Care home owner John Allen jailed for more child sex abuse

John Allen was led into Mold Crown Court to be sentenced on Wednesday

A former care home owner, already serving a life sentence for child sex abuse, has been jailed for 14 years for more historical offences against boys.

John Allen, who ran several Bryn Alyn community children's homes in Wrexham, was convicted of eight charges relating to five boys between 1976 and 1992.

The 78-year-old was jailed for at least 11 years in 2014 for 33 sex offences.

Judge Rhys Rowlands told Mold Crown Court Allen's victims were subjected to "seriously depraved behaviour".

Allen set up the children's homes in 1968 and, at its height, there were 11 properties housing more than 150 young people from around the UK.

However, many found themselves subjected to repeated abuse at the hands of the "predatory paedophile".

After he was jailed in 2014, further victims came forward and he was found guilty in December of seven further counts of indecent assault and one of a serious sexual offence against children as young as 13 in his care.

In 1968, John Allen set up a string of children's homes for more than 150 young people

During his trial, jurors heard an interview with a complainant, now in his 50s, who said he was dragged to Allen's office after a fight and pinned to the floor.

The next thing he remembered was his clothes being ripped off and Allen sexually assaulting him.

Jailing him for a further 14 and a half years, Judge Rowlands said Allen had shown "sheer wickedness in taking advantage of children" in his care.

Allen was arrested as part of Operation Pallial, an independent investigation by the National Crime Agency (NCA) into recent allegations of past abuse in the care system in north Wales.

NCA senior investigating officer Philip Marshall said Allen "controlled and manipulated his victims and rewarded them by giving cash and gifts".

"The victims have been incredibly courageous coming forward to the NCA many years later and recounting the abuse," he said.

Since Operation Pallial was launched in 2012, 375 people have come forward with information that has led to 13 convictions.