Rhydd Court School sex abuse and cruelty scandal - eight in court

All eight defendants appeared at Worcester Magistrates Court yesterday following alleged physical and sexual abuse at Rhydd Court School, Hanley Castle between the late 1970s and early 1990s.

MORE STORIES

Worcester Lidl store to open - but sign says 'Droitwich'

Watch boat and tractor team clear blocked river 

All eight are charged with conspiracy to commit child cruelty - to assault, ill-treat, neglect or abandon a child to cause unnecessary suffering or injury between January 1, 1979 and July 31, 1991.

Each also faces a series of other, individual charges. No pleas were entered or indicated at the short hearing. The defendants merely confirmed their dates of birth and addresses.

COURT: Marie Handy outside Worcester Magistrates Court following alleged cruelty and abuse at Rhydd Court School in Hanley Castle in the 1970s, 80s and 90s

Half appeared over videolink and half attended the court in person from homes across the country, including Worcestershire, the South West, Scotland and the East Midlands. The oldest defendant is 82, the youngest aged 51.

Anita Gunning, 59, of Federation Road, Plymouth is also charged with: conspiring together with another to indecently assault a boy under 14 between January 1, 1990 and July 31, 1991; indecently assaulting the same boy in a tent between September 1, 1987 and October 12, 1990; indecently assaulting a second boy under 14 between January 9, 1990 and October 12, 1990.

COURT: David Sykes leaves Worcester Magistrates Court. He is accused of wounding/grievous bodily harm, child cruelty and indecent assault

Cynthia Moore, 81, of Diddies, Bude, is charged with conspiring to commit a sexual offence with a boy under the age of 16 between January 1, 1990 and July 31, 1991; conspiring to indecently assault a boy under 16 between January 1, 1990 and July 31, 1991; assaulting/ill-treating/neglecting/abandoning a child young person to cause unnecessary suffering or injury (child cruelty) between August 28, 1987 and July 31, 1991.

Marie Handy, 51, of Eckington Road, Bredon, Tewkesbury, is accused of indecently assaulting a boy under 14 between September 1, 1987 and July 31, 1991.

COURT: Charmaine James leaves Worcester Magistrates Court. She faces charges of child cruelty, gross indecency and indecent assault

Michael Connor, 69, of Bedford Farm Court, Wakefield, is charged with two counts of assault occasioning actual bodily harm between 1987 and 1991; three counts of conspiring to commit a sexual offence between 1987 and 1990; three counts of conspiring to commit indecent assaults between 1987 and 1991 and one count of indecent assault between 1990 and 1991.

Terence Heath, 74, of Rhydd, Hanley Castle is accused of two counts of conspiring to commit a sexual offence and two indecent assaults between 1987 and 1990.

John Dixon, 82, of Storeys Lane, Burgh Le Marsh, Skegness is accused of assault/ill-treat/neglect/abandon a child to cause a young person unnecessary suffering or injury (conspiracy to commit child cruelty), two charges of conspiring to commit a sexual offence, four sexual offences and six indecent assaults.

These alleged offences cover a period between 1989 and 1991 and are said by the prosecution to involve both adults and boys under 16.

David Sykes, 76, of Gallow Tree Road, Rotherham is accused of wounding/inflicting grievous bodily harm between January 1, 1980 and December 31, 1982, an alleged assault said to have involved a perforated eardrum. He is also accused of indecently assaulting a boy under 16 between June 18, 1987 and February 18, 1990.

Charmaine James, 62, of West Scotstown, Rathven, Buckie is charged with gross indecency with a boy under 14 and two indecent assaults, one on a boy aged under 16 and the other on a man aged over 16.

The offences are alleged to have taken place between 1984 and 1991.

The charges follow an investigation by West Mercia Police into allegations at a time when the premises was owned by the local authority.

Vincent Scully, prosecuting, said: "I ask all these cases are sent forthwith to the crown court."

Magistrates declined jurisdiction for the case. Unconditional bail was granted to all eight defendants until the next hearing at Worcester Crown Court on August 31.