A former care home manager in West Yorkshire exploited his position of power to sexually abuse vulnerable children over a period of nearly two decades, a court has heard.
Allegations Spanning 18 Years
Prosecutors at Bradford Crown Court outlined a harrowing case against Malcolm Phillips, 92, and his former assistant, Linda Brunning, 66. The alleged offences took place at Skircoat Lodge Care Home in Halifax between 1976 and 1994.
Phillips, who managed the home from its opening, is the subject of a trial of facts after being deemed unfit to stand trial. Brunning is standing trial, accused of aiding his abuse and committing an indecent assault herself.
The allegations involve six victims – four girls and two boys – who were in the care of the home, a residential facility for children subject to care orders.
"Unfettered Access" and Manipulation
Prosecutor Michelle Colborne KC told jurors that Phillips lived in a flat connected to the girls' bedrooms, giving him "unfettered access" to the children. She described the young residents as deeply vulnerable, many with histories of previous abuse or labelled as troublemakers.
"During the course of almost two decades Malcolm Phillips used his power to isolate specific children to use for his sexual gratification, and he wasn't the only one," Ms Colborne stated.
The court heard that the defendants allegedly carefully selected their victims, using knowledge from their records to identify those they could manipulate. They allegedly told the children that no one cared about them and that they would not be believed.
Night-Time Abuse and Threats
Female complainants described being instructed to wear nighties to bed. They told the court that Phillips would enter their bedrooms at night and indecently assault them while they were in bed.
One woman, who arrived at the home as a teenager in the late 1970s, said she would hear Phillips enter her dark room and approach her bed. Another complainant, who was just 10 years old at the time, alleged she was sexually assaulted on at least 10 occasions in her bed.
Jurors were told that Phillips and Brunning used threats to control the children, including withholding pocket money and cancelling family visits. Children who ran away were returned by police and branded as liars by the home.
Ms Colborne described Brunning as a "large and domineering woman" who took pleasure in humiliating children and facilitated Phillips's assaults.
Charges Faced by the Defendants
Malcolm Phillips, from Tyseley, Birmingham, faces a total of 12 charges, including:
- Three counts of indecent assault
- Two counts of indecency with a child
- Three counts of indecent assault on a male person
- Two counts of buggery
- Two counts of rape
Linda Brunning, from Sowerby Bridge near Halifax, faces five charges, including indecent assault on a male person and multiple counts of aiding and abetting indecent assault and buggery.
The trial continues at Bradford Crown Court.
