Knottfield staff "must have known"

Researcher interviewed past social worker

It's thought staff at a Douglas children's care home, which officially closed in 1983, knew child abuse was taking place at the state-run facility.

That's the view of Kerry Sharpe MLC, in giving evidence to the committee investigating historical abuse at Knottfield, formerly on Woodbourne Road.

Mrs Sharpe interviewed a past social worker at the home, as part of her research for a publication about the 150-year history of children in care on the Island:

A written statement from the police stated: "an opportunity to stop the home manager's offending arose in 1979, but was not taken".