Bruised boy who 'saw devil' removed from grandparents' care

Monday 19 June 2017

A “boisterous” seven-year-old boy who claimed that he could see the devil, and that he was locked in darkened rooms for as many as three hours by his allegedly abusive grandparents, has been taken into care.

John, whose name has been changed to protect his anonymity, told his class teacher in March that his grandmother had slapped him and dug her nails into the back of his hand so hard that it bled, while his grandfather would, “…make [his belt] like a cowboy” and hit him on the legs, ears and hands.

Following a medical examination, “talkative” young John was found to have several bruises on his abdomen and buttocks, as well as a mark on his forearm, “…suggestive of an abusive bruise.” Past records showed that he had also been brought to A&E with injuries to his private area, but that assessments put it down to “accidental injury.”

His grandparents strongly denied having caused the injuries, with his “visibly upset” grandmother claiming that John, “often says stuff” and that he had previously come home from school with, “…bruises, black eye and once with a broken nose and nothing was done about that.”

Speaking later with Police, a “nervous” John declined to give more information, stating that, “…if the police told his grandparents what he said, they would get mad and hit him.” Care workers said, however, that the young boy had already made further disclosures, including, “…that there are monsters in the basement, that he sees the devil and that the devil’s hour is three o’clock in the morning.” He added that the grandfather had locked him in the dark bathroom, using a plank of wood to hold the door.

Pictured: The case was heard in the Royal Court in May this year.

But his grandfather suggested that John was confusing games of hide and seek with reality, adding that their relationship was, “…very good – they were like skin and meat.” Moreover, he argued that John’s remarks had been a retaliation to his grandmother stopping him from playing on his PC.

Despite an inability to “draw firm conclusions” over the grandparents’ guilt, Bailiff William Bailhache, who sat with Jurats Olsen and Thomas, approved an order to take John into foster care.

Apparently swayed by the argument of John’s recently-appointed guardian that John may never “speak out again” if adults do not take his concerns seriously, the Bailiff commented: “The single most telling piece of evidence… is that John, as a seven year old, does not want to go home because he is afraid he will be hurt again.  That of itself is sufficient for the Court to reach the conclusion that there are reasonable grounds for suspecting that, as a result of the care given to him by the grandparents, John has suffered or is at risk of suffering significant harm.  The question of the injuries and the reasons for John’s reaction, which is very unusual, need to be further investigated.”

The news comes following an increased focus on safeguarding by Jersey authorities. Last week, Safeguarding Partnership Board Chair Glenys Johnston told Express that schools were being urged to report concerns in the first instance to prevent escalation.