John Allen a former millionaire who abused vulnerable children in his community care homes was found guilty on Wednesday of 26 counts of child sex offences, becoming the first person prosecuted following an ongoing investigation into historical child abuse in north Wales. Today he was found guilty of a further seven charges .
John Allen, 73, had denied 40 counts of sex abuse against 19 boys and one girl from 1968 to 1991 but was found guilty of seven offences on Thursday in addition to the 26 he was convicted for on the previous day, reports the Independent
Allen, 73, created a “culture of fear” over so many years that his victims became “hardened to the abuse” the court heard.
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The case was the first prosecution following the Operation Pallial investigation into allegations of historical sexual abuse at children’s homes which was launched by the National Crime Agency (NCA) in 2012, said the BBC
It has identified 120 people as potential suspects with 12 people due to stand trial for various offences in 2015.
One former resident at the Bryn Alyn children’s home said living at the establishment “wasn’t care, it was like hell”.
In an interview with BBC Wales, he explained how Allen had groomed him, giving him gifts before he abused him.
“The system really did fail us,” said the man who cannot be identified.
Ed Beltrami, chief crown prosecutor for CPS Wales, said Allen had been convicted of a “shameful catalogue of abuse”.
“All of those victims were at the time people who were away from their family homes, in his care in children’s homes and looking to him for support and guidance.
“Instead of that they received shameful abuse from him,” he said.
Operation Pallial’s senior investigating officer, Ian Mulcahey said: “The impact on the lives of those John Allen abused may never be undone.”
Allen was warned that he faces a life sentence when he is sentenced on Monday.
Niamh Harris
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