Former care worker jailed for abuse

Brook abused seven boys at three care homes

A former care worker has been jailed for eight years, after he admitted ten sex attacks on young boys.

Birmingham Crown Court heard that Peter Brook, of Redfield Court, Newbury, Berkshire, committed the offences against seven boys at three care homes in the 1970s and 1980s.

In sentencing Brook, Judge Laurence Marshall said the boys had deserved the best care that could be offered.

"What care they got was of a despicable nature in a culture of perversion," he said.

'Befriended'

Brook, aged 55, originally denied the charges then changed his plea and admitted two counts of buggery, seven indecent assaults and one act of gross indecency at the hearing on Wednesday.

Brook was arrested in February

The court heard that Brook had abused the boys, aged between 12 and 15-years-old, at Tennal Assessment Centre, in Harborne, Birmingham; Kingswood School, in Kingswood, Bristol; and Troy House School in Monmouth, Wales.

Rachel Brand QC, prosecuting, said Brook had befriended the boys and offered them cigarettes and money before sexually assaulting them.

Miss Brand said the boys had not spoken about their experiences until they were contacted by the police.

Horrendous

Brook was working as a security guard at the time of his arrest in February of this year and had not worked with children since leaving Troy House School 12 years ago.

Detective Inspector Mark Salt, from West Midlands Police, said: "The sentence is a fair reflection of the horrendous crimes this man has perpetrated on what were young children in the care sector.

"During this case and others it is clear that there was a number of individuals that were abusing young children in a sexual way."