Eastwood Park Detention Centre, located in Gloucestershire has a complex history marked by allegations of abuse and recent developments aimed at providing justice to its victims.
Established in 1964, Eastwood Park was initially a youth detention centre for boys aged between 14-17. During the 1970s and 1980s, numerous allegations surfaced regarding the mistreatment of detainees, including physical mental and sexual abuse by staff members.
Patrick Devaney, a former prison officer, was convicted in February 2023 for gross misconduct after being found guilty of abusing over 100 boys between 1970 and 1983.
In response to these historical claims, the UK Government initiated a compensation scheme for the victims of Eastwood Park.
The Eastwood Park Detention Centre Compensation Scheme was launched on 14th January 2025. The scheme applies to all to claims notified to the Ministry of Justice no later than one year from the commencement of the scheme, i.e. by 14th January 2026. The scheme will pay compensation to former detainees who were physically abused and/or assaulted whilst at Eastwood Park. To be eligible for the scheme it is necessary to provide proof of your detention at Eastwood Park.
Awards of compensation will range between £3,000 and £9,500. The Ministry of Justice will provide an apology as part of their settlement offer.
The categories of compensation are:
Category 1: The Claimant was detained at Eastwood Park for 3 months or less and alleges abuse by a former staff member
£3,000
Category 2: The Claimant was detained at Eastwood Park for more than 3 months and alleges abuse by a former staff member
£4,000
Category 3: The Claimant was detained at Eastwood Park, alleges abuse by a former staff member and has provided medical evidence to show that they sustained lasting physical or psychological injury as a direct result of their treatment at Eastwood Park
£7,500 to £9,500
The Ministry of Justice have also confirmed that they will consider allegations of sexual abuse under the scheme, as well as claims pursued through civil litigation.
If you were subject to abuse at Eastwood Park, we would urge you to contact Avon and Somerset Police by calling 101 to report the abuse. Tilly Bailey & Irvine have secured compensation for a number of former inmates that were sexually, physically, and mentally abused whilst detained in Detention Centres.
If you have been affected by the abuse at Eastwood Detention Centre, and wish to speak to a solicitor, please contact Nathalie Clayton. She already represents a large number of former inmates subject to historic abuse at other Detention Centres.
Nathalie can be contacted on 0333 258 2563 or by filling in an online enquiry form.
