Gay foster couple 'sexually abused boys in their care'

Children were photographed using the toilet

Olwen Dudgeon

The Yorkshire Post

A HOMOSEXUAL couple who were approved foster carers allegedly abused some of the boys placed in their care, a jury heard yesterday.

Ian Wathey and Craig Faunch betrayed the trust placed in them by Wakefield Council to look after the boys, who were often vulnerable or troubled youngsters, Jeremy Richardson QC prosecuting told Leeds Crown Court.

He said Wathey and Faunch were gay men but there was no bar to gay men or women fostering.

"Anyone who is suitable may be considered for the responsibility of being a foster carer. It was thought these two men were suitable," he said.

He told the jury it was the Crown's case that two of the boys involved were videoed naked by Faunch, while a third was involved in sexual activities with both men and a fourth was sexually touched by Faunch.

"These were vulnerable young people, they were in foster care," said Mr Richardson. "Trust had been reposed in the defendants to look after them, we assert they breached that trust and committed criminal acts." Wathey, 40, of Sides Road, Carlton Park, Pontefract, denies six charges of sexual activity with a child and one of causing a child to watch a sexual act on a video.

Faunch, 32, of the same address denies two charges of taking indecent photographs of boys and five of sexual activity with two boys.

Mr Richardson said the men were approved as foster carers in July, 2003 after receiving training.

He said two young brothers were placed with Wathey and Faunch when their mother had some problems coping and asked social services for help.

She regularly saw the boys and became concerned when one of them showed her a photo which he said had made him feel uncomfortable which Faunch had taken of him urinating. She then found a photo had also been taken of the other boy in the toilet.

She challenged Faunch on the telephone about it but he hung up. She would not let the boys return and told social services what had happened and the department investigated.

Mr Richardson said the defendants maintained the photos had been taken as a way of embarrassing the boys into closing the door when they went to the toilet.

The explanation was accepted although it was arranged for the foster carers to undertake further work to make them aware of appropriate boundaries.

He said the police were not involved. "It is no part of this case to make any criticism of the local authority." Mr Richardson said the police were however involved subsequently when another boy who had spent a short time with the men told a woman he had been touched by one of them.

He said the first week with them had been happy but when he was unwell with a cold and lying on a sofa under a quilt, Faunch had joined him under the quilt and put his feet on the boys groin making comments.

On a later occasion he allegedly pulled the boys track suit bottoms down and removed his own trousers before joining him. The boy was confused and distressed afterwards and showered repeatedly.

It was on the third occasion Faunch touched the boy while he was watching television which caused him to leave and tell a person what had happened, he claimed.

Mr Richardson said a boy of 14 with special needs had been placed with the two men to give his family weekend respite. When the allegations were made his mother asked him if anything rude had happened to him and he revealed it had. He alleged Wathey and Faunch had touched him and Wathey had shown him a pornographic video.

He told the jury after the allegations a video was found which had been made of the first two boys showering naked and deliberately focusing on their genitals, that had not been known about by the authorities when they did their investigation.

Faunch and Wathey after they were arrested both denied any inappropriate behaviour with the boys.

Faunch said he had not videoed the boys in the shower and thought the boys must have done it themselves when he left it on.

The trial continues.