EIGHT people have appeared at Worcester Crown Court accused of child cruelty and sexual abuse at a Worcestershire boarding school.

The eight defendants are alleged to have been involved in physical and sexual abuse at Rhydd Court School, Hanley Castle, between the late 1970s and early 1990s.
During the latest short hearing of the case on Wednesday morning, (August 31) the defendants - including some who appeared on a videolink - spoke only to confirm their names.

Worcester News: COURT: Charmaine James. Picture: James ConnellCOURT: Charmaine James. Picture: James Connell

The eight did not enter pleas and at the end of the hearing the judge told the defendants they should attend the plea and trial preparation scheduled for the week of October 17. 

All eight are charged with conspiracy to commit child cruelty - to assault, ill-treat, neglect or abandon a child to cause unnecessary suffering or injury between January 1, 1979 and July 31, 1991.

Anita Gunning, 59, of Federation Road, Plymouth is also charged with: conspiring together with another to indecently assault a boy under 14 between January 1, 1990 and July 31, 1991; indecently assaulting the same boy in a tent between September 1, 1987 and October 12, 1990; indecently assaulting a second boy under 14 between January 9, 1990 and October 12, 1990.

Cynthia Moore, 81, of Diddies, Bude, is charged with conspiring to commit a sexual offence with a boy under the age of 16 between January 1, 1990 and July 31, 1991; conspiring to indecently assault a boy under 16 between January 1, 1990 and July 31, 1991; assaulting/ill-treating/neglecting/abandoning a child young person to cause unnecessary suffering or injury (child cruelty) between August 28, 1987 and July 31, 1991.

Marie Handy, 51, of Eckington Road, Bredon, Tewkesbury, is accused of indecently assaulting a boy under 14 between September 1, 1987 and July 31, 1991.

Worcester News: COURT: Marie Handy. Picture: James ConnellCOURT: Marie Handy. Picture: James Connell

Michael Connor, 69, of Bedford Farm Court, Wakefield, is charged with two counts of assault occasioning actual bodily harm between 1987 and 1991; three counts of conspiring to commit a sexual offence between 1987 and 1990; three counts of conspiring to commit indecent assaults between 1987 and 1991 and one count of indecent assault between 1990 and 1991.

Terence Heath, 74, of Rhydd, Hanley Castle is accused of two counts of conspiring to commit a sexual offence and two indecent assaults between 1987 and 1990.

John Dixon, 82, of Storeys Lane, Burgh Le Marsh, Skegness is accused of assault/ill-treat/neglect/abandon a child to cause a young person unnecessary suffering or injury (conspiracy to commit child cruelty), two charges of conspiring to commit a sexual offence, four sexual offences and six indecent assaults.

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These alleged offences cover a period between 1989 and 1991 and are said by the prosecution to involve both adults and boys under 16.

David Sykes, 76, of Gallow Tree Road, Rotherham is accused of wounding/inflicting grievous bodily harm between January 1, 1980 and December 31, 1982, an alleged assault said to have involved a perforated eardrum. He is also accused of indecently assaulting a boy under 16 between June 18, 1987 and February 18, 1990.

Worcester News: COURT: David Sykes. Picture: James ConnellCOURT: David Sykes. Picture: James Connell

Charmaine James, 62, of West Scotstown, Rathven, Buckie is charged with gross indecency with a boy under 14 and two indecent assaults, one on a boy aged under 16 and the other on a man aged over 16.

The offences are alleged to have taken place between 1984 and 1991.

Andrew Jackson represented Handy, Rebecca Da Silva for James, Jason Aris for Connor and Mark Friend for Moore, while Gunning, Sykes, Heath and Dixon were unrepresented during the hearing.