A jury was informed by prosecutors that a care home manager took advantage of his unrestricted access to vulnerable children to sexually abuse them for almost two decades. Malcolm Phillips, 92, is facing allegations of exploiting children for his own sexual satisfaction in Halifax, West Yorkshire, from 1976 to 1994. His assistant, Linda Brunning, 66, is accused of aiding him in the abuse and committing indecent assault on one boy.
The trial for Brunning and a trial of facts for Phillips, who is deemed unfit for trial, commenced at Bradford Crown Court on Monday. The accusations involve six victims, comprising four females and two males, spanning nearly 20 years.
According to the prosecutor, Michelle Colborne KC, Phillips, the manager at Skircoat Lodge, used his authority to prey on vulnerable children residing in the facility. The victims, many of whom had suffered previous abuse, were reportedly subjected to indecent assaults by Phillips, who had unimpeded access to their living quarters.
Furthermore, it was mentioned that Brunning, serving alongside Phillips for 16 years, was skilled at isolating and manipulating children, facilitating Phillips’ sexual assaults on defenseless minors. The prosecution highlighted that the defendants meticulously selected their victims, utilizing their access to records to identify children who could be easily manipulated.
The court heard that threats were used to control the children, such as withholding pocket money or threatening to cancel family visits. The victims were made to believe that no one cared about them and that their claims would not be believed if they spoke out.
The prosecution revealed accounts from the victims, detailing how Phillips entered their rooms at night and engaged in inappropriate behavior. Phillips faces multiple charges, including indecent assault, indecency with a child, buggery, and rape. Brunning also faces charges related to aiding and abetting indecent assault and buggery on a male.
The trial is ongoing.