Latest news with #GrahamPickavance
Yahoo
4 days ago
- Yahoo
Woman ‘fell in love' with child in care and 'asked for love bite', trial hears
A WOMAN who worked in a care home 'fell in love' with a child who lived there and 'asked for a love bite from him', a court has heard. The trial of Lindy Leah began today, Monday, at Liverpool Crown Court, where she is accused of being a person in a position of trust inciting a child to engage in sexual activity. The 44-year-old, of Warrington, is also accused of 'inappropriate and improper behaviour' at her place of work in St Helens. This allegedly included her 'wearing skintight and highly revealing clothing' in the child's presence, such as a 'bodysuit with no underwear' and a 'highly visible thong'. Graham Pickavance, prosecuting, told jurors: 'The Crown says that this defendant incited and encouraged a teenager in the care of the local authority to engage in sexual activity with her. 'The complainant was placed there as he had challenging behaviour problems. The defendant was employed as his key worker. 'The defendant, back when she was interviewed, admitted that she fell in love with him, but the Crown says this was not just parental love offering care and support, but something going far beyond that.' The trial heard that the complainant will not be giving evidence during the trial, and that he does not support the prosecution. However, it was said that the behaviour of Leah was 'inappropriate according to the people who observed it'. 'A number of messages from her phone paint a picture of a relationship far removed from carer and child,' Mr Pickavance told the jury. The trial heard that, when Leah took the boy's phone from him, she sent a message saying: 'You'll get it on Wednesday for a love bite.' Jurors were told that the defendant worked as a deputy manager at the home, and the complainant was assessed as being a high risk of criminal exploitation by criminal gangs. Lindy Leah is currently standing trial at Liverpool Crown Court The court heard messages sent by Leah to the boy, suggesting she knew of his drug use, including ketamine and cannabis. In one, jurors were told that she said: 'Bye, I hope you enjoy your ket session.' In another, the trial heard that she said: 'You need to stop sniffing ket. I said I would buy you that tracksuit if you stopped for two weeks. You're going to kill yourself.' The jury was told that concern was raised regarding the relationship between Leah and the complainant. The trial heard that she was spoken to by Merseyside Police, when she denied any 'improper behaviour'. Her mobile phone was taken and she was bailed, with conditions not to contact the complainant or visit the children's home, the court heard. It was said that the phone was interrogated forensically, with Mr Pickavance telling jurors: 'The Crown's case is that this paints a completely different picture than what she was putting forward.' Three or four weeks after being bailed, Leah and the boy were seen together at Walton Hall and Gardens in Warrington by someone who knew them both, with Leah arrested again, jurors were told. Mr Pickavance told the jury of one incident of alleged 'unprofessional behaviour' noted by the youth justice team, involving the boy lying on Leah's bed at the children's home 'as if it was completely normal'. The court heard that Leah said that he was 'comfortable and always did that'. Jurors were also told that Leah 'wore skintight and highly revealing clothing', with alleged instances including a 'bodysuit with no underwear' and another alleged occasion of a 'highly visible thong'. On one occasion, it was said that Leah said to the boy: 'Look, I've had a shower and not brought spare knickers.' READ MORE: Air ambulance lands in park after parkrun participant collapses during event No serious injury reported as police close town centre road following crash Police seize off-road motorbike from 14-year-old boy over anti-social use reports The trial heard that Leah then pulled her bodysuit upwards, 'showing the outline of her vagina', while the boy could allegedly also 'see her nipples'. Jurors were told that the boy's mother, who asked for help to deal with her son's 'out of control behaviour', was told by Leah that she was 'wrapped around her little finger' of the boy. Leah was also said to have described the boy as 'gorgeous' and 'handsome', and that she 'loved him like one of her own', jurors heard. The court heard evidence of messages exchanged between Leah and the complainant. In one, jurors were told that Leah said: 'I hope I've not lost you to a s**g x,' to which the boy was reported to have said that she hadn't, also ending with a 'kiss'. In another, Leah wrote: 'Are you and me over then? If you don't want me anymore, I'll have to get over it,' the trial heard, to which the complainant was said to have replied: 'I do.' A further message, the court heard, saw the defendant say: "I love you so much. Can I book somewhere for you and me x," adding: "Red and silky with some balloons and flake." Leah, represented by Rebecca Filletti, defending, appeared in the dock with her blonde hair up in a ponytail and wearing a black top. She denies the charge of being a person in a position of trust inciting a child to engage in sexual activity. The defendant, of Capesthorne Road in Orford, will be tried by a jury of six men and six women, with the trial presided over by judge Brian Cummings. The trial continues and is expected to last up to five days.
