PERVERT AT THE PALACE
Prince Charles awards Trevor Francis an MBE in 2012 .. today he can be exposed as serial sex abuser who beat up kids
A MAN who got an MBE for services to the community is facing jail for abusing vulnerable children.
Paedophile Trevor Francis, 71, received his medal from Prince Charles at Buckingham Palace in
2012. He got it for his 20 years’ work as station master in his home town of Aberdour, Fife.
But in 1973, he abused kids in his care at St Margaret’s children’s home in Elie.
Prosecutor Eilidh Robertson told jurors: “He abused the trust of vulnerable people he was paid to protect.
“He perpetrated physical and sexual abuse towards them and managed to stay undetected because of his Jekyll and Hyde personality.
“The accused might seem mild-mannered, an upstanding citizen, a family man.
“His wife was at pains to tell you that her Trevor would never have acted like that.
“We are dealing with an intelligent, manipulative man who can turn on and off that predatory, violent behaviour.”
Francis became manager at St Margaret’s in 1973.
Paedophile David Murphy had been sacked and he was meant to remove the threat of abuse. But “creepy” Francis subjected kids to beatings and sexual assaults.
His name came up during the probe into Murphy in the 90s. But it was only when one brave victim came forward in 2014 that police were able to build a case against him.
They visited ex-residents, who spoke of his abuse.
Three girls – aged 14 to 16 at the time – told Francis’s four-day trial that he would creep into the girls’ dormitory at the home in the night and sexually assault them.
One said he touched her on the chest under her bedsheets. Another said he touched her genitals under her covers.
A male resident told how he once ran away but was picked up by police and taken back. Francis attacked him in a laundry room as punishment.
Francis told jurors he had a good relationship with the kids at the home. He said: “They wanted me to watch Top of the Pops with them every week.
“It helped me relate to the kids and know about acts like Gary Glitter at the time.
“I suppose that’s the wrong name to use today, though.”
Jurors found Francis guilty of two offences of using lewd, indecent and libidinous behaviour towards young girls and three assaults. A lewd and libidinous charge and three assaults were not proven.
Sheriff Alastair Brown deferred sentence until next month for background reports and released Francis on bail.
He said: “A prison sentence is a serious possibility.”
Murphy was jailed for 15 years in 2002 after admitting 30 sex abuse charges over 30 years at St Margaret’s and another home.