As summer approaches and Jersey awaits its annual surge of tourists a menacing cloud hangs over the islanders that could inflict great damage on their future prosperity.

Haut de la Garenne, a former children’s home at the centre of an abuse scandal, is slowly and painfully yielding its secrets.

The home has become a lightning conductor for those seeking to break down an apparent culture of silence and cover-up in Jersey. Islanders are torn between anger at the perceived negligence of the authorities — with many believing that the perpetrators could have been caught years ago — and a defensiveness in the face of “outsiders” descending on Jersey “only to write about its bad side”.

Since the investigation started 160 people have come forward to tell police of their suffering at Haute de la Garenne, and 60 of those have also complained about suffering at other children’s institutions on the island.

At least 15 of the 40 suspects in the case are being investigated in relation to alleged crimes committed away from Haute de la Garenne.

A team of ten forensic archaeologists said yesterday that they had found bone fragments and teeth. Police said they believed that the milk teeth probably came from a 5-year-old child. The team is now concentrating on two cellar rooms.

A spokeswoman said: “The teeth could have come from the same child although further tests will be necessary to try and ascertain if that is the case, and how the teeth might have come to be there.”

Four underground chambers in the building were used as punishment rooms, according to former residents who claim to have been physically and sexually abused in them. Blood-stained items, blood spots and shackles have been found in the rooms.

In February a skull fragment was found in the building, but experts were able to confirm only that it had been put there no earlier than the 1920s.

Police are also continuing to investigate a pit dug in the 1970s or 1980s. They were alerted to the spot by a member of the public who told them he had been asked by members of staff to dig two holes near the boys’ dormitory. He was later asked to fill them in again but when he asked staff why he was told it was “none of his concern”.

Excavation of the pit has revealed that the bottom was filled with large quantities of lime.

So far one person has been charged in connection with allegations of abuse at Haut de la Garenne. Gordon Claude Wateridge, 76, is charged with three offences of indecent assault on girls under 16 between 1969 and 1979. He has been released on conditional bail.

Stuart Syvret, a senator in the States of Jersey Assembly, is demanding that the British Government step in to restore public confidence in Jersey’s governance and administration of law.

Mr Syvret, 42, is “Father of the House” yet his traditional end-of-year address to the States in December was shouted down then ruled out of order by the President when he tried to talk about the child abuse inquiry.

Sir Philip Bailhache, the President, is also the Bailiff of Jersey, a Crown-appointed position in which he presides as head of the judiciary. His brother William is the Attorney-General. Their posts are regulated by Jack Straw, the Justice Secretary.

The effect, Mr Syvret contends, is that an overlap between the judiciary and legislature has contaminated the island’s body politic.

Sir Philip rejected calls for his resignation last week over his appointment of a convicted paedophile as an honorary policeman.

Roger Holland, 42, was sentenced to two years’ imprisonment this month, but he already had a conviction for assaulting a girl. Sir Philip, who was then Attorney-General, knew of his conviction in 1992 but allowed him to remain in service. In 1999 Holland resigned while under investigation and a year later he was found guilty of assaulting two girls, aged 9 and 12.

In response to a call for his resignation from the father of one of Holland’s victims Sir Philip issued a statement in which he said: “I am afraid that it is easy to be wise after the event. My decision in 1992 . . . was made in good faith on the basis of the facts known to me at that time.

“With hindsight it is certainly possible to say that a different decision ought to have been made, particularly given the harm done to the victims of some of his assaults.”

When approached by The Times yesterday, the Bailiff declined to comment, saying that it would be inappropriate while the police investigation at the children’s home was in progress.

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