Knottfield: Children’s home abuse 'never happened' trial told

Accused gives evidence

Reporting by BBC Isle of Man 

A man accused of sexually assaulting boys at a former Isle of Man children's home has repeatedly denied the accusations at a trial at Douglas Courthouse.

Joseph Marshall is accused of abusing three boys between 1974 and 1982 at Knottfield.

Giving evidence the 85-year-old answered several questions by saying simply: "It didn't happen".

Mr Marshall has denied all nine charges he is facing at Douglas Courthouse.

Yesterday (Friday, 10 December) the court heard a statement from a third man who said he had been assaulted by Mr Marshall during baths and in the office while at the home in the mid 1970s.

(You can find Manx Radio’s coverage of that evidence HERE.)

When Mr Marshall himself gave evidence, he said he and his wife had both held the role of "senior house parent" between 1973 and 1983, and had lived-in at the home from 1975.

Prosecutor Anne Whyte QC put it to him that he was a figure of authority at the home who knew the children were "vulnerable", which had made them a "safe bet" as they would not report his behaviour.

“You thought that they were easier to abuse," she added, to which Mr Marshall replied: "No."

When asked in detail about the accounts given by the three witnesses, Mr Marshall said their allegations were "totally incorrect" and the events "never happened".

He said the office door was only ever locked from the outside as it contained confidential documents, but was "never locked from the inside, ever".

Joseph Henry Marshall denies all of the charges against him - the trial is due to continue on Monday.