Cotsbrook Hall pt 3

In yet a further attempt to provide proof to the authorities that Cotsbrook Hall should be included in Operation Pallial, here is another extract from the Waterhouse report proving staff members were placed there after known abuse had taken place.

52.27 We have looked carefully at the circumstances of the appointments of all the other proved and suspected paedophiles who were appointed to the other residential children's establishments (including private and voluntary establishments) discussed in this report but have not found any case in North Wales in the period under review in which a convicted paedophile was appointed to such a post. The nearest case in point was that of Gary Cooke, who was employed at Bersham Hall for two weeks before his services were dispensed with, probably shortly before the period under review began. Cooke was later employed in 1976/1977 by the Bryn Alyn Community for over a year but this employment was in Cheshire and then Shropshire. We have no evidence that Cooke's 1963 conviction was either disclosed or known to those who appointed him then. The only foster parent now known to have had a relevant previous conviction was Roger Saint, and that was not known at the time of his initial approval.

An in-depth read of Waterhouse, around this extract, shows that John Allen was in contact with past employers and would have been able to at least check records of their conduct.