Carer terrorised boys with 'clappers' punishment, court hears

The Guardian
September 12, 2016

https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2016/sep/12/carer-terrorised-boys-with-clappers-punishment-court-hears

James McCann is unfit to stand trial so the Old Bailey jury must decide the facts alone, the judge told them. Photo by Niklas Halle'N

A “cruel and sadistic” carer molested boys at a Catholic children’s home and terrorised them with a punishment known as “the clappers”, a court heard.

James McCann, 80, is accused of 52 charges of violent and sexual assault on 26 boys aged between eight and 12.

The Old Bailey heard that McCann repeatedly abused the boys at St Francis children’s home in Shefford, Bedfordshire, in the 1960s and 70s.

The home, which was run by the Roman Catholic diocese of Northampton, was closed down in 1974 and the alleged victims are now aged in their 50s and 60s.

Judge Rebecca Poulet QC told jurors that McCann was not fit to stand trial and it was therefore their job to decide the facts alone.

Opening the case against McCann, John Price QC told jurors: “The prosecution alleges that during his nine years at the home and on very many occasions he violently assaulted and indecently assaulted or sexually abused many of the children for whose care he shared responsibility with the other members of staff at the home.”

The violence included what was known to the boys as the clappers, he said.

The lawyer said: “Allegedly deployed by McCann on countless occasions, according to the recollections of many of the former child residents, it was a strikingly similar method of what can only be described as a sadistic violent assault.

“Of the 26 complainants, 21 of them remember it happening to them.

“Mr McCann would routinely and seemingly at his whim assault children by clapping the flat of his hands simultaneously over each of their ears.

“Usually they would be required by him to stand still, hands down by their side, while he stood behind them, out of their sight; the child made to wait for the agony he knew was coming his way.

“It was a cruel act. It caused the child excruciating pain and more besides. Apart from such pain they recall nausea, dizziness, disorientation, loss of balance, an inability to stay on their feet, a temporary loss of hearing, ringing in the ears.

“Some struggle to recall specific instances of this assault happening to them, so many times was it inflicted upon them. But some of them do have a specific memory.”

One of the alleged victims described the clappers as an “explosion of pain”.

His account read to court went on: “The pain was searing, I saw stars, there was a loud ringing in my head and I was disorientated and dizzy.”

When he was interviewed by police about the allegations in 2013 and 2015, McCann, of Swaffham, Norfolk, denied they took place.

Nineteen alleged victims claim violent assault, four say they were indecently assaulted and three allege both violent and sexual abuse.