Calderdale Social Services,

Further evidence as to the corruption surrounding Calderdale Social Services in the 1980's and 1990's...

During a conversation with a former Head of one home in Calderdale, we were talking Social Services and how things were managed within Residential care as a whole.

Every two weeks, all the Heads would gather for a meeting, discuss any problem kids, what to do about them next, blah blah.... it was mentioned that Phillips had been the person who decided where every child would be placed upon leaving the Calderdale area. He would pick "an appropriate placement" for each child based on the reports from the Head of whichever home they were in at that point.

Surely decisions on placements in other Boroughs would have been made in consultation with the child's key worker?

No was the reply.

Or at a more senior level?

Again, No.

It was left to the Head of Skircoat Lodge Assessment Centre, Halifax.

Now if Phillips was the man deciding who went where, that makes him the conductor of this "orchestra". 

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Phillips used four facilities on a regular basis;

St Williams, Market Weighton

De La Salle operated this home for over 3 decades. This facility was for Boys only. It closed in 1992.

*It strikes me as "out of character" for Phillips. Whilst yes, he was a control freak and sadistic to a point, he wasn't religious.

St Williams School opened in 1856 and was situated on the outskirts of
Market Weighton in East Yorkshire.

The school provided a residential care setting with educational provision for
emotionally and behaviourally disturbed male adolescents between the ages
of approximately 11 years to 18 years of age.

The majority of residents had criminal backgrounds and were referred from
Local Authorities from across the North of England.

The establishment itself was situated within its own extensive grounds and
comprised of classrooms, a place of worship, a swimming pool and a farm.

St Williams School closed on economical grounds in 1992.
Mr Benedict MACKAY was arrested in May 2003 for offences of gross
indecency and indecent assault following allegations made against him by
three ex-residents of St Williams School. Mr MACKAY was due to stand trial
on 6th September 2004 with four other individuals, James CARRAGHER,
Peter BOWER-GUYLER, John HOLDCROFT and Anthony MCCALLEN. On
4th September 2004 one of the main witnesses committed suicide in prison
and as a result the indictment was split and James CARRAGHER and Peter
BOWER-GUYLER were to be tried separately from the other three. In the first
trial James CARRAGHER was found guilty and sentenced to fourteen years in
custody, Peter BOWER-GUYLER was acquitted.

Two of the main witnesses against Mr MACKAY refused to give evidence in
the forthcoming trial and as a result no evidence was offered against him and
the other defendants, the case was dismissed. His complaints against
Operation Aldgate are supported by his son .

Mr John HOLDCROFT was arrested and interviewed in May 2003 following
allegations of indecent assault made against him by two ex residents of St
Williams School. 

Aycliffe Approved School County Durham

Rod Ryall (Calderdale Director, 1984-1988) started his career at this facility in 1961.

AYCLIFFE Secure Services, also known as the Aycliffe Centre for Children, suffered allegations of brutality and a prison-style regime in the Eighties and Nineties.

The centre gained a high profile reputation under the directorship of Dr Masud Hoghugi, who took over in the Seventies, and enjoyed the Royal patronage of Prince Andrew, who visited during the Eighties.

In 2001, a former member of staff was jailed for 15 years, later reduced to 12, for abuse against three boys, including rape, between 1988 and 1996.

*Aycliffe is understandable, he used Ryall's contacts.

A secure children’s home for young people aged between 11 and 17 years of age for boys and girls. Young people are sent by the courts either on criminal or welfare grounds. This facility is still operating.

Bryn Alyn Community Wrexham and Telford

We all know that story....

*Bryn Alyn, I still don't know how that contact was established, for sure.

This facility was not secure. It was just in the middle of nowhere. Even if you did make it several miles down country lanes, all the signs were in Welsh. They offered very little direction to English children.

He sent 10 people, that I am aware of, to Bryn Alyn Community. All girls, despite the Community accepting both. The final building of this Community closed in 1995.

The fourth is as yet unknown. My source was struggling to recall the name of the facility. Whilst I do have clues as to which it is, I need to do more digging.

*Time will tell.

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To me, that amounts to Trafficking.

I have passed all of the information to the police, yet West Yorkshire Police insist there is no crime to investigate and that the matter was dealt with, in it's entirety in 2000/2001 when Phillips was sentenced to 7 years for Crimes against Children.

No they were not!

He never faced charges relating to Children being sent to other Boroughs, others homes. Some of which were designed purely to keep you contained.

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A brave, but anonymous victim left a comment on a post relating to Malcolm Osric Phillips and I felt their story needed sharing with the world.

This is the man that they are letting walk free, despite there having been mention of Indecent Exposure last year, when I was speaking with the CPS about him.

It was November 1983 when I was taken to Skircoat Lodge.
My grandfather had died in the May and I went "out of control". I always played my grandparents and Dad up but if I had known what the future would hold for me I never would have be un ruly at home.
Linda Brunning, Evil as they come. I lost count of the amount of times she would sit on the back of my kneck until the blood vessels in my face burst then I would be watched by her or Phillips while I had a bath. Humiliating doesn't cut it!! But what Phillips would go onto do to me was the most sickening and depraved act of violence. I was taken into care because I had been abused and was to give evidence at crown court against my abuser.
My bad behaviour became unbearable for my family so Skircoat Lodge seemed to best option, in their eyes and my then social worker, Jackie Hanson. Phillips took away my dignity, self-respect and marked the beginning of the end for me emotionally and psychologically.
Of course I ran away from Skircoat, I too was in the 6 bed dorm. Out the window and along skircoat into Halifax. Straight into the police station to report the rape. But I was called a liar, taken back to skircoat where phillips and the night officer were waiting.