Jailed: Two former Coventry children's home staff who abused youngsters in the 1980s

• 14:22, 11 Feb 2016
• Updated 17:15, 11 Feb 2016
• By Paul Beard

Alan Todd, of Stretton-under-Fosse, and Kenneth Owen, of Lincolnshire, both worked at Wisteria Lodge in Earlsdo

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Alan Todd (left) and Kenneth Owens. Both men were jailed for their role in the abuse of children at Wisteria Lodge children's home in Earlsdon.

Two bullying social workers who abused youngsters in their care in Coventry in the 1980s have been jailed.
Alan Todd and Kenneth Owen had been found guilty by a jury of physically and psychologically abusing children at the now-demolished Wisteria Lodge, in Earlsdon.

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Todd, aged 70, who lives on a narrowboat at Stretton-under-Fosse, near Rugby, but formerly of Tile Hill, Coventry, was convicted of indecently assaulting two girls and five charges of cruelty towards four more girls and a boy.Owen, also 70, from Boston, Lincolnshire, was convicted offive charges of cruelty in relation to two girls and three boys.                                               Story Link Wisteria Lodge: Jury hears of abuse at former Coventry children's homeAt Warwick Crown Court today,                                                                                                                   Todd was jailed for eight years and eight months, while Owen got four years and two                  months.Both men had claimed the allegations against them had been fabricated by their victims,who were accused of colluding to make complaints in order to get compensation payments.Jailing the two men, Judge Alan Parker said: “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 adultYou 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.

Wisteria Lodge in Earlsdon

“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.”
Prosecutor Mark Heywood QC had explained: “The case concerns the abuse of vulnerable children taken into the care of the local authority during the 1980s and placed in residential or foster care.
“The residential home was known as Wisteria Lodge. Since the events the building was first closed and, having stayed closed for some time, has since been demolished.
“The nature of the abuse the prosecution say this case concerns falls into three categories.
“Children were bullied and subjected to humiliating, frightening treatment which fell short of physical violence.
“Secondly, there were occasions when children were deliberately physically assaulted; and thirdly there were occasions when female children were sexually abused.”

Story Link Wisteria Lodge: former resident tells jury what happened to her was "horrendous"

Mr Heywood said that although both men were now 70, the offences took place when they were in their late 30s and early 40s and working as the Child Support Team at Wisteria Lodge, with Owen rising to become group leader and, for a time, Todd’s manager, and their victims were in their early teens.
Speaking after the men were sentenced, an NSPCC spokesman said: “These two men used the trust and authority their jobs gave them to carry out this campaign of cruelty on vulnerable children.
"It is deeply concerning that this went on for so long, but we hope the sentences imposed today send out a clear message that these appalling acts will not be tolerated. Hopefully this case will also encourage other victims of abuse to come forward in the knowledge that action will be taken.”

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