A public hearing into how children in care in Notts were subjected to decades of abuse will be held at Trent Bridge in Nottingham later this year.
The national Independent Inquiry into Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse has been investigating how hundreds of children were were abused sexually or physically while in the care of Nottingham City and Nottinghamshire County Councils.
The crimes, dating back decades, first began to be made public in 2013 after several victims came forward. This led to hundreds of claims and several criminal trials.
In response the Government set up the inquiry to examine how children came to be failed by the authorities.
But many of its initial public hearings had been expected to take place in London, until officials said in January part of the process would be held locally.
The inquiry has now confirmed the first full week of the hearings will be held in Nottingham, with Trent Bridge the venue, in October before it moves to London.
A statement from the inquiry read: “The first week of the public hearing, from 1 to 5 October, will take place at Trent Bridge Cricket Ground, Nottingham during which the Chair and Panel will hear opening statements and oral evidence from some witnesses.
“The remaining two weeks of the hearing (week commencing October 8 and October 22) will take place at the Inquiry’s hearing centre in London.”
The inquiry announced it was focusing on Nottinghamshire after police launched a separate criminal investigation into child abuse in care claims in 2011.
This has widened to become Operation Equinox – involving around 300 people who have alleged they were sexually or physically abused in Nottinghamshire – mostly while in the care of local councils.
Several people have since been arrested, charged and convicted of abuse and several related criminal cases are still ongoing.
Much of the early investigation was centred around the former Beechwood care home in Mapperley, Nottingham, but has since widened to cover many other former institutions and alleged historical incidents in Nottinghamshire and Derbyshire.
Council figures including the leader of Nottinghamshire County Council have previously apologised publicly to victims for the historical failings which they have acknowledged played a part in many of the cases of abuse.
