A man told the Old Bailey today (MON) how a carer
A man told the Old Bailey today (MON) how a carer at a childrens home raped him twice a week for six years.
The 35-year-old claims William Starling, 74, assaulted him from the age of twelve until he left St Leonards in Hornchurch, Essex.
He recalled to jurors how he was raped in Starling’s home, in a football pavilion and at the alleged pervert’s mother’s home while they waited for a TV repair man.
Starling preyed on twelve children at two childrens homes in Essex between 1965 and 1984, it is claimed.
Seven girls and two boys were targeted at St Leonards’ Childrens Home in Hornchurch, Essex and two girls were residents at The Greensteads in Basildon.
One girl became Starling’s victim at her own home, it was claimed.
The fourth alleged victim today (Monday) described how he was taken into care at the age of three and moved to St Leonards two years later.
He was then sent to St Andrew’s Special School but spent holidays with St Leonards.
But it was not until he moved to Wallis Cottage, where Starling was the ‘house parent’ with his wife and baby, that the abuse began, he said.
‘I was about twelve.
It happened whenever he felt the urge.
It was twice a week all the time.
‘He abused me on holiday, I think it was Butlins.
It was not just one place, it was various places.
‘It stopped when I left the home but it carried on because he was trying to get to my children.
The physical abuse stopped when I left but the abuse carried on.
I left the home eventually when I was about 18.
‘
The prosecution claim Starling bought the boy’s silence by threatening to send him back to St Andrew’s Special School or put on medication.
Starling once told him: ‘You won’t complain, you’re simple,’ the jury heard.
The defendant faces two specimen charges of buggery and one of indecent assault between 1977 and 1984 in relation to the fourth victim.
In all Starling, of Falbere, School Lane, Surlingham, Norfolk, denies 25 sexual allegations against him and claims they have all been invented by the children involved in the case.
The first victim was allegedly indecently assaulted twice between 1965 and 1976.
A second girl was allegedly indecently assaulted between 1968 and 1972 and raped twice between 1972 and 1976.
A third was indecently assaulted between 1975 and 1978.
A boy was allegedly buggered twice and indecently assaulted between 1977 and 1984.
A second boy was indecently assaulted and buggered between 1969 and 1973.
A fourth girl under the age of 16 was indecently assaulted between 1970 and 1971, a fifth twice between 1971 and 1973, a sixth three times between 1973 and 1982 and a seventh three times between 1974 and 1978.
Starling allegedly committed indecency with another girl indecently assaulted her between 1977 and 1983.
The ninth girl was indecently assaulted and buggered between 1984 and 1986.
His final victim was indecently assaulted and raped between 1983 and 1987.
The trial continues.
ends
