Children's home sex abuse claims 'settled'

Former residents of Wellington's Berhampore Children's Home reached an out-of-court settlement over sexual abuse claims, it was reported today.

The 13 former residents said that supervisor Walter Lake sexually abused them in the 1950s and 1960s at the home, which closed in 1985.

Police were about to charge Lake with multiple sex offences when he died in November 2004, aged 84.

The claimants have been in a long-running battle with Presbyterian Support Central -- which owned the home -- for compensation and an apology.

PSC chief executive Mark Woodward told the Dominion Post today that a confidential settlement had been reached with the claimants and that they had now received an apology "for any way in which the organisation may have contributed to their anguish or trauma".

- NZPA