Daily Mail
5 days ago
- Daily Mail
Care worker had sexual relationship with boy at children's home she 'fell in love' with, donning skimpy outfits and letting him sleep in her bed, court hears
A care worker allegedly had a sexual relationship with a boy at a children's home, donning skimpy outfits and letting him sleep in her bed, a court has heard. Lindy Leah, 44, 'fell in love' with a teenage patient having been assigned as his key worker, it was revealed at Liverpool Crown Court on Monday. The accused, who was deputy manager of the home in St Helens, also sported inappropriate clothing and asked the boy to give her 'a love bite'. She told detectives interviewing her after her arrest that she 'denied any improper behaviour'. Graham Pickavance, prosecuting, said: 'The defendant, by her own admission, admitted that she fell in love with him. 'But the crown say that it was not simply parental love, but something that went far beyond that and was physical love.' The teenager 'does not support the prosecution' but colleagues at the home described 'inappropriate' behaviour from Leah, who is from Warrington, as well as 'unprofessional interventions which prevented [the boy] from being challenged about his behaviour'. He was spotted lying in Leah's bed at the care home 'as if it was completely normal'. The court heard that the defendant had said: 'He's comfortable. He always does that. No one else has a problem.' Video footage retrieved in a Merseyside Police investigation also showed the boy asleep in her carer's bed. Leah was also said to have 'worn skin tight and highly revealing clothing' around the teenager. These included a bodysuit with no underwear, as well as a 'highly visible thong'. The trial, before Brian Cummings KC, heard the care home deputy manager pulled up her bodysuit at one point to show her nipples which were said to be 'highly visible' at the time. She then allegedly said: 'I've had a shower but forgot to bring clean knickers.' The boy's mother reportedly 'grew more concerned' the longer her son stayed at the institution, with Leah apparently telling her the teenager 'had her wrapped around his little finger', describing him as 'gorgeous and handsome'. Mr Pickavance said a slew of texts between the pair 'painted a picture of a relationship far removed from a carer and child'. A message from Leah on one phone which had been confiscated from the boy said: 'I'll give it you on Wednesday for a love bite.' In another, she told him 'proper paranoid' that she had 'lost him to a slag' before stating: 'If you never met me then your life would be better. I miss you so much. 'All I want is for me and you to have a night away from everyone, just us. So if I wake up from these tablets and wine, then we will.' She added: 'Do you wanna go MSC [missing from care]? I love you so much. Can I book somewhere for me and you on Friday? 'Red and silky with some balloons and flake. Make sure you get your arse home tonight so you can go missing from care with me without there being meetings.' Graham Pickavance, prosecuting, told the court that 'balloons' was a 'colloquial term' for the class C drug nitrous oxide. In a further message, Leah told the teen: 'Just listened to a song and it made me cry. Stupid love songs. It made me think of you, then it made me cry. I won't be listening to that again. Add me back on Instagram now. 'Why you took me off it? I get paranoid. I find it hard to trust you. I'm just scared you're still talking to her and going to see her. I just can't bear catching you out again. What's the point, because you know I'll find out? I hate her.' Leah was meanwhile said to have promised to buy the boy a tracksuit if he 'stop sniffing ket' for two weeks. But, in a further message, she told him: 'What you've done to me is vile. The worst thing is you, you don't even give a f***. You got what you wanted.' After being interviewed by detectives, the carer was released on bail under the condition not to get in touch with the teenager. But weeks later the pair were seen together by a fellow care worker next to a white Audi car at Walton Hall and gardens in Warrington. Leah is represented by Rebecca Filletti and denies one count of being a person in a position of trust causing or inciting a child to engage in sexual activity. The trial continues.
