Pervert who worked at children’s home avoids jail for historical abuse of boy (8)

OAP is made subject of five-year sexual offences prevention order

A FORMER children’s home worker who admitted abusing a boy in his care has avoided jail over historical sexual offences.

George Hendry was handed an 18-month sentence, which was suspended for three years, for charges he committed against a child at Palmerston Children’s Home.

The pensioner already has a conviction for abusing other children at Palmerston in the 1970s.

He appeared at Belfast Crown Court yesterday and was sentenced on two counts of indecently assaulting a male child on dates between June 30, 1980 and January 1, 1983.

Now 82 and from Serpentine Parade in Belfast, Hendry was employed as a senior house parent and was in his late 30s when he abused his eight-year-old victim.

The abuse came in two forms — smacking the child on his bare bottom with either his hand or a belt and groping the boy in his private area whilst bathing him.

The abuse occurred over a sustained period and the victim recalled being bathed by Hendry several times a week.

Judge Sandra Crawford said the victim would “physically shake” when Hendry was on duty at bath-time.

The victim also recalled that when no-one else was around, Hendry would come to his shared bedroom and smack him.

This behaviour was described as “sexually motivated” by the judge, who revealed that the abuse came to an end when the boy was moved to another children’s home.

The offending came to light in 2019 when the victim disclosed what had happened.

Hendry was subsequently questioned by the PSNI in September 2021 when he admitted working in the children’s home but denied any wrongdoing.

He rejected claims that he smacked the boy, said that corporal punishment was prohibited and denied bathing children.

In addition, he denied knowing the victim and suggested another man named George worked in Palmerston at the relevant time.

This suggestion prompted an investigation which concluded that he was the only ‘George’ employed at the children’s home during that period.

Judge Crawford revealed that despite Hendry’s claims of innocence, he was picked out of a police identification procedure by the victim “42 years after the incidents.”

The judge said a victim impact statement “highlighted with great poignancy his vulnerability as a child in the care system and the gross abuse of trust that occurred whereby instead of keeping him safe from harm and caring for him, the defendant instead used his position to callously abuse him.”

She added that the victim also described “relief” when the truth came out via Hendry’s subsequent guilty pleas.

Prior to imposing the sentence, Judge Crawford spoke of several aggravating factors including the child’s young age and vulnerability as well as Hendry using his position to conduct the abuse.

The judge said she has also considered defence submissions which included no further allegations of abuse after the early 80s and an assessment by probation that Hendry did not pose a serious risk of harm.

Hendry told a probation officer that he pleaded guilty as he was aware the victim had had a “rough time” and he didn’t want to put him through a trial.

Also noted by the judge were Hendry’s isolated lifestyle, his “significant” and “complex” health issues and his advanced age.

After imposing the sentence, the judge told Hendry: “As this is a direct alternative to a sentence of immediate imprisonment I must warn you that if during this period of suspension you commit another offence in Northern Ireland which is punishable by imprisonment, you are liable to face imprisonment for the offences for which I sentence you today.”

Hendry was also made the subject of a five-year sexual offences prevention order which bans him from having any contact with the victim or his family.