Latest news with #JohnAllen
CTV News
21 hours ago
- General
- CTV News
‘It was vandalism': B.C. orders resort to restore ‘Hobo' Hot Springs after outcry
The pools, known locally as Hobo Hot Springs, are on public land near the shore of Harrison Lake, 200 metres from the Harrison Hot Springs resort. The B.C. government has ordered a popular resort to clean up and reopen a beloved natural hot spring after it was filled in with dirt and boulders and is now blocked off by a fence. The pools, known locally as Hobo Hot Springs, are on public land near the shore of Harrison Lake, 200 metres from the Harrison Hot Springs resort. The resort is being blamed for their destruction. 'I thought it was mean spirited. I thought it was a vandalism, and I thought it was just an attempt to stop people enjoying a little bit of the hot spring resource without having to pay for it at the Harrison hotel or at the pool, which they own a block away from the hotel,' said longtime resident and former town mayor John Allen. The B.C. Ministry of Forests has confirmed the hotel is under investigation related to the damage done to the public pools and an order has been issued under the Water Sustainability Act to restore Hobo Hot Springs to its previous state. 'The resort is going to clean up the springs and return it to its natural state. As part of that, they asked if they could erect a fence around the site,' said Randene Neill, B.C. Minister of Land, Water and Resource Stewardship. Harrison Hot Springs Resort, a local tourist destination for generations, didn't respond to multiple interview requests. The order requires the site to be restored by the end of September. Fred Talen Harrison Hot Springs mayor, Fred Talen, characterizes the damage done to the free hot spring as a mistake. Harrison Hot Springs mayor, Fred Talen, characterizes the damage done to the free hot spring as a mistake. 'I think unilateral action, treating these natural resources like a monopoly, like they own them sends the wrong message, at least to me. I think public resources should be managed by government for the public's use and enjoyment,' said Talen. He believes that despite the damage that has been done, allegedly by the hotel, his community remains indebted to the resort. 'The village owes its reputation nationally, internationally, largely to visitor experiences through the resort over many, many decades,' Talen added, calling the resort a 'good corporate citizen.' That is a characterization not everyone agrees with. 'The hotel has an unfortunate history of arrogance in the village,' Allen told CTV. 'They were the main economic driver for the community after logging died off. And they have occupied a premium position in the community, but haven't done so very responsibly in my opinion.' The resort could face provincial fines if the Ministry of Forests investigation finds it made changes to a stream without authority, or if it does not follow the order to restore Hobo Hot Springs. It is a resource minister Neill says should be available for everyone to enjoy. 'It's a win-win when people use these hot springs in a respectful way, and let others use them. We hope those hot springs will be there for, you know, well after we're gone.'
Daily Mirror
14-05-2025
- Daily Mirror
Paedo who acted ‘like God' abusing 19 kids in string of care homes dies in jail
John Allen owned a network of care homes in Wales where he abused children and the 83 year old has now died in HMP Bure where he was jailed for life for his depraved crimes A paedophile who "acted like God" abusing children across a string of care homes he owned has died in jail. John Allen, who made millions running multiple community children's homes in Wrexham, in Wales, was sentenced to life behind bars for his depraved crimes. He was finally snared decades after his reign of terror began, and was serving life imprisonment at HMP Bure where he died at the age of 83. A spokesperson for the prison said: "HMP Bure prisoner John Allen died on May 3, 2025. As with all deaths in custody, the Prison and Probation Ombudsman will investigate." Allen was the managing director of Bryn Alyn children's homes for two decades after setting up the first in 1968 when he was just 27. At one point Allen oversaw 11 properties providing care to more than 150 vulnerable children. But that allowed him to abuse victims who were living at the homes. One former resident at the Bryn Alyn children's home said living there "wasn't care, it was like hell". The victim told how Allen had groomed him with gifts before abusing him. He said: "The system really did fail us." Allen was first jailed for six years in 1995 after being found guilty of child abuse. Then in 2014, Allen was sentenced to life in jail for 33 sex offences carried out between 1976 and 1992. The court heard at the time most of the complainants, 18 boys and one girl, came from "dysfunctional, chaotic" backgrounds, reported the Express. Instead of being protected they were taken advantage of by a "powerful man" who was described as acting "like a god" by one traumatised victim. Mold Crown Court heard Allen put the children in a "highly sexualised atmosphere" and kept his victims silenced through fear and isolation. Five years later he was convicted of seven counts of indecent assault and one of a serious sexual offence against children when more victims came forward. Eleanor Laws, prosecuting, described Allen as a "predatory paedophile" who was a "regular and formidable" presence. Ms Laws branded Allen's sexual abuse of boys as "prolific". She told the court: "They were often forgotten. It made them the perfect targets for John Allen. His sexual abuse of these boys was prolific. He took risks to seriously sexually abuse them and he sexually abused them on many, many occasions." Following conviction he was sentenced to another 14-and-a-half years by Judge Rhys Rowlands. The judge told Mold Crown Court Allen's crimes represented "sheer wickedness". The sex beast was originally arrested after an independent investigation was launched by the National Crime Agency (NCA) in 2012. Dubbed Operation Pallial, the probe looks into allegations of historic abuse in the care system. The NSPCC said Allen had conducted a "reign of terror over a dark period of several decades". The charity added that his crimes put him "high up the scale of the most prolific child abusers of recent times".
