Kincora: Demolition of Belfast home where boys were abused begins

The demolition of the former Kincora Boy’s Home in east Belfast is under way.

At least 29 boys were abused at the home on the Newtownards Road from the 1950s to the 1980s.

William McGrath, Raymond Semple and Joseph Mains, who were senior care staff at Kincora, were jailed in 1981 for abusing 11 boys.

Plans to build a number of apartments on the site were approved earlier this year.

The building was also recently used for office space.

It is understood demolition work began on Wednesday.

Ulster Unionist Party councillor Jim Rodgers said people “would be glad to see the back of it”.

“I represent that area and, like a lot of other public representatives, we’ve been inundated about getting that building demolished,” Mr Rodgers said.

“There’s been that many false dawns – it was going to be done and then it didn’t happen and then it was set on fire on three or four occasions.”

The home was opened in 1958 and closed in 1980.

On 20 January 2017, the Historical Institutional Abuse Inquiry concluded that the abuse that took place at Kincora was limited to the actions of the three staff members and did not take place with the collusion of the state or intelligence services.

However, in September of this year complaints made about the failure of police to investigate allegations of sexual abuse at the home were found to be “legitimate and justified” by the Police Ombudsman.