Melanie Shaw was unlawfully detained for over 24 hours and then, as an extremely vulnerable person, was released onto the street without her mobile phone or any money (which was also “confiscated” by the police).
Below is an open letter from UKColumn to Lowell Goddard DNZM, Chair of the CSA Independent Commission into Child Sexual Abuse. The letter asks Mr Goddard how he intends to protect Melanie Shaw and other child abuse victims, whistleblowers and witnesses from intimidation and harassment. The CSA Commission acknowledged receipt of our original email on 27 July 2015 at 17:33, and stated that they aim to “respond within 15 working days”. We look forward to hearing from Mr Goddard.
July 27, 2015 16:43
Mr. Goddard
I worked as a community journalist for several years, and during that time I was approached by many victims of child abuse.
I was recently contacted by a woman called Melanie Shaw, who was abused at Beechwood Children's Home in Nottingham and whose account of her own abuse and that of many other children sparked Operation Daybreak by Nottingham Police. This investigation has now been expanded to several other children's homes in the area. To date, this “investigation” has not produced any concrete results. In fact, one judge has gone on record to describe the investigation as a “conspiracy theory”.
Since expressing her dissatisfaction with Nottingham Police's performance of Operation Daybreak, including their failure to adequately investigate evidence and witnesses to child abuse, Melanie Shaw has been subjected to a campaign of harassment by Nottingham Police, while at the same time being denied the community mental health care which she is entitled to and needs as a victim of abuse.
Separate from the actions of Nottingham Police, Melanie has been accused and convicted of a crime she claims to be innocent of, and indeed many members of the public believe the charges were malicious and designed to silence her as a child abuse whistleblower. The aggressive charges were pursued by Alison Saunders, the Director of Crown Prosecutions, at the same time that Ms Saunders made every effort to prevent Lord Janner being called to court.
Melanie has been threatened by social services with removing her children if she continues to speak out about the abuse, and has been subjected to brutal treatment, solitary confinement and denial of basic medical care in Peterborough Prison – all with evidence.
Melanie had been detained again by Nottingham Police only a few days ago and was subsequently unlawfully held for over 24 hours before being released onto the streets an extremely vulnerable person, without her phone (which was also “confiscated” by police) and no money.
Nottingham Police is the same police force that has consistently failed to protect the children of Nottingham. Their apparent failure and their continued poor treatment and harassment of Melanie Shaw continues to cause significant and immediate public controversy.
We note that Annex A 2(a) of your Committee’s mandate states that it will “provide victims with an opportunity to testify at the investigation, taking into account their experiences and the need to provide them with appropriate support.”
If so, please explain how you will take immediate and effective action to protect and support Melanie Shaw from threats, intimidation and harassment, including from Nottingham Police, who have so far failed her.
Your reassurance will be in the immediate public interest and will be perceived as the fundamental intent of your investigation: to protect other child abuse victims and whistleblowers from intimidation from the very public agency you have been hired to investigate its failings.
Thank you for your assistance in this matter, and we look forward to a swift response given the ongoing harassment and neglect Melanie experiences on a daily basis.
Sincerely,
Brian Gerrish
Collaborators
England