Daily Mail
14-05-2025
- Daily Mail
'Monster' care home boss who was one of Britain's worst paedophiles as he abused youngsters for decades dies in jail
A children's home boss who was serving a life sentence for sexual abusing young boys has died aged 83. John Allen was found guilty of committing historical sexual abuse against 18 boys and one girl aged between seven and 15 at his residential care home in Wrexham, North Wales. He was serving a life setnece at HMP Bure where he spent 11 before dying aged 83, the prison has confirmed. A prison service spokeswoman said: 'HMP Bure prisoner John Allen died on 3 May 2025. As with all deaths in custody, the Prison and Probation Ombudsman will investigate.' Allen had already spent six years in jail over abuse in the 1970s and avoided prosecution in 2003 over more alleged attacks when legal proceedings collapsed. He ran the Bryn Alyn Community, with a string of properties mainly in the Wrexham area, accommodating about 200 youngsters. Allen repeatedly abused children between 1976 and 1992 and was found guilty at three separate trials as more victims came forward. In 2014, he was jailed for a minimum of 11 years for sex crimes before he was found guilty in 2019 of seven further counts of indecent assault and one of a serious sexual offence against children as young as 13 after further victims came forward. He was sentenced to a further 14-and-a-half years. The 1990s Waterhouse inquiry into the abuse of children in care in North Wales said 28 former male residents alleged they were sexually abused by Allen. At his 2014 trial prosecutor Eleanor Laws QC said: 'Victims said the staff appeared to be either fearful of him or were colluding with him. 'He created what has been described as a sexualised atmosphere within the homes, alongside a culture of fear. 'He was seemingly, without being called to account, able to sexually abuse these boys on a regular basis.' The 2014 case against Allen was the first prosecution after an independent investigation was launched by the National Crime Agency (NCA) in 2012. The investigation, named Operation Pallial, looked into allegations of past abuse in the care system. Allen had already spent six years in jail over abuse in the 1970s and avoided prosecution in 2003 over more alleged attacks when legal proceedings collapsed. In 1995, after Allen was jailed for six years over a string of offences against young boys, an inquiry was launched to look at the abuse of children in Gwynedd and Clwyd areas. Following its publication in 2000, more complainants came forward with claims they had been abused. But the case was stunted by a Crown Court judge who reportedly ruled that Allen would not receive a fair trial because of the publicity about his previous convictions. Speaking after his sentence, an NSPCC spokesperson said: 'John Allen was supposed to be caring for vulnerable boys but instead took advantage of his position to commit child sexual abuse on a massive scale. 'The fact he has been brought back to court and given further jail time for these terrible crimes is thanks to the bravery of the victims in coming forward and sharing their stories. 'We now hope these individuals receive all the care and support they need to put these horrendous experiences behind them.' It comes after earlier this year, a former Bryn Alyn care home resident who abused a boys at the facility also died while behind bars. Graham Joseph Stridgeon was imprisoned in 2018 after he admitted three counts of sexual assault at the care home. Stridgeon, who was 18 or 19 years old at the time of the offences, originally pleaded not guilty to eight historic sexual assaults on young boys abut changed his plea before his trial was due to start. He was initially jailed for three and a half years but after his sentence was referred to the Court of Appeal for being unduly lenient, it was increased to five years and 10 months in prison with an extended licence period of three years. The prison service confirmed that Stridgeon died at the Wymott Prison on February 16 of this year aged 70.
