The Offender Database has reported on the disturbing trial of Malcolm Phillips, then 92, and his assistant Linda Brunning, then 66, at Bradford Crown Court. Phillips, the former manager of Skircoat Lodge Care Home in Halifax, West Yorkshire, is accused of running a regime of fear and sexual exploitation that lasted nearly two decades between 1976 and 1994.
The investigation by West Yorkshire Police uncovered a predatory system where Phillips and Brunning allegedly targeted the most vulnerable children in their care. The court reported that the victims, four females and two males, were often children who had already suffered previous abuse or were marked as troublemakers by the system.
Calculated Abuse and Manipulation
Prosecutor Michelle Colborne KC emphasised that Phillips used his position of power to isolate specific children for his own sexual gratification. He lived in a flat with unfettered access to the girls’ bedrooms, where he would allegedly enter after lights out to assault them indecently. Brunning was described as a domineering woman who assisted Phillips by isolating and manipulating children, and in some cases, facilitating his vile attacks.
The defendants callously told the children that nobody cared about them and that their word would never be believed. To maintain silence, they dishonestly threatened to withhold pocket money or cancel family visits if the children resisted. One young victim, just nine years old, found sleeping outdoors in October safer than staying in the home designed to protect her.
Regime of Fear and Prior Convictions
The court reported that the abuse only ended in 1994 when Phillips was suspended following an investigation. Jurors heard that Phillips is already a convicted sex offender, having been found guilty in 2001 of abusing eight other female residents at the same home. The current charges against the pair include:
- Malcolm Phillips: Three counts of indecent assault, two of indecency with a child, three of indecent assault on a male, two counts of buggery, and two of rape.
- Linda Brunning: One count of indecent assault on a male, and four counts of aiding and abetting indecent assault and buggery.
Monitoring and Public Protection
Phillips is already managed under Multi-Agency Public Protection Arrangements (MAPPA) by West Yorkshire Police due to his previous convictions. His history of using his professional authority to commit such vile crimes means he remains under serious lifelong scrutiny. Any further contact with vulnerable individuals or dishonest attempts to enter care settings in Halifax, Bradford, or the wider West Yorkshire area would result in immediate legal action.
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