Knottfield: House 'master' accused of abusing boy at bath time

Trial continues at Douglas Courthouse

The trial against a former 'master' of a children's home on the Isle of Man, accused of sexually abusing children in his care, has continued at Douglas Courthouse today. 

85-year-old Joseph Henry Marshall has been charged with nine offences; they are six counts of indecent assault, two of gross indecency and one of buggery.

The offences are said to have been committed against three boys, under the age of 16, between 1974 and 1982 at Knottfield in Douglas. 

At Douglas Courthouse the jury was read a written statement from a third complainant which was made to police in 2018.

Jurors were informed the man wasn’t able to give his evidence in person as he had since died. 

The statement outlined the abuse he claimed he’d suffered, at the age of 10, whilst resident at Knottfield in the mid 1970s. 

Mr Marshall, he claimed, had sexually abused him during bath time adding: “It was painful. I didn’t like it and I knew it was wrong.” 

He also described an incident in which Mr Marshall had allegedly got him out of bed at night, and taken him to the office, claiming his mother was on the telephone.

What followed, the witness claimed, was Mr Marshall sexually abusing him and then committing the act of buggery.

“Mr Marshall had such authority that I just did what he told me to do,” he said in his statement. “I couldn’t move. I couldn’t get away. It was so painful that I cried out.” 

The witness told police he ‘cried himself to sleep’ and never told anyone what happened. He made a complaint to police, he said, because: “I want Mr Marshall to know that what he did was wrong.” 

Jurors were told the statement was not accepted by Mr Marshall’s defence and they did ‘dispute’ some of the allegations. Collingwood Thompson QC said the complainant would, if still alive, have been questioned in cross-examination. 

The court also heard evidence today from two police officers involved in investigating the Knottfield case. 

An agreed statement - containing details of Mr Marshall’s interviews with police - was also read to the court in which Mr Marshall denied the three complainants’ allegations. 

When asked about the bath time claim Mr Marshall told officers it was 'totally untrue, absolute rubbish.'

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