Shefford Boys' Home: Victim tells how years of abuse led him into life of crime

By Katy Hallam
Bedfordshire Sunday
October 12, 2016

http://www.bedfordshire-news.co.uk/sdkfhsdkfhk/story-29803267-detail/story.html

Inside Shefford Boys' Home

ONE of the young boys who suffered terrible abuse at Shefford boys' home has said he believes the 'evil' environment led him into a life of crime.

Trevor Hercules lived at the Catholic St Francis Boys' Home – dubbed the 'orphanage from hell' - for three years between 1966 and 1969.

He went on to spend nine years in jail for armed robbery before turning his life around and establishing his own programme, which he calls Social Deprivation Mindset, to help other youths divert away from life behind bars.

Trevor, who now lives in London, said: "I don't know how many guys who were in that home have been in trouble, but it's my belief that as an abusive environment, how we were treated there would make you abusive.

"It changes how you relate to other people. I was very aggressive when I left that place. I didn't want anyone to put their hands on me.

"I have been in a lot of trouble but I have turned my life around and not been in any trouble since 2000.

"I work closely with Education Secretary Justine Greening and I've gone to parliament to speak on the subject [of youth rehabilitation] and I was praised by Boris Johnson."

On Monday, a trial of the facts found 42 of 50 charges of physical and sexual assaults on 25 boys to be proven against James McCann, 80, a former housemaster at the home.

John Cahill, who was a scout master at the home, was also sentenced to three and a half years after admitting six indecent assaults against young children.

Cahill, of Chandos Court, Bedford, abused the boys, who were aged between 10 and 15, in the 1960s.

Bedfordshire Police has now said that 13 other suspects would have been referred for prosecution if they had still been alive today – including those who held religious roles at the home as well as a teacher, choirmaster and handyman.

Despite the massive turnaround in Mr Hercules' life, he still remembers the terrible abuse he encountered at the home.

"It makes you stronger but I know at the same time I am really damaged," he admitted.

It led him to write a book – Rage Within – which was published in 2006 and tells his life story, including the horrible experiences at St Francis Boys' Home and his dealings with McCann.

Although McCann was found to be responsible for the crimes at the Old Bailey, he was given an absolute discharge due to medical reasons as he had suffered a stroke.

Mr Hercules added: "I gave specifics in that book of the times he [McCann] beat me, where he punched me in the face and held his hands wide and slapped me on the ears.

"They found him guilty of three ABH charges on myself. I am still upset in the sense that he's got away with it. I know he is ill but he made people suffer.

"I am happy that he was found to have committed the crimes, but when I think about it all I am more happy that I have been justified and that people know what I wrote about in my book was true.

"I think the book was hugely influential. The judge herself was quite taken aback that I had written a book and documented the abuse from McCann.

"Father Ryan was an evil man. He was a terrible man. When you are young you don't really know that, you just know someone is hurting you.

"I don't talk to my mum to this day. I didn't have a home when I came out of there, I didn't have anyone."