Former care home boss, 90, jailed for abusing boy
A FORMER children’s care home boss has been jailed over historical sex attacks on a young boy – who he invited on to family holidays to continue the abuse.
Frederick Cranston, 90, carried out repeated attacks during the 1980s after grooming the victim at Oakhill Assessment Centre, in Meadow Road, Harborne, where he worked as deputy head.
The former soldier also carried out the abuse on the vulnerable youngster at his own home – and on family holidays he had invited the youngster to join.
Cranston, of Bradford Road, Castle Bromwich, was jailed for 12 years after admitting four charges of indecent assault, gross indecency with a child and three other serious sexual offences.
Birmingham Crown Court heard the victim was aged just 11 when the abuse started and was a “troubled child from a difficult and broken background”.
His foster care placement had broken down and Cranston had been responsible for collecting him and taking him to the care home. He abused the youngster on the very first night.
Martin Butterworth, prosecuting, said: “The sexual abuse became a pattern. He would be given sweets and biscuits and the grooming developed in that way.
“There is no doubt that the defendant made him feel special and manipulated his position of authority to facilitate what he was doing.”
Cranston continued to supervise the victim, even when he was moved to another care home in Shard End. He continued to abuse the boy there and at his own home, which he shared with his wife and two adult children.
“Such was the relationship that developed that he [the victim] would go on foreign holidays with the defendant and his family where the abuse would occur on occasions,” said Mr Butterworth.
“His life did not proceed well. He became a troubled young man with drug and alcohol problems. His life was shambolic.”
The victim later moved to the Isle of Wight and reported the matter to the police in 2015.
Graham Henson, defending, said Cranston, who had failing health and whose wife had died eight years ago, had joined the armed services when he was just 14 in 1941 and had a distinguished record as a soldier.