A lawyer representing more than 100 alleged victims of child abuse by staff at children's homes is threatening to sue the Government unless a public inquiry is launched into the affair.
Mr Peter Garsden has already issued High Court writs against three organisations that ran five children's homes in Merseyside and Cheshire which were infiltrated by paedophiles.
The full extent of the child abuse unearthed by a major police investigation in the two counties was disclosed for the first time last week after former headmaster Keith Laverack, 52, was jailed for 18 years by Chester Crown Court for 15 child sex offences.
Hundreds of children fell victim to Laverack and 11 others who wormed their way into positions of authority at children's homes in the 1960s, 1970s, and early 1980s.
Mr Garsden is demanding a full public inquiry.
''Following the conviction of Keith Laverack last week, I feel the Health Secretary Stephen Dorrell should act promptly and announce a full public inquiry. Otherwise my plans are to sue him over this mess,'' he said.
Mr Garsden and two other lawyers involved in the child abuse case were disclosing details of their plans at a Manchester news conference today.
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