A police and social services probe into child cruelty allegations at a care home for vulnerable children and adults has found no grounds for prosecution.

All charges in relation to the allegations against Jeanette Roberts, who was in charge of the Old Convent, Moor Hall Lane, Bicknacre, plus Karen and Christopher Roberts, and two others, have been dropped.

The Old Convent is run by charitable trust Family In Care, looking after vulnerable adults and children with learning and physical disabilities.

In November 1998 Essex Police and social services raided the home and made arrests under Operation Camberley.

In a statement Essex Police and Essex Social Services said: "Following advice from the Crown Prosecution Service proceedings have been discontinued in connection with the care of the residents at the Old Convent.

"Allegations about the treatment of children, young people and vulnerable adults at the Old Convent in Moor Hall Lane, Bicknacre, near Chelmsford, led Essex Police, social services and other statutory agencies to conduct a thorough investigation.

"As a result of this an operation was carried out by Essex Police and social services in November 1998. The outcome was the arrest of five people and provision of alternative care for some of the residents of the Old Convent.

"At all times the welfare, care and safety of this particularly vulnerable group of residents has been our priority and it was in their interests that a full investigation was carried out," the statement added.

Applications for statutory care orders for six children previously in the care of Miss Roberts, were initiated by Essex Social Services under the 1989 Children Act in the Family Division of the High Court of Justice.

In May this year a judge, having heard evidence over 17 weeks, was satisfied one child suffered significant harm as a result of the care that he had received.

He concluded that five others had not suffered significant harm yet, but that if there were no change in the way they were looked after, they were likely to do so in future in some but not all of the ways alleged.

The judge directed three of the children should return to the home and three should not.

Director of Essex Social Services, Michael Leadbetter said: "I am entirely satisfied that it was right to take the action we did and bring these matters before the court."

No one was available from the Family in Care Trust or from the Roberts family to comment on the decision today (Friday).

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