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| Sexual abuse trial of Welsh children’s-home owner begins | Sexual abuse trial of Welsh children’s-home owner begins |
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| The owner of a group of children’s homes carried out a string of serious sexual assaults against troubled and highly vulnerable young people over a period spanning three decades, a jury has heard. | The owner of a group of children’s homes carried out a string of serious sexual assaults against troubled and highly vulnerable young people over a period spanning three decades, a jury has heard. |
| John Allen, now 73, who was the owner of the Bryn Alyn Community homes in north Wales, abused children as young as seven between 1969 and 1991, Mold crown court was told on Tuesday. | |
| He created a “sexualised atmosphere” at the homes and groomed some children by giving them gifts and treats but threatened others with violence, it is alleged. Some of the children went to the police at the time but were ignored or disbelieved, the jury was told. | He created a “sexualised atmosphere” at the homes and groomed some children by giving them gifts and treats but threatened others with violence, it is alleged. Some of the children went to the police at the time but were ignored or disbelieved, the jury was told. |
| Allen, who now lives in Suffolk, denies 40 charges of abuse against 19 boys and one girl. It took the court clerk more than 15 minutes to read out the indictment at the start of his trial. | Allen, who now lives in Suffolk, denies 40 charges of abuse against 19 boys and one girl. It took the court clerk more than 15 minutes to read out the indictment at the start of his trial. |
| Eleanor Laws QC, prosecuting, said Allen was the owner and manager of Bryn Alyn Community, a company that ran homes in and around Wrexham for children in care. | Eleanor Laws QC, prosecuting, said Allen was the owner and manager of Bryn Alyn Community, a company that ran homes in and around Wrexham for children in care. |
| Laws described him as a formidable presence at the homes, where many of the children had arrived from abusive environments. | Laws described him as a formidable presence at the homes, where many of the children had arrived from abusive environments. |
| Allen sexually assaulted the young people on a regular basis. He gave gifts of cash or clothes to favourites and took them out to lunch at a hotel. Others he threatened with violence. | Allen sexually assaulted the young people on a regular basis. He gave gifts of cash or clothes to favourites and took them out to lunch at a hotel. Others he threatened with violence. |
| “Most had to learn to live with it,” Laws said. “They felt there was no way out.” A few went to the police but were not taken seriously; others remained quiet because they were ashamed or thought they would not be believed, the court heard. | “Most had to learn to live with it,” Laws said. “They felt there was no way out.” A few went to the police but were not taken seriously; others remained quiet because they were ashamed or thought they would not be believed, the court heard. |
| Laws told the jury there had been two previous investigations. Allen was found guilty after an investigation in the early 1990s into sexual abuse relating to six boys. In 2001 he was charged with sexual offences relating to a number of boys but was not put on trial because of a technicality, she said. | Laws told the jury there had been two previous investigations. Allen was found guilty after an investigation in the early 1990s into sexual abuse relating to six boys. In 2001 he was charged with sexual offences relating to a number of boys but was not put on trial because of a technicality, she said. |
| The barrister said Allen was charged with the new counts after Operation Pallial was launched in 2012 to look into allegations of abuse against children in homes in north Wales. | The barrister said Allen was charged with the new counts after Operation Pallial was launched in 2012 to look into allegations of abuse against children in homes in north Wales. |
| The trial continues. | The trial continues. |