'Sadist' Accused Of Abusing 'Trafficked' Teen

A former care home resident has claimed he was trafficked around the country for the sexual gratification of powerful men including former North Wales care home boss John Allen.

The man, now in his 50s, spoke to Sky News on condition of anonymity and said his time in care at a home in Ipswich was a fight for survival.

He was 14 when he went into a home in the town.

"I had been there 48 hours and it started straight away, there is no messing around, there is no mercy given in a home like that, you can't get out you are locked in at night," he said.

"I was beaten, I was put into a cupboard in the home I was left in that cupboard for 32 hours I nearly died and when I was released - present in the room was John Allen.

"John Allen became a regular visitor to the home. He was looking at taking it over along with other adolescent units, I believe, all over the country.

"He was particularly sadistic with his abuse, thoroughly nasty piece of work and thoroughly frightened me and all the other residents of the home.

"You couldn't tell anybody, the people you had around you at the time were the people carrying out the abuse, there was no one to help you ... you can only stay alive, that is all you can do you can survive and stay alive and that is all you can do."

He alleges Allen, who has now been convicted for a string of sex attacks , was part of group of men who trafficked him and others to be abused by others elsewhere in the UK.

"He was part of a wider paedophile network of which I was shared and trafficked around," he said.

"I met him again another children's home in Ipswich and again when I was in foster care.

"It was a definite route we were following we were taken from that home to places in Islington and north London where we were abused by others.

"I was trafficked to North Wales and Mr Allen was very upset because he had already abused me and he thought he was getting 'fresh', and so he wasn't very happy with that.

"I would say with Mr Allen it wasn't always about sexual gratification, it was more the violent act and the power and control he could have over young people."

Operation Pallial has only focused on offences in the care system in North Wales and senior officers say they do not yet have evidence of people trafficking.

However, officers have passed complaints relating to further abuse in care homes in England to the relevant forces.