Hollybrook Children's Home child abuse victim still wants justice

Mo Simmons has been campaigning for three years for a formal apology and an investigation into what happened at Hollybrook Children's Home, where she was assaulted as a 10-year-old girl.

Despite Mo's story reaching the Home Secretary and getting the backing of city councillors and MPs, the 82-year-old still has not received the justice she deserves.

READ MORE: Woman was 'raped and abused' at children's home

Southampton MP Alan Whitehead, who backed her cause, lamented the lack of action - saying it had hit 'roadblock after roadblock'.

But inspired by the way the Post Office scandal has captured the imagination of the public due to a recent ITV drama, the great-grandmother of two is determined her story will not be forgotten.

Mo said: “Someone has to claim responsibility for what happened to me. I have forever been changed by what happened to me. They have ruined my life.”

Mo Simmons, 82, was sexually abused as a child at Hollybrook Children’s Home in the 1950s (Image: Jose Ramos)

Left in a 'hell hole'

Mo was left by her father at the Hollybrook Children’s Home aged 10 in the 1950s.

She said the abuse she was subject to in the two years living there has led her to call the house a ‘hell hole’.

She recalled hearing the screams and cries of other children filling the night air, adding: “We were given these clothes to wear which would have been passed down by other children.

"We were not allowed to wear any other clothes apart from the ones we were given.”

Mo remembers the life-changing moment she was raped there.

She described how her skirt was lifted up by her attacker, before she pushed their hand away.

She was then slapped by the rapist who said: "Be quiet and don’t say anything, otherwise you’re dead."

After two horrific years in the facility, she was picked up by her father who brought her back home.

Police investigation stalls

The former British American Tobacco worker never told anyone about her abuse, carrying the emotional scars with her all her life.

It was only in 2014 that she reported one of the people concerned to the police.

But the investigation was closed soon after because the main suspect had died.

There was a glimmer of hope in 2021 when, after giving an interview to police and other suspects being identified, the case was reopened.

However, in February last year, the mother-of-two received a letter from Hampshire & Isle of Wight Constabulary saying the investigation would be shelved.

Officers could not identify any suspects - adding that if they were alive, they would be nearly 100 years old.

The campaign begins

It was in 2021 that Mo began her campaign by speaking at a full council meeting of Southampton City Council. Here, she urged the authority to start an inquiry.

She soon hit a stumbling block when city bosses said they had no legal power to start one, as the council was formed after she had been abused and therefore was not responsible for the children's home.

But the then-leader of the council Dan Fitzhenry and Labour MP Alan Whitehead pledged to support her in pursuit of justice.

Mo's first goal? For her case to be brought up in Parliament.

Government support falters

A breakthrough seemed imminent in September 2023, when city councillors Darren Paffey and Alexander Winning went with Mo to London to speak with MP Jess Phillips, the shadow safeguarding minister at the time.

The Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse had published a report in October 2022, making 20 recommendations to Government.

One of these was for victims who have been "let down" by state or non-state institutions to be compensated.

The then-shadow minister told Mo she would be in touch about this - but Mo has heard nothing from her since, and Ms Phillips has now vacated this post as of November.

Councillors also wrote to the-then Home Secretary, Suella Braverman, about Mo’s experience of abuse and received a reply about the Government's response to the inquiry, but with no action from the Home Office.

Dr Whitehead, MP for Mo's constituency, has tried to get the grandmother-of-six the opportunity to speak in Parliament about her story.

But, he said: "I was told this would now be difficult given the previous inquiry on the matter was closed and no new one has been opened."

This might happen should more victims of child sex abuse come forward who did not give evidence at the 2022 inquiry.

New hope after TV drama

With the uncertainty leaving justice feeling out of reach, Mo was left despondent until she watched the recent ITV show Mr Bates vs The Post Office.

The dramatization of the scandal, which saw more than 900 sub-postmasters prosecuted for theft, false accounting and fraud caused by a technical fault, is already bringing about meaningful change to a case which has been going on for decades.

It has inspired Mo not to give up with her own crusade - even if the odds seem stacked against her currently.

She said: “This scandal has brought people’s attention back to the victims, but what about people like us?

“We deserve justice as well. The government seems to be doing so much now for the other victims but is not doing anything for us.

"What happened to me completely changed my life and I am still living the effects of that to this day. I don't trust anyone."

A spokesperson for Southampton City Council said: “We continue to support Mrs Simmons in accessing the relevant compensation scheme that was set up by the Government in response to the IICSA report.”

The Home Office has been approached for comment.