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A detention centre meant to correct young men became a blueprint for how institutions can enable predators. We dig into Medomsley’s regime of fear, the violence that greeted boys at the gate, and the sexual abuse that flourished where power went unchecked. Guided by survivors’ testimonies and an in-depth conversation with the Prisons and Probation Ombudsman behind Operation Dearness, we explore how culture, leadership, and weak oversight combined to normalise harm and silence complaints.

Across the episode, we follow the path from scalding baths and forced humiliation to predation in the kitchens, where Neville Husband exploited access and impunity. We examine preventable deaths and missed interventions by staff, police, and social workers

The investigation’s findings lay out the full scale: thousands of victims, decades of abuse, and a system that prized order over care. More importantly, we map the reforms that can stop this cycle—proactive safeguarding that looks for abuse, child-friendly complaint systems, independent listeners, and tightly defined routes for families to raise serious concerns.

Credits

Guest: Adrian Usher

Producer: Charlotte Janes

Actors: John E Saxon, Benn Cordrey, Simon Green & David Wilson

Soundtrack: Particles (Revo Main Version) by [Coma-Media]

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