Former children’s home employee dismisses abuse claims as ‘absolute nonsense’

A former employee at a Fife children’s home has told the Scottish Child Abuse Inquiry (SCAI) that allegations of abuse made against him by former residents are “absolute nonsense”.

The inquiry was hearing evidence on Wednesday from a witness known as “Toby”, who worked at Linwood Hall in Leven from 1975 to 1995, initially working for a house parent and later becoming a senior house parent.

He was given an alias as he was given anonymity by the inquiry.

Toby was asked about allegations made against him in 2001 by a former resident, who claimed Toby had sexually assaulted him while he was a child at the home.

He also alleged that Toby had “dragged” him out of bed in the middle of the night and taken him to the staffroom on two occasions, once as a punishment for disobeying his foster parents.

He also alleged that while on a school trip to a beach area near the school he was given “about three cans” of beer by two members of staff, and that he was drugged and raped.

Toby dismissed the allegations as an “absolute fabrication”, and told the inquiry he had “no idea why he would say all those things”.

“It’s absolute nonsense,” he said.

“There is nothing in me that would ever want or dream of wanting to do anything like that towards a child or towards anybody.”

He also pointed out a number of problems with the allegations, including that they would have been witnessed by other children or staff who would, he said, have reported them at the time.

The former senior house parent also denied the allegation that staff “made” boys fight one another, but acknowledged that on occasions staff allowed children to have a short fight to get a disagreement out of their systems.

“It was just a couple of young kids trying to sort something out themselves. It was just an opportunity for them to have a wee thump at each other,” he said.

The former employee was also asked about David Murphy, another staff member at the home who started at about the same time as Toby, who has since been convicted of abusing children at the facility.

The inquiry is being chaired by Lady Smith . PA Media

Toby told the inquiry he was “absolutely gutted” and “disgusted” when he learned of Murphy’s wrongdoing, and that he had now “cut off all contact with him”.

When asked whether he was aware of how abuse could have been carried out at the home, he replied: “I do not really know,” and added that he had “never heard” about any children who were abused by Murphy.

Toby was also asked about his more general experience of the home, which was operated by Fife Council.

The former employee said he he had not need any qualifications when he applied for the role in 1975, and did not know whether his referees were contacted.

He said that when he started he did not receive any training in his role, and that he was expected to “pick up” what to do from other staff.

He was also critical of training staff received in how to restrain young people, using a method he described as “more of an assault that a restraint”.

He described the technique as involving two members of staff holding a child by each arm, taking a step forward and pulling them to the floor, which he said risked breaking the child’s arm.

“It was a based on a restraint method that was developed in the prison sector for dealing with adults,” he explained.

“You cannot change that over and use it for young people.”

The inquiry is investigating abuse in residential settings including boarding schools, religious establishments and foster care.

The inquiry continues in front of Lady Smith.