to administer NHS medication, and chaos from repeated transfers between cells.
Melanie appeared to have been thwarted by her own legal team, who did not communicate with her or allow her to challenge the lack of evidence. Melanie was never invited to speak in her own defence, and as a result she made comments directly to the judge on several occasions. Her statements included being refused prescriptions for Valium, not being able to see a doctor, and being persecuted for exposing a ring of pedophiles. Melanie also referred to Operation Daybreak, the Nottingham Police investigation into child abuse at Beechwood and other children's homes in the Nottingham area. It is considered significant by many that Melanie had previously stated, shortly before her arrest, that Nottingham Police had failed to properly investigate both the prevalence of child abuse and the deaths of numerous children under the “care” of Nottingham City and County Council at Beechwood and other homes.
Members of the public in attendance also expressed deep concern that after the formal hearing appeared to have concluded, the prosecution approached the judge's bench and handed him a stack of A4 papers which they described as “additional evidence.”
Melanie's case has been plagued by errors and irregularities. Nottingham Police initially refused to reveal that she had been arrested, only admitting that she was in custody after receiving numerous phone calls from members of the public concerned about her disappearance. Nottingham Police then appeared confused about the date of the arson, publicly citing both 1 February and 4 April 2014. Police also publicly listed her charge as “arson with intent to endanger life”, despite the correct charge being understood to be “reckless arson”. Melanie denies all the charges against her.
“There is no doubt that Melanie Shaw suffered horrific rape, sexual abuse, brutal physical assaults and psychological bullying during her time at Beechwood Children's Home. Her courage in coming forward as a victim of abuse and alerting the authorities to the widespread abuse and deaths of children is remarkable. It also seems an astonishing coincidence that after she spoke out about Nottinghamshire Police's botched investigation of Operation Daybreak, and the police colluding with the Crown Prosecution Service to provide false evidence and failing to carry out a proper forensic examination of the Beechwood premises, Melanie was suddenly accused of arson and locked up in a brutal prison with no evidence whatsoever.
Nottinghamshire City Council and the county council deny any responsibility for the child abuse suffered by Melanie and around 100 others at Beechwood alone. They prefer to buy off victims with public money. They have spent around £250,000 so far, but it is understood that the judge who awards compensation to victims has resigned until the police investigation is complete. Neither council will answer the simple question of whether a Serious Incident Review has been carried out in the wake of the Beechwood abuse, nor will they reveal the name of the person currently in charge of such a review. Nor will they say what steps they have taken to protect victims of child abuse, especially those made even more vulnerable by whistle-blowing. Their silence is deafening.
Meanwhile, Melanie Shaw fears for her safety in the harsh prison conditions of Peterborough Prison, and Nottingham City Council rushes to sell Beechwood to an “affiliated” private buyer. Perhaps it is not surprising that members of the public watching the Melanie Shaw case unfold have smelled the stench of yet another public cover-up of an organised paedophile ring. It is our responsibility as a public to remember the suffering of children and to ensure that this shameful abuse of power by Nottingham Police, Nottingham Local Council and Nottingham Crown Court does not continue.
To contact Melanie Shaw, please write to:
Melanie Shaw A4126DE, HMP Peterborough, Saville Road, Westwood, Peterborough PE3 7PD. Please do not send money unless you include your name and address. Melanie needs postage and would be very grateful if you could send it to her.
