Operation Pallial – Sussex Couple Charged With Child Cruelty

A man and woman have been charged with child cruelty offences following an investigation by Operation Pallial.

Dennis William Jones, aged 65, and Aideen Jones, aged 62, from Seaford, Sussex have been charged with offences relating to two boys, both of whom were aged under 16 when the offences are alleged to have taken place, between 1975 and 1980.

Dennis William Jones faces four offences of child cruelty and his wife, Aideen, three. They are due to appear at Wrexham Magistrate’s Court Court on March 25th.

All charges result from new enquiries made by officers working on Operation Pallial, a National Crime Agency investigation into recent allegations of past abuse in the care system in North Wales.

To date, a total of 35 people have now been arrested or interviewed under caution by NCA Officers. Of these 31 are men and 4 are women.

A total of 15 people have been charged. Of the remaining 20, 18 are on bail while investigations continue. Two have been released without charge.

A total of 14 people are due to stand trial in 2015 for one or more offences, across a number of trials.

A total of 291 people have reported one or more account of abuse to Operation Pallial. There are currently 249 active complaints under investigation.

Operation Pallial has listed 68 people, both men and women, as suspects at this time. Of these 21 have been arrested and 15 have voluntarily attended for interview. Activity to locate 6 is ongoing, (one overseas), and 26 are believed to be dead.

Work to identify further potential suspects and to update all victims is continuing.

Deceased offenders

Some alleged offenders have died. Following investigation and independent review of evidence, Operation Pallial has now informed a total of 59 people that it would have made representations to the Crown Prosecution Service to charge 10 individuals with one or more offences had they still been alive today.

The investigation is ongoing.