A SENIOR detective who has worked on high-profile cases such as the 2006 Riaz fire in Accrington and the 2007 murder of Sophie Lancaster in Bacup has been appointed to oversee the Jersey sex abuse inquiry.
Mick Gradwell, currently serving as a detective superintendent with the major investigation team at Lancashire Police, is hoping to take up his new post later this month.
He will be in charge of the day-to-day running of the investigation into the former Haut de la Garenne children’s care home in Jersey.
Mr Gradwell was awarded the Justice Shield in 2006 for his work on international law enforcement – which is the highest criminal justice award – and in 2007 he was awarded the Association of Police and Public Security Suppliers’ technical innovation award for developing an evidence presentation system for use in complex trials.
He has also worked for the Council of Europe, lecturing in Georgia on human rights issues and in Lithuania on human trafficking.
Commenting on his appointment, Graham Power, chief officer of the States of Jersey Police, said: "Mick was picked from a shortlist of five very strong candidates.
"We are confident that his range of experience makes him the ideal choice to help drive forward the ongoing historical abuse inquiry.
"We were particularly impressed with his reputation as a determined investigator, who has proved able to uncover the truth in difficult and complex cases, and with his credibility at international level."