Scottish Sun
14-05-2025
- Scottish Sun
One of ‘UK's worst paedos' who acted ‘like a God' abusing 19 children in care homes he owned dies in jail
One former resident at the Bryn Alyn children's home said living there 'wasn't care, it was like hell' VILE ABUSER One of 'UK's worst paedos' who acted 'like a God' abusing 19 children in care homes he owned dies in jail Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) A HORRIFIC sex offender who "acted like God" abusing children in care homes has died in jail. John Allen, who ran multiple community children's homes in Wrexham, in Wales, was sentenced to life behind bars for his depraved crimes. Sign up for Scottish Sun newsletter Sign up 3 John Allen died in prison aged 83 Credit: © Andrew Price / View Finder Pictures 3 The former children's home owner was sentenced to life in jail Credit: WNS He had only spent 11 years locked up in HMP Bure when he died aged 83, said the prison. A spokesperson said: 'HMP Bure prisoner John Allen died on May 3, 2025. "As with all deaths in custody, the Prison and Probation Ombudsman will investigate.' The twisted paedophile ran Bryn Alyn children's homes for two decades after setting up his first in 1968 when he was just 27. At it's peak, Allen owned 11 properties with more than 150 children. Many were subject to heinous abuse while living at the homes. One former resident at the Bryn Alyn children's home said living there "wasn't care, it was like hell". He told how Allen had groomed him with gifts before abusing him. "The system really did fail us," he added. In 2014 Allen was sentenced to life in jail for 33 sex offences carried out between 1976 and 1992. The court heard at the time most of the complainants came from 'dysfunctional, chaotic' backgrounds. Instead of being protected they were taken advantage of by a "powerful man" who was described "as like a god" by one victim. Mold Crown Court heard Allen put the children in a "highly sexualised atmosphere" and kept his victims silenced through fear and isolation. Five years later he was convicted of seven counts of indecent assault and one of a serious sexual offence against children when more victims came forward. He was sentenced to another 14-and-a-half years by judge Rhys Rowlands. The judge told Mold Crown Court Allen was "sheer wickedness". The monster was originally arrested after an independent investigation was launched by the National Crime Agency (NCA) in 2012. Dubbed Operation Pallial, the investigation looks into allegations of past abuse in the care system. The NSPCC said Allen had conducted a 'reign of terror over a dark period of several decades'. He was put 'high up the scale of the most prolific child abusers of recent times'.
The Irish Sun
14-05-2025
- The Irish Sun
One of ‘UK's worst paedos' who acted ‘like a God' abusing 19 children in care homes he owned dies in jail
A HORRIFIC sex offender who "acted like God" abusing children in care homes has died in jail. John Allen, who ran multiple community children's homes in Wrexham, in Wales, was sentenced to life behind bars for his depraved crimes. 3 John Allen died in prison aged 83 Credit: © Andrew Price / View Finder Pictures 3 The former children's home owner was sentenced to life in jail Credit: WNS He had only spent 11 years locked up in HMP Bure when he died aged 83, said the prison. A spokesperson said: 'HMP Bure prisoner John Allen died on May 3, 2025. "As with all deaths in custody, the Prison and Probation Ombudsman will investigate.' The twisted paedophile ran Bryn Alyn children's homes for two decades after setting up his first in 1968 when he was just 27. Read More At it's peak, Allen owned 11 properties with more than 150 children. Many were subject to heinous abuse while living at the homes. One former resident at the Bryn Alyn children's home said living there "wasn't care, it was like hell". He told how Allen had groomed him with gifts before abusing him. Most read in The Sun "The system really did fail us," he added. In 2014 Allen was sentenced to life in jail for 33 sex offences carried out between 1976 and 1992. The court heard at the time most of the complainants came from 'dysfunctional, chaotic' backgrounds. Instead of being protected they were taken advantage of by a "powerful man" who was described "as like a god" by one victim. Mold Crown Court heard Allen put the children in a "highly sexualised atmosphere" and kept his victims silenced through fear and isolation. Five years later he was convicted of seven counts of indecent assault and one of a serious sexual offence against children when more victims came forward. He was sentenced to another 14-and-a-half years by judge Rhys Rowlands. The judge told Mold Crown Court Allen was "sheer wickedness". The monster was originally arrested after an independent investigation was launched by the National Crime Agency (NCA) in 2012. Dubbed Operation Pallial, the investigation looks into allegations of past abuse in the care system. The NSPCC said Allen had conducted a 'reign of terror over a dark period of several decades'. He was put 'high up the scale of the most prolific child abusers of recent times'. 3 In 2014 Allen was sentenced to life in jail for 33 sex offences carried out between 1976 and 1992 Credit: Andrew Price / View Finder Pictures
