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Witness tells of Bryn Alyn children's home boss rape Sexual abuse was 'part of life' John Allen trial told
(about 9 hours later)
A former children's home resident has told a jury how he was raped as a child by the home manager during "wild games" on a mountain range. A former resident of a Wrexham children's home says it was a "paedophile playground" and part of life for a Bryn Alyn boy.
Mold Crown Court heard how the man had been one of the first residents at Bryn Alyn Community Homes in north Wales when he arrived at the age of 11. He was giving evidence in the trial of John Allen, who owned and ran the Bryn Alyn Community, a group of homes near Wrexham.
But within weeks, he was being sexually abused by the home's boss John Allen and an older teenager, he said. The witness told a jury that abuse was "part of the routine" of living at the home under Mr Allen's regime.
Mr Allen denies 40 counts of sexual abuse against 19 boys and one girl. Mr Allen denies 40 counts of sexual abuse against boys and one girl.
The witness, who cannot be identified for legal reasons, was giving evidence via video link against Mr Allen, 73, from Needham Market near Ipswich, Suffolk, who is accused of carrying out sexual abuse at the homes between 1968 and 1991. Giving evidence on Wednesday via video link, the man, who cannot be named for legal reasons, said Mr Allen ran the home "like a god".
'Frightened' He told the jury: "John Allen has been in my life every second.
"It'll never go away, there's no such thing as closure."
Mr Allen, 73, from Needham Market near Ipswich, Suffolk, is accused of carrying out sexual abuse at the homes between 1968 and 1991.
The jury heard how the witness went into care for his own protection, and to escape his mother and physical abuse.The jury heard how the witness went into care for his own protection, and to escape his mother and physical abuse.
He said he was already "traumatised and frightened," by having to live in the institution and said the abuse was "part of the routine "of living there. Routine abuse
He said he was already "traumatised and frightened," by having to live in the institution.
"I was 11 years old and I was frightened," he told the court."I was 11 years old and I was frightened," he told the court.
He recalled pretending to be asleep as he was sexually abused in his bed at night by Mr Allen along with an older teenage resident, who he believed was coerced into it.
The court also heard how the man remembered being raped by Mr Allen on a trip to a mountain where they were playing army type games.
After the incident on the mountain, the abuse continued and he was also taken to Mr Allen's home where he was sexually assaulted.
"It was sexual gratification for him, I was an object," he said, adding that he regarded the defendant as a homosexual paedophile."It was sexual gratification for him, I was an object," he said, adding that he regarded the defendant as a homosexual paedophile.
'Terrible place'
The man, now in his 50s, told the court there had been emotional, psychological, physical and sexual abuse at the home.
He told the court: "It was a terrible place."
He could not say how many times he was abused, but he said he remembers it was part of his life.He could not say how many times he was abused, but he said he remembers it was part of his life.
"It was something I expected to happen, part of the routine of being a Bryn Alyn boy," said the witness."It was something I expected to happen, part of the routine of being a Bryn Alyn boy," said the witness.
"I know it happened more than once, but once is too many times.""I know it happened more than once, but once is too many times."
He explained how he ran away on multiple occasions, sometimes alone and sometimes with others. But under cross-examination by John McDermott QC, defending, the victim denied courting publicity with the media over claims of abuse at the home.
They would be picked up by the police, but said they were not believed when they told officers about the abuse. "I never actively sought them out, they've come to me," he said.
"In those days we were just considered naughty boys," he said. He said he ran away many times but was always picked up by the police who did not believe the abuse claims.
The trial continues.The trial continues.