‘SADISTIC’ social workers who ran a ‘regime of terror’ at a now-demolished children’s home, subjecting youngsters to physical and psychological abuse, have been jailed.
Alan Todd, who also sexually abused two girls, was sentenced to a total of eight years and eight months by a judge at Warwick Crown Court.
Todd, 70, who lives on a narrow boat moored at Stretton-under-Fosse near Rugby, had been found guilty of six charges of indecently assaulting the two girls.
The jury also found him guilty of five charges of cruelty towards other children at the Wisteria Lodge children’s home in Earlsdon, Coventry, in the 1980s.
His offences had included psychological cruelty when he made a 14-year-old girl who had become vegetarian look at a dead rabbit he had killed and disembowelled, exposing unborn foetuses.
And Kenneth Owen, 70, from Boston, Lincs, was given five consecutive ten-month jail terms totalling four years and two months after he was convicted of five offences of cruelty.
Both men had protested their innocence and, through their barristers, falsely accused their nine victims of lying and colluding with each-other in a bid to get compensation.
Jailing the two men, Judge Alan Parker told them: “The abuse of children by any adult in any circumstances whatsoever is profoundly wicked.
“In truth, it is barely comprehensible to right-thinking people; but what happened here goes far beyond the depths of wickedness and depravity which inevitably characterises the abuse of a child by an adult.
“You were residential social workers, and you used your positions in a children’s home systematically, persistently and determinedly to physically abuse children, as well as planned psychological abuse.
“The regime and conduct you were both responsible for was nothing less than a regime of terror, perpetuated by you in pursuit of sadistic pleasure.
“You were meant to protect children, and yet you abused your respective positions to terrorise and cower those children, who were some of the most vulnerable people Coventry City Council were entrusted to protect.
“I have no doubt each of you pursued your sadistic pleasure as a team of two, knowing each would protect and defend the other in the event of a complaint.
“But you felt secure from complaint because the children were never safe from you or empowered to make any complaint.
“Other staff, I am driven to conclude, knew full-well the extent and nature of the mistreatment by both of you. It could not have occurred without other workers knowing.
“What emerges is a culture of arrogant physical cruelty which was permitted by other professionals.
“In addition to the physical and psychological abuse, you Todd also pursued a campaign of sexual abuse.”
The judge said until the jury’s verdicts the victims must have felt a sense of injustice, feeling ‘entirely disenfranchised’ and that no-one would listen to them or believe them.
But he said one victim in particular, the first woman to come forward and contact the police, was determined to achieve some justice for the ordeal she suffered, for which she deserved ‘the very greatest credit.’
The jury had heard that she gave the officer she spoke to, DC Emma Tyler, the names of other children who had been at Wisteria Lodge.
And when DC Tyler spoke to them, and to others who came forward as a result of newspaper reports, without revealing who was being investigated, they all named Todd and Owen.
Praising the officer, Judge Parker said: “By the most happy chance DC Tyler was appointed the officer in the case and won the confidence of the victims; and she has carried out a most detailed investigation.
“It represents in the most positive light possible the attitude of the West Midlands Police Force.
“DC Tyler is entitled to, and receives, the highest possible praise from this court. The Chief Constable and all of Dc Tyler’s colleagues should be very proud of her indeed.”
The judge said it was ‘an unhappy fact’ that ‘scandalous and wholly unsubstantiated allegations of collusion,’ were made against their wholly blameless victims by both defendants.
“The attitude of each of the defendants has demonstrated a continuing disregard for the victims, and demonstrates a complete absence of remorse.”
Both men were given consecutive ten-month sentences for the offences of cruelty towards each of their respective victims.
Todd also received further terms of three years for his sexual abuse of one girl and 18 months for the sexual abuse of a second girl, and was ordered to register as a sex offender for life.
Judge Parker then turned to the nine victims, who had all attended for the hearing, and commented: “Until (the woman who made the first complaint) came forward and had the very great fortune to speak to DC Tyler, no-one had heard you, let alone listened to you.
“As a result of DC Tyler’s caring and considerate approach, there were 12 ladies and gentlemen, the jury, who listened to you carefully and considerately.
“After 30 years, people do care. You wanted to be believed, and you were.”
