It emerged that one house-father, Bill Starling, 94, had indecently assaulted, raped or buggered 11 victims, aged between five to 14 years old over twenty years, The Guardian reports. I got into boxing and the trainers were the first role models who didn't want to rape us," said Paul. The home's superintendent, a former Labour councillor, Alan Prescott, 79, had indecently assaulted four teenage boys at various points during the 1970s. A third social worker, Hayden Davies, 79, who was convicted for buggering a teenage boy in 1981, faced 37 charges of indecent assault, rape and buggery, had proceedings dropped against him after the loss of evidence meant a fair trial was not possible.

The investigation, titled Operation Mapperton, uncovered child abuse at the children's home and Paul gave evidence discussing his time growing up at St Leonard's. The boys were subjected to horrific assaults from a gang of paedophiles who would enter the dormitories at night. Directed by Steve Crowