FORMER BARNET COUNCIL WORKERS CONVICTED OF DECADES OF ABUSE AT PENSHURST SCHOOL
Three former employees of Barnet Council have been found guilty of 28 counts of historic sexual abuse.Colwyn Baker, David Hennessey, and Nigel Putman, who worked as residential care officers at Swaylands School in Penshurst, Kent, were responsible for abusing vulnerable boys over several decades.
Hennessey, aged 74 and residing at Westfields, Narborough, Norfolk, was convicted of six offences, including sexual crimes.
During the trial at Maidstone Crown Court, it was revealed that Hennessey had prior convictions for abuse at the same school, which included four indecent assaults and two counts of buggery against a single boy in 1993.
The jury acquitted 15 charges and was unable to reach a verdict on five others.
Authorities reviewed old records and interviewed potential victims, resulting in 65 allegations and 48 sexual abuse charges involving 24 children.
Detective Superintendent Paul Fotheringham explained that the offenders exploited the victims, often beating or denying them food if they resisted.
The accused men refused to admit their guilt and forced victims to relive their experiences in court.
Sentencing is scheduled for the men.
Swaylands School, operated by Barnet, was designed for boys with learning difficulties and later emotional challenges, drawing pupils from across London and the southeast.
Both Hennessey and Baker had previous convictions related to abuse at the school; Hennessey received a three-year sentence for each offence, to be served concurrently.
Following the initial convictions, Barnet Council commissioned a report, and the case has been recognized for its comprehensive investigation and support provided to victims.
