Kirklevington abuse probe - overtime and expenses costs revealed

Decades of "barbaric" attacks at Kirklevington Detention Centre between the 1960s and 1990s have been under the spotlight since Cleveland Police launched Operation Magnolia in 2014. 

But while a total of 938 victims have come forward and at least 21 suspects have been interviewed, not one person has been dragged before the courts.

Victims of "daily brutality" at the "vicious" centre - some of whom were as young as 14 - say they feel “forgotten” by police as they watch the prospect of justice fade away.

And now, a Freedom of Information request by The Northern Echo has revealed that the amount of money spent by the force, not including costs in relation to staff time worked on the operation, was £0 in 2025/26. 

The year before, 2024/25, the force spent just £165.10 on the operation, broken up by £157.90 in staff overtime costs and £7.20 in expenses.

This is a staggering drop compared to almost ten years before in 2016/17, where the force spent £19,904.76 on overtime and expenses. 

While the figures are accurate, they do not reflect the total amount of resources spent by police on the investigation - and zero expenses does not mean no work has been undertaken.

HMP Kirklevington (Image: THE NORTHERN ECHO)

It comes as The Northern Echo this week exposes Douglas Harrison as the “sadistic” officer believed to have abused hundreds of boys at the site.

Harrison died in 2019 - days before he could be charged with misconduct in a public office and numerous assaults in relation to 18 victims. 

Here is a full breakdown on overtime and expenses spending in Operation Magnolia: 

Kirklevington Detention Centre first opened in 1962 and housed boys between the ages of 14 and 17-years-old who had been sentenced to between three weeks and four months detention. 

It became a young offender institution in 1988 before briefly closing in 1992 and reopening in October of that year as a specialist resettlement prison.  

Victims, who say officers “wanted to inflict pain on children” at the site, have long been critical of the police operation into the abuse at the detention centre.

They argue that the "botched" investigation is a "whitewash" - and some even said they feel that police are "waiting for the suspects to die".

Senior investigating officer, Detective Chief Inspector Chatterton, said: “Firstly, I want to recognise the profound trauma and distress that all survivors have experienced and acknowledge the courage it has taken to come forward. 

“I understand that the length of time this investigation has taken is upsetting and frustrating, and we are deeply mindful of the impact this has had, and continues to have, on those affected.

 “We remain fully committed to listening to victims and survivors, treating them with dignity and respect, and pursuing all reasonable lines of enquiry.

“This is a complex and non‑recent investigation involving 938 victims and survivors to date. At least 21 suspects have been interviewed as part of this work, and we continue to work closely with the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS). 

“Victim and survivor care and support remain at the heart of everything we do. We encourage anyone affected to continue engaging with their appointed support services, and we are committed to keeping victims and survivors informed as the investigation progresses.”

Anyone who suffered abuse at Kirklevington Detention Centre can report this to Cleveland Police. Victims can also contact Oakwood Solicitors for advice on legal claims.