Man jailed for abusing vulnerable children in care

A Court heard that social worker Gordon Oliver, 58, grossly abused the trust of vulnerable children over 25 years.

His offences began while he was team leader at the former Springfield Children's Home near Bradford Royal Infirmary.

He continued to sexually assault youngsters when he was a social worker in the city. Most of the charges stem from a 15-year period in Bradford while he worked for the local authority's children's services team.

Gordon pleaded guilty at an earlier hearing to ten offences of sexually assaulting two girls and three boys aged between 11 and 15.

He also admitted 19 charges of possessing indecent photos of children. He was remanded in custody at Bradford Crown Court on January 24 for a probation service report.

Prosecutor Michelle Colborne told Leeds Crown Court yesterday that Oliver began working at the home in 1977. It was a large assessment centre that was home to many vulnerable youngsters.

His first victim was sent to the home because her father was violent towards her. She was a 14-year-old virgin when Oliver began having sexual intercourse with her at the home and at a cottage in Wilsden. Oliver, who lived in Westfield Crescent in Bradford, took indecent photographs of the girl and slept with her. She claimed staff at the home had caught Oliver having sex with her.

Miss Colborne said that the girl had a crush on Oliver and he carried on his abuse. He next abused a 15-year-old girl who had been sexually attacked by her step-father. She had made attempts on her life.

Oliver's third victim was a boy of 11 who had lost his mother in a car accident. He bought the boy expensive clothes and gave him his Rolex watch and money.

Miss Colborne said every night he would wash the boy and touch him indecently even though the youngster was embarrassed. "This continued every night for three years at the defendant's insistence," said Miss Colborne.

The court heard that Oliver took favoured youngsters on camping trips and sexually assaulted the boy in his tent.

After the home closed Oliver went to train in Sunderland and returned to Bradford in 1990 to work with the foster care department.

In 1991 Oliver was the allocated social worker to a 13-year-old boy and his conduct was unprofessional and indecent, the court heard. The teenager was fascinated by cars and Oliver would let him drive and touch him indecently while he was at the wheel. He also photographed him in swimming trunks.

When the boy's mother became suspicious by the attention Oliver was paying to her son, he was taken off the case. Oliver began working as a social worker in Brighton but he was warned not to have any direct contact with the children and not to take them swimming.

Miss Colborne said he took a boy aged 12 kayaking and spent money on him. He was overly generous and touched him indecently during swimming sessions. The boy's mother died tragically and Oliver broke the news and began counselling him.

Social Services and the police were called when the boy complained to his grandmother that Oliver was touching him indecently.

Police found indecent photos of children on Oliver's computer at his home in Brighton.

Oliver's barrister Denis Bradley conceded that he had abused his position of trust over a long period.

Judge Scott Wolstenholme said it was a gross breach of trust. He ordered Oliver to be put on the sexual offenders register for life. The judge commended Detective Chief Inspector Paul Jeffrey for his work.

After the case, Det Chief Insp Jeffrey said he hoped Oliver's victims could move on with their lives.

"Police officers working on this case were shocked by the level of offending against all the victims in the case," he said.

Richard Bates, head of children's services at Bradford Council, said: "A detailed independent inquiry is now being carried out into employment and management procedures past and present to look at whether they were an issue in this case and whether those now in place better ensure the safe care of children."