Former head of Belfast children's home denies harming child in her care

by Q Radio News

The former head of a south Belfast children's home today, denied she caused suffering to a youngster in her care, branding the claims against her as "outrageous."

Ruth Colvin has been accused of six separate counts of child cruelty towards a youngster in her care between September 1974 and December 1976.

The charges relate to a period when Colvin was head of Bawnmore Children's Home in south Belfast.

The 75-year old, who is formerly of Glendhu Manor but now residing in a nursing home in the east of the city, has denied all six charges and is currently standing trial at Belfast Crown Court.

As she took to the witness stand, the wheelchair-bound pensioner - who was 31 at the time of the alleged offences - confirmed her position at the time, telling the court she was "in charge" during that period.

The former resident has already given evidence and claimed she was beaten by Colvin with a wooden Scholl sandal and with a stick.

She also claimed that Colvin pulled her hair and told her things like 'you won't be a blue-eyed dolly.'

As she was questioned by her barrister David McDowell QC, Colvin said that after working in children's homes, she then trained and became a social worker.

She also confirmed that she came before the court with a clear criminal record, and no other complaints against her.

When asked by Mr McDowell how she found the complainant when she arrived in the children's home, Colvin described her as "unsettled", and when asked "how did you cope with that?", Colvin replied "by being firm with her."

Mr McDowell then asked "how would you be firm with her?", to which she said "by talking strictly with her."

Colvin was then asked "did the children respect you?", and she replied "I would say so." Mr McDowell then asked his client "How were you with them? Were you nice or nasty?", with Colvin saying "I was nice, normal with them."

She was then asked "did you ever hit a child? Did you ever hit (the complainant?)". Colvin answered "no' to both questions.

Mr McDowell's next question - "what do you think of her saying that you did?" - was answered by Colvin saying "personally I find it very hard to take, to accept, because I didn't do it, and I can't see the reason why she said it. I don't know, because she was unsettled and disturbed, perhaps."

Colvin denied pulling her hair, assaulting her in a laundry room and hitting her with a wooden stick. And when the accused was asked "would you ever have taken your shoe off and hit her around the head with it?", Colvin replied: "No. It's outrageous.

"Others would have known if she had got hit. There would be marks. There would have been questions asked of me. There would have been an enquiry."