A reminder of decades of abuse at Medomsley Detention Centre
Medomsley Detention Centre was located near Consett in County Durham. It operated as a youth detention centre for young male offenders between the age of 17 and 21 from 1961 to 1987.
Sentences were usually short – 3 to 4 months or less – and were intended to be a “short, sharp shock” for minor offenders.
However, it has for quite some time been widely known that both physical and sexual abuse by officers and staff members at the detention centre was systemic and widespread. It included routine physical beatings, humiliation, psychological abuse and sexual abuse.
Complaints of abuse at the centre were routinely ignored but in 2003 Neville Husband was convicted of abusing 5 inmates at the centre. Leslie Johnson was then convicted in 2005 of sexual offences at the centre.
In 2019, following Operation Seabrook five more officers were imprisoned for physical abuse at the centre. It was the largest investigation of its kind and nearly 2000 men reported abuse at the centre.
In 2023, the Prisons and Probation Ombudsman Adrian Usher published a report detailing the failures of the authorities and missed opportunities to intervene and prevent further abuse. The government published an open letter to the survivors of abuse at the centre making a formal apology.
The detention centre is however back in the news after the sentencing and youth justice minister, Jake Richards, announced stronger safeguarding measures for youth custody last week. He referenced the Usher report on Medomsley and said that it had left a lasting impression on him.
It was reported that Richards had said that socially and culturally there had been “an apathy” towards this type of offending and one reason was because the victims were seen as “bad” working-class boys from the north. “I think it is important that as a country we face up to the horrors of the past but also, more importantly, that we make sure it never happens again”.
There is a settlement scheme in place to compensate victims of physical abuse at Medomsley Detention Centre without the need to go through complex legal proceedings.
The scheme provides certainty that former detainees will receive compensation for the physical assaults they suffered by officers during their time there.
To be eligible for the scheme, you must be able to prove your period of detention by reference to PNC records and state that you suffered abuse by an Officer during the period that you were detained.
Compensation is assessed in accordance with the length of time the men were detained and whether they have suffered lasting physical and psychological injuries. The Claimant will also receive a letter of apology from the Ministry of Justice.
Jordans solicitors have represented hundreds of clients who have suffered physical and sexual at Medomsly Detention Centre.
A number of our staff went to see the “Bad Lads” production about boys who had been at Medomsley in various theatres in 2025 to support the ongoing calls for justice and accountability.
Compensation is a small step towards taking control of your life and getting the justice you deserve.
We understand how difficult it can be for you to talk about the abuse you suffered during your childhood. That’s why our specially trained child abuse solicitors work closely alongside psychologists and barristers to support you both emotionally and legally.
Justice for child abuse survivors should be accessible no matter how long ago it happened. That’s why we fought for a landmark change in the law, which allows an abuse claim to be brought before a court regardless of when it took place.
If you want to discuss the options that are open to you, please contact our specialist Abuse Team at Jordans Solicitors on 0800 9555 094.