Ex-carers on child abuse charges

Two former carers at a Barnardo's home in Northern Ireland have gone on trial accused of abusing and sexually assaulting children.

Sarah Jayne Margaret Hewitt, 68, from Drain's Bay, Larne and Robert George Anderson, 46, from Ballycarry, but now living in England, deny the charges.

Most of the abuse was alleged to have taken place at the Macedon home in Newtownabbey, on the outskirts of Belfast, more than 25 years ago.

Ms Hewitt faces 99 charges and Mr Anderson 34 charges. The pair went on trial at Belfast Crown Court on Tuesday.

They face charges which include rape, aiding and abetting rape, indecent assault, assault, cruelty and gross indecency.

The charges in Ms Hewitt's case involve nine children, eight of whom were residents in the children's home.

They include two brothers, a brother and sister, three girls and two other boys, between December 1977, when she first joined Dr Barnardo's, up until June 1981 when the home closed and moved to nearby Glengormley.

'Claw with nails'

In Mr Anderson's case, the charges refer to five of the alleged victims, the brother and sister, one other boy and two girls whom he is accused of raping.

The trial heard that Ms Hewitt and Mr Anderson used the children to "satisfy their own sexual perversions and on whom they performed cruel and spiteful acts".

Prosecuting QC Gerald Simpson claimed that Ms Hewitt would give the children "the evil eye and the children were frightened of her".

Mr Simpson told the jury of ten men and two women that Ms Hewitt would tell the children frightening ghost stories in the dark or about the devil and the children would run away.

Trial judge Mr Justice Weir heard that when Ms Hewitt would catch one of the children she would "claw at them with her long nails, and put them in fear", nipping them, or twisting their skin.

"Not only that, she used the catching of the children to sexually abuse and assault them," claimed Mr Simpson.

'Picture of depravity'

Before the case was opened to the jury, Ms Hewitt was acquitted of six charges when the prosecution offered no evidence on those charges, while Mr Anderson was formally cleared of 28 charges for the same reason.

Opening the prosecution case Mr Simpson said: "The evidence that you will over the next number of weeks, will reveal a picture of depravity towards the children under their (Hewitt and Anderson) care.

"You will hear how this sexual behaviour and abuse of these children was a regular feature of their lives."

Mr Simpson added that it was the prosecution case that the children, many disadvantaged and vulnerable were "in a place which should have been the safest place for them, but where they were subjected to physical cruelty and sexual abuse".

Mr Simpson claimed for the children involved in the case it became "synonymous with sexual perversion, depravity and cruelty".

The case continues.