Liam

 

This story is based on factual information made public when the scandal of 'pin down' became public knowledge. Prosecutions followed for child cruelty and many care workers were either dismissed or sentenced to prison terms for child abuse.

 

Liam was a relatively normal thirteen year old. His father was a member of the Armed Forces on duty in Iraq on peacekeeping operations and so Liam lived with his mother in a semi-detached house in a large city. She didn't want to live in army accommodation so, when her parents died and left her everything as their only child, she and her husband decided to use some of the money to buy their own home. They were both glad that they'd done that as house prices had gone through the roof in the short time they'd own the home and it had doubled in price in that time.

 

One day, Liam was at school when the school secretary came into the classroom. “Please, could Liam come to the head teacher's office?” She tuned and smiled at Liam, “Don't worry! You're not in trouble!” Liam followed her to the head's office, far from reassured by her comments. When she opened the door, the head was sitting with a lady he'd never seen before. “Liam, this is Mrs. Kamal from Social Services. We've got some news for you. Your mother was rushed to hospital this morning with peritonitis from a burst appendix. She's had the operation and is in intensive care, although not in any danger and she will make a full recovery. However you're not old enough to look after yourself at home and you've got no relatives who could look after you for a few weeks until your mum's better and out of hospital. Mrs. Kamal is going to take you to see your mother and then home to collect some clothes. Then she'll take you to a children's home where you'll be staying for a few weeks until your mother is better.” Liam just stood there, dumbstruck. He didn't know what to say or think. The head teacher smiled at Liam. She could see the conflict in his face. This wasn't the easiest of news to break to him. Liam lifted his head and stuck out his chin defiantly. “I can look after myself. I don't need to go into a home. I'll have school dinners and cook for myself in the evenings and weekends. I can get to hospital to see my mum. They'll be no problem. I can manage.” Mrs. Kamal spoke, “Liam, I'm afraid whether you could cope or not isn't in question. Legally you're not old enough and your mother is worried about you. She spoke to a social worker in the hospital who contacted me. If you come now, I'll take you to her. She's still very drowsy and is on painkillers following the operation, but she'll tell you this is what she wants. She needs to know you're safe so she doesn't have to worry about you.” With that, she stood up and beckoned to Liam to follow her.

 

Mrs. Kamal took Liam out to her car and drove him to the hospital where she went with him to Adult Intensive Care. Liam's mum was on a PCA to give her doses of morphine to control her pain so she was very drowsy and kept falling asleep. She had an oxygen mask on with tubes and wires connected everywhere. Liam wasn't sure whether he wanted to cry at the sight of his mother or be glad that she was alive and recovering, or so the nurse told him. She did recognise him and smiled. She beckoned him close to her and whispered through the oxygen mask, “Liam, I don't want you to have to go into a home for a while, but you'll be safe there. Promise me you'll go and not be difficult?” He didn't have much choice but to agree for her, as she didn't need him causing problems for her. After too few minutes the nurse said that it was time to go as his mum needed some rest. Mrs. Kamal went back with Liam to her car to take him home to collect some clothes, his schoolbooks and some favourite possessions to take to the children's home.

 

The home was not far from where Liam lived. It was designed like a rather large and long house in red brick with a green tiled roof. The name board outside pronounced that it was 'Green Roof Children's Home'. They drove up and stopped outside the front door. Mrs. Kamal rang the bell and an attractive woman in her mid twenties opened the door. “Hello, Liam. I'm Sue, your key worker at the home. Come in! We've been expecting you.” Mrs. Kamal took Liam's cases from her car, put them just inside the door, handed over the paperwork and left without even saying 'goodbye'. Sue helped Liam to carry his cases upstairs to a bedroom, which she said was to be his for the next few days until his mum was out of hospital. Sue sat on the chair and picked up a clipboard, which had been placed in the room by her earlier. She indicated that Liam should sit on the bed. “Now Liam, I know you don't want to be here, but you know why you're here and that it won't be for long, we hope. As you're not far from home, there'll be no problem with your going to your usual school, which should be a help. I'm your key worker and you should come to me first if you have any sort of problem. If I'm off duty, then ask any worker for help and they'll decide whether you need immediate action or whether it can wait until I come back on duty. OK?” Liam gave his assurance that he understood. Sue continued, “There are some house rules which you need to read and obey. There are sanctions for breaking the rules, but I'd rather you didn't break them and need punishing. I'd like you to unpack your cases into the wardrobe and drawers, read the rules and then come down to tea at 5 o'clock when you'll be introduced to everyone. The toilets and bathrooms are at the end of the corridor as you turn left and, as you can see, you've got a washbasin in your room. I have a few questions to ask you, as you are an emergency referral. Normally we'd have most of this information before you came here, but things were rather rushed because of your mum going into hospital.” Sue went through a list of questions, which included Liam's medical history, allergies if any, name of doctor and the like. Kelvin blushed a bright red when Sue asked him whether he wet the bed at all. Kelvin replied hotly, “No, of course I don't. I'm not a baby!” Sue ignored the outburst and continued, “If you do wet your bed, you must change it yourself. There's a special bin in the bathroom for sheets and the like and you get clean sheets from your wardrobe. Let a member of staff know if you have an accident at night. Your mattress has a plastic cover on it, as do the pillows and the duvet. As it's your first night here, I will put you in nappies just for this one night.” Liam was about to interrupt, but Sue forestalled him, “Yes, I know you said you don't wet the bed, but you'd be surprised how many new residents here do for the first night or so as they are missing home and in a strange bed. There's a urinal in the bottom of the wardrobe that you can use and a bedpan with a lid in case you need to do more than pass urine. We do really prefer that you don't leave your room at night for your own safety, as we're responsible for you. We have had accidents, fortunately not here, with children getting up at night to use the toilet and falling because they were in a strange building.” With that, she left Liam to unpack.

 

Later Liam came down to tea. He knew where the dining room was from the sound of chatter. As he opened the door, the talking stopped and all eyes turned to look at him. Sue said, “This is Liam who is joining us while his mum is in hospital. I'd like you all to try to make Liam feel as at home as possible. Introduce yourselves to him. I'm sitting you next to Jane and David so you know the names of the people you're sitting with.” That meal was a struggle with all those new faces. Jane and David were nice to him, and asked how his mother was.

 

Later David took him aside as the others either went to their rooms to do homework in peace, watch TV or placed in the games room. “There are some real bullies here and you need to stay out of their way. I'll point them out to you.” But don't the staff do anything about bullying?! Liam asked. “No, they don't. The worst bully is the 'pet' of your key worker – he can do no wrong in her eyes and if you complain to her about him, you'll be the one in trouble!” But that's not fair!” Liam protested. David replied, “No, it isn't and you must also try to avoid being punished. They have some weird and nasty punishments that don't leave physical scars. You really don't want to know! This place is not a good place to be, but I hear that some of the others are even worse. Most people are here because of family break-ups like me, but there are some in care because of their behaviour. They're nothing more than thugs with criminal records, so when I point them out to you, avoid them and certainly don't upset them. They'll make your life a misery while you're here and find ways of getting to you when you leave.” Liam didn't like the sound of this place at all and wished he could have looked after himself at home.

 

Just before he was about to get ready for bed, in accordance with the rules of the house, Sue came in holding a pile of nappies, pins and very large clear plastic pants. “I hadn't forgotten, Liam. Get all your clothes off and lie on the bed for me.” Liam blushed a very bright red at being asked to strip in front of this, admittedly, attractive young woman. However, he did as he was told and laid on the bed, his manhood standing half to attention because of her presence and his embarrassment. Sue folded the nappies into a kite shape and popped them under Liam when she asked him to raise his buttocks off the bed. She pulled them up tightly between his legs and brought the sides round, pinning them with safety nappy pins. The nappies were well washed and boiled terry toweling, but stained permanently with yellow stains for much use and orange stains where more than just urine had been passed into them. The thickness of nappies was so great that his legs were forced apart due to the bulk between his legs. Liam co-operated as she worked the plastic pants up over his nappies, standing when told to do so, so that she could pull them up and tuck all the nappy inside the plastic pants. The pants were tight around his waist and thighs, presumably, he correctly surmised, to try to prevent leaks. The nappies were fastened with four pins, two at the top and two just above his thighs with the plastic pants ballooning out as they were cut generously to allow plenty of room for the nappies inside. “If you wake and need the toilet, use the urinal which I've put out for you. You can unpin the top of the nappy to use it, but you must pin it back again so you're still in them in the morning. You will have them checked when you are woken. Otherwise, if you don't want to, you can use the nappy, but them you'll be in nappies every night you're here if you do.” Liam assured her that he didn't want that.. Sue saw him into bed, made sure the quilt covered him, bad him 'good night' and turned the light out as she closed the door.

 

Liam didn't wet his nappy that first night and settled in as well as could be expected until four nights later. Liam had avoided the bullies identified by David but that night Jason, the bully whom Sue liked, decided to seek out the new boy to assert his authority over him. Liam was reading in the quiet room when Jason came in. Jane and David were there too, as well as a number of the 'sensible' inmates. Jason knocked the book from Liam's hand onto the floor and, when Liam reached to pick it up, trod on his fingers. Liam didn't rise to the bait. Jason called him a sniveling coward for not standing up to him. Liam continued to pretend that Jason just wasn't there. Liam was pulled from his chair by Jason and punched in the stomach. “Your mother isn't in hospital,” Jason sneered, “She's a prostitute who's abandoned you while she looks for work. Having you around cramps her style.” Liam afterwards knew he shouldn't have risen to the bait, but, at that moment, he couldn't help himself. He flung himself at Jason and they set to with fists and knees into each other. To Jason's great surprise, Liam was no mean fighter and Jason came off considerably worse. Suddenly both boys felt themselves being pulled apart and held tightly by male members of staff. They were marched to the home manager's office where they were stood in front of him. One of the staff said, “These boys were fighting.” Sue came rushing in. “Oh it must have been Liam attacked Jason. Jason wouldn't do anything like that!” Jason developed a really smug grin on his face, knowing that his 'champion' would save him from trouble once again. The manager turned to Liam, “Well you heard that. What do you have to say for yourself?” Liam answered, defiantly, “I didn't start anything. I was sitting minding my own business when Jason started it all.” Sue rushed in again, “Oh no, that just isn't true. Jason is well behaved and wouldn't be fighting if Liam hadn't started it!” Liam's answer was swift, “You weren't there. Jason is a bully and he started picking on me. What he didn't realise was that I would defend myself.” Just then there was a knock on the door. The manager indicated to one of the male staff to open it. Outside were all of the children who had been in the quiet room. David was at their head. “What is it?” the manager asked. “We were all there. Liam was minding his own business and Jason attacked him. Liam did nothing to cause it. We all saw that!” The manager thanked them for their testimony and asked that the door be shut. “I am aware that Jason isn't the sweet and innocent you believe him to be, Sue, and I think this proves it. However I cannot have fighting in my home. You will both be punished. Jason, two weeks' pin down and one week for you, Liam. I know you're new, but I must make sure that discipline is maintained so you must be punished too.” “What is 'pin down'?” Liam asked. “You'll find out soon enough” was the manager's answer.

 

Both boys were frog-marched to rooms at the back of the home. Jason was fighting them all the way, calling out his innocence and that he didn't want to be punished like that. Liam kept a dignified silence and walked quietly without fuss. Liam was taken into a bare room with a wash basin, a chair, a drip stand, a bed and a mattress covered in plastic. There were cot sides to the bed and, what worried Liam most, restraints fastened to head and foot of the bed. “Liam,” one of the men holding him said, “I actually believe your innocence as you have behaved so well. We need you to undress completely for us. Will you do that if we let go?” “Of course,” Liam answered proudly, “I would have come without you holding me. I didn't do anything wrong except defend myself against a bully and I have the right of self-defence!” The men released him and Liam took his clothes off, folding them tidily and placing them neatly on the chair, to the approval of the staff watching him. “Would you please lie on your back on the bed?” Liam did so as the noises from the next room indicated that Jason was putting up a fight against whatever punishment awaited them both. Liam lay down on the bed and the men placed his wrists and ankles in the padded restraints which held him down on the bed in an 'X' shape. The mattress cover, which had originally struck cold against Liam's back and legs, had now warmed with the heat of his body so that he was beginning to sweat. He was also very frightened as to what would be done to him, but did his best to hide his fears. The men left him and Sue came in with a trolley. “You'll pay for this! How dare you get Jason into trouble?” “Whether you're blind to his faults or not, nothing will change the fact that he's a bully and I just protected myself against him. If you weren't so blind, you'd see that for yourself: everyone else can!” Liam didn't know why he'd said this: it just all came pouring out from his frustration for being, as he saw it, wrongly punished, and fear for whatever that punishment was. Sue reached onto the trolley and held up a really thick pile of nappies, clean but stained like the ones he wore on the first night. “ 'Pin down' means you'll be in these for a week so get your butt up and I'll put them on you.” Liam co-operated as he knew that Sue, in her blind fury, was capable of anything. She folded the nappies and placed them under Liam's buttocks. She pulled on a pair of rubber gloves and lubricated one finger with KY Jelly. This she forcibly inserted into Liam's back passage, followed by two bullet shaped objects from sealed foil wrappers. She wiped her finger and pulled of a piece of waterproof surgical tape and stuck this firmly over his back passage, making sure that it was well stuck down. “Those were two powerful suppositories which will make you shit yourself uncontrollably. You can't push them out yet as the tape will stop you. You'll feel more and more uncomfortable until the pressure is so great that it forces the tape off as you fill your nappies. She reached onto the trolley and picked up a strange looking plastic garment. It was in the shape of a 'T' with elastic across the top and round both sides with two tapes from each end of the 'T', a tape each side and two at the bottom of the 'T'. “You'll wear these plastic pants over the top so I can change you when I feel like it. No cream for you – you'll get really bad nappy rash by the time I've finished with you!” She placed the top of the 'T' under Liam's hips and pulled the cross pieces around the front, tying the tapes so that he was wrapped in the plastic around his waist and hips. She then brought the tail up between his legs and tied the two tapes to the tapes at the side of the garment so that hi was encased in the plastic garment covering his nappy. “We can open this up easily to change you – when we bother,” she said. The plastic was yellowed with use and Liam guessed that he would be wearing the same plastic pants all week. By now the suppositories had melted in his back passage and had started to cause waves of contractions to pass through his bowel. He needed to 'go' badly but he would hold out as long as possible in front of her! His legs would have been spread wide apart by the thickness of nappies even if he wasn't restrained.

 

Sue reached for something else from the trolley and, holding it behind her back, she went to his head and pinched his nose. This time he struggled, trying to turn his head from side to side to break her grip, but she was too strong in her anger and rage for him. He gasped for air and, as his mouth opened, she forced a large black rubber dummy in his mouth and, before he had a chance to try to spit it out, she fastened its straps behind his head to hold it in place. The dummy had a hole in the centre and Liam was able to breath through that as well as his nose as she let go, giving his nose one last painful tweak. “I can attach tubing to this and you'll eat and drink what I choose to give you, or you'll choke. It's up to you.” She reached for a bag with tube attached and connected it to the dummy in his mouth and hung the bag up from the drip stand. So that was what it was for! She opened the clamp as the salty tasting liquid ran into his mouth. He had to suck on it as he would choke if he didn't. “That's got Epsom Salts in it. That'll really make you shit yourself over and over. After that's finished, I may give you some milk to drink. whatever, you'll be wetting yourself all the time when I've done with you. Next she picked up a pair of yellow foam earplugs and rolled one of them between her fingers. She inserted it with a twisting motion into Liam's left ear and held it there while the foam expanded, cutting off sound. She did the same with the other ear and then put a pair of ear defenders – the sort workers with pneumatic drills wear – over his ears and taping them in place. He now could hear nothing. She leaned over him so that he could see that her once pretty face was distorted by her anger and shear sadism. She was some cruel woman and delighted in hurting her charges. She smiled, which was even worse and then swiftly pulled a rubber hood over Liam's head. It stretched around the ear defenders and covered his eyes, fastening under his chin. His head began to get hot from the tight rubber covering it. He was now really frightened: blind, deaf and helpless – exactly what was intended. Finally Sue covered him with a plastic covered thick duvet. The plastic would be in contact with his skin and he'd sweat buckets as well as wetting himself.

 

Whether she stood and gloated, Liam didn't know as he could neither hear nor see if she had gone. Someone must have come in later as the salty liquid was change for milk. Fairly soon after Sue had, in fact, left him, he lost his battle with the suppositories. His bowel action forced the tape off and he filled his nappy with a huge pile of stool which spread across his bottom and up between his legs over his front since the nappies had been pulled tight to him just for that reason. As the stool erupted from him, he involuntarily let go a stream of urine. His penis was squashed against his body by the nappies and it was pointed towards his navel. The stream, of warm urine spread across his tummy and down the sides of his hips, leaving him wet, 'dirty' and miserable. At varied intervals, the liquid was replaced by a porridge like mush and other liquids. He had no idea of time: his whole world revolved around wetting and filling his nappies, lying there sore and wet from the stool which plastered his rear end and drinking whatever was poured though his dummy. Sometimes he was changed. There were some who were rough and wiped as little off him as possible so he would stay sore with bad nappy rash. Others were gentle and careful. Then he was washed clean, dried and creamed. He liked the feeling of being clean for a while even though, blinded, deaf and helpless, he hated the whole experience.

 

He had no idea of time so his 'natural clock' went haywire. He did sleep fitfully during both day and night. He wondered what they'd told his mother who expected the home to take him to visit her. By now, even though he'd been creamed, his nappy rash circled the whole of his nappy area with red and angry pustules. It itched and burnt, especially when he had to void his bladder or pass stool. He was still being given laxatives to make sure that he soiled himself regularly.

 

Suddenly the hood was removed and the devices to make him deaf. A kindly lady he'd never seen before stood there. Compassion filled her face. “You poor boy! You must feel dreadful.” She removed the dummy from his mouth and Liam found that where it had forced his mouth apart, he couldn't speak properly. “I'm the new inspector of children's homes. The council discovered that the old one tipped off the homes so that all was well when he looked round. He approved of 'pin down', but I certainly don't. I made a surprise inspection and found you. One of my colleagues is releasing Jason,” she said as she undid the restraints. He tried to move, but was so still that movement was agony. The visitor took one look at him, picked up her mobile phone and dialed 999 for an ambulance. “Hospital is where you need to be, young man, where you'll be looked after properly.

 

At the hospital, he was cleaned and washed from head to foot. His nappy rash was treated and he was given oral antibiotics to treat the infection. The physiotherapist helped to get him moving so he could be lifted into a wheelchair to visit his mother who was very much better. The visitor came to him. “Liam, you'll stay here until you and your mum are well enough to go home. I would like you to give a statement about what happened that that home as the staff may well be taken to court for what they did to children like you.” Liam was glad that other children wouldn't be tortured like he was.