A fresh inquiry into allegations of child abuse in the 1970s and 1980s centring on children’s homes in North Wales found no evidence linking former Chester MP, the late Sir Peter Morrison.

North Wales Police originally investigated the care home abuse claims in 1991. Out of eight prosecutions, seven former care workers were convicted.

But it was widely believed that the abuse was on a far greater scale, prompting the setting up of the Waterhouse public inquiry in 1996 to look again at the abuse claims.

The Waterhouse Inquiry investigated abuse at sites including the Bryn Estyn children's home in Wrexham

Waterhouse proposed a series of radical changes to the ways in which the needs of children in care were addressed and all 72 recommendations were implemented. However, the inquiry was later criticised for the narrowness of its remit, which meant claims of abuse by politicians and others outside the care home system, were not considered. More victims came forward in 2001.

Related story: Ex-MP says immediate predecessor had reputation as a 'pervert' but he can't shed light on veracity of the claims

Disquiet and talk of a cover-up was resurrected against the background of the shocking Jimmy Savile case with claims of a wider circle of abusers than those referred to in the report including businessmen, police officers and a senior Tory politician, wrongly believed to be the former Conservative Party treasurer, the late Lord Alistair McAlpine, who described the allegations as ‘wholly false and seriously defamatory’.

Jimmy Savile
Jimmy Savile

In November 2012 Home Secretary Theresa May ordered a new police inquiry to investigate allegations of historical sexual abuse and a review of Waterhouse by Lady Justice Julia Macur which has just been published.

There was media speculation Savile and former Chester MP, the late Sir Peter Morrison, may be among the names that would surface as being linked to the scandal.

Related story: Former Chester MP Peter Morrison could be implicated in child abuse inquiry

Indeed, Lady Justice Macur said in her introduction that the alleged role of Morrison was a key factor in prompting the review.

Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher with her private secretary and Chester MP Sir Peter Morrison
Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher with her private secretary and Chester MP Sir Peter Morrison

She wrote: “...around this time press reports also contained former ministers’ accusations that Sir Peter Morrison, parliamentary private secretary, to the late prime minister Margaret Thatcher, a former deputy chairman of the Conservative Party and MP for Chester from 1974 to 1992, who died on 13 July 1995, had been involved in the abuse of children in North Wales.”

She said David Jones MP, the immediate past Secretary of State for Wales, who once stood as a Conservative parliamentary candidate for Chester, had also received a phone call in about 2000 said to be from a member of the Waterhouse Tribunal staff ‘which implicated the late Sir Peter Morrison and appears thereby, at least by reason of cumulative effect, to have triggered this review’.

Related story: Former Chester MP Peter Morrison named in papers passed to child abuse inquiry

But Lady Justice Macur, who now believes that phone call was a ‘hoax’, found no reference to Sir Peter Morrison or the ‘now notorious celebrities’ in the original inquiry. The name of ‘McAlpine’ did arise but their identification was in ‘obvious doubt’ and it ‘was reasonable’ not to require Lord Alistair McAlpine to answer questions. Lord McAlpine was later wrongly linked to the scandal by BBC Newsnight in a case of mistaken identity.

Nor was Morrison mentioned in Welsh Office papers despite claims by Rod Richards, a former Conservative MP and ex-leader of the Welsh Tories, that he had received detailed briefings about the case while junior Welsh Office Minister for health and social services.

Lady Justice of Appeal in the High Court - Dame Julia Macur
Lady Justice Julia Macur

Lady Justice Macur concluded: “I have found no reason to undermine the conclusions of the tribunal in respect of the nature and the scale of abuse.

“Neither is there evidence of the involvement of nationally prominent individuals in the abuse of children in care in North Wales between 1974 and 1996. Consequently, I do not recommend the establishment of a further public or private inquiry or review.”

Related story: Chester MP demands reassurances from BBC after Savile report

Chester is also cited in her report because many files relating to the North Wales children’s homes in question were destroyed in a fire at Pickfords' warehouse in Lightfoot Street, Hoole, on October 25, 1996, but Mrs Justice Macur said she had seen ‘no evidence’ to suggest a targeted arson attack.

Whistleblower Des Frost, former deputy manager of Bryn Alyn Hall children’s homes in North Wales

And there was reference to concerns around the failure of the Waterhouse Tribunal to call Chester resident Des Frost, former deputy manager of Bryn Alyn Hall children’s homes in North Wales, as a witness.

Related story: Chester man alleges his child abuse claims were ignored for more than a decade

Mr Frost alleges Cheshire Police could have prevented years of child abuse at the hands of former children's home boss and paedophile John Allen if they had acted on his tip-off. But Lady Justice Macur said his statement was deemed to have been read into the evidence before the tribunal.

John Allen, a former children's care home boss, leaving Mold Crown Court in handcuffs after being sentenced to life for historical child abuse. Pictured, left, with residents of one of the children's homes when he was in charge.

The Waterhouse report found a paedophile ring existed in the Wrexham and Chester areas, with adult men targeting boys in their mid-teens, particularly those in care. But it said the inquiry had seen no evidence that prominent public figures were involved in the ring. Lady Justice Macur decided these findings were ‘reasonable and consistent’ with the evidence, with no indication any such involvement was concealed.