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Sexual abuse trial of Welsh children’s-home owner begins Sexual abuse trial of Welsh children’s-home owner begins
(about 2 hours later)
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 sexually assaulted and tortured troubled and highly vulnerable young people who were in his care over a period of more than 20 years, 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. John Allen, now 73, was the owner and manager of the Bryn Alyn Community homes in north Wales when he systematically abused children as young as seven from the late 60s to the early 90s, Mold crown court was told on the opening day of his trial on 40 charges of abuse against 19 boys and one girl.
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. A married man and a hotelier by trade, Allen created a “sexualised atmosphere”, grooming some children by giving them gifts and treats, including motorcycles and lunches out, but threatening others with violence if they did not comply, it is alleged. The children were abused in their dormitory beds, in bathrooms, during camping trips and overnight expeditions, at Allen’s home and at his hotel.
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. Those who plucked up the courage to go to the authorities were disbelieved or ignored, it was claimed on Tuesday.
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. The court was told that one victim alleged he saw Allen assault a child in front of a social worker without any comeback. Another boy claimed he told a social worker he had been abused, only to be assaulted by the social worker’s boss.
Laws described him as a formidable presence at the homes, where many of the children had arrived from abusive environments. When children did got to the police, Allen was called to pick them up and take them back. One boy alleged that he was introduced to Allen through a “paedophile gang” before being abused by him.
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, who now lives in Suffolk, denies all the charges.
“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. Eleanor Laws QC, prosecuting, said Allen was “a formidable presence” at the homes in and around Wrexham. She said many of the children arrived having already been abused, but Allen took advantage of their vulnerability. “Most had to learn to live with it,” Laws said. “They felt there was no way out.”
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. She told the jury there had been two previous investigations. Allen was found guilty in the early 90s after an inquiry 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 had been charged this time after the launch in 2012 of a police inquiry into child abuse, codenamed Operation Pallial. When he was interviewed, Allen claimed the former residents might be trying to win compensation by making up false claims against him.
Laws gave the jury brief details of the victims’ stories. One, who was taken into care in the late 60s for his own protection, recalled the smell of whisky on Allen as he was sexually assaulted. He described feeling dirty and guilty afterwards.
The youngest of the 20, who was allegedly abused when just seven, said his ordeal was the turning point in his life. He said he was scared of the dark and “screaming himself to sleep” when Allen got into bed with him and sexually assaulted him. He said the pain was unbelievable.
Another boy said he suffered a serious accident, rendering him unable to walk. He claims he was not taken to hospital but was assaulted by Allen as he lay prone in the room of a children’s home.
Another alleged victim said he was abused by Allen and a stranger in a toilet. He said it was like “torture”, with him ending up face down in stale urine and having to eat through a straw for weeks.
The only girl Allen is charged with assaulting said she blamed herself for “letting” herself be abused.
Alleged victims described Allen as charismatic and powerful. Young people believed he had been in the SAS and some thought of him as a father figure.
There were two sides to him: “nasty and nice” – a daytime Allen and a night-time one, the jury heard.
The trial continues.The trial continues.