27 January 2012 Last updated at 14:01 ET

Call for Jersey home affairs minister to resign

By Chris Rayner Political Reporter

Seven people were convicted after the abuse inquiry, with four linked to Haut de la Garenne

Jersey's home affairs minister is being asked to resign over the suspension of a former chief police officer involved in the historical abuse investigation.

Deputy Trevor Pitman asked for further details on how police reports were used to suspend Graham Power.

He said evidence had emerged showing there was no justification for suspending Mr Power or for criticism of Lenny Harper who led the investigation.

The BBC has been unable to contact Senator Ian Le Marquand for comment.

Since the historical abuse investigation closed in 2008 a number of reports were published into how it was handled by officers involved.

'Not critical'

Lenny Harper has written to Senator Le Marquand asking him why the message from the States was that a Metropolitan Police report to the Independent Police Complaints Commission (IPCC) was critical of his handling of the investigation.

Mr Harper said he had proof the report was not critical which destroyed the original justification for suspending Graham Power and the criticism of Lenny Harper.

The information is from two reports by the Metropolitan Police sent to the IPCC which have never been made public.

A number of reports have been commissioned to look at the States of Jersey Police historical abuse investigation which ran between 2007 and 2008, including one from Wiltshire Police.

There was also a report by accountancy firm BDO Jersey into the financial aspects of the investigation and a scrutiny review of the BDO report.

Another report by Brian Napier QC into the suspension of Mr Power found there were not valid grounds for his suspension.

No disciplinary charges were ever made against the police officers involved during the inquiry and Graham Power retired following a lengthy suspension over his handling of the investigation.

It is that suspension which is the latest focus after his deputy and senior investigating officer, Lenny Harper wrote to Senator le Marquand to ask where the evidence for the suspension and criticism of the inquiry had come from.

Mr Harper said he had been told by officers involved that two further reports created by the Metropolitan Police were allegedly used to justify Mr Power's suspension.

He said that the home affairs minister at the time, Deputy Andrew Lewis, was not shown the interim report but instead received a summary from David Warcup, the acting chief police officer, outlining the reasons to suspend Mr Power.

Mr Harper said he had been told the Metropolitan Police report contained no criticism of the investigation.

Deputy Pitman will ask Senator Le Marquand about the issue in the States of Jersey on Tuesday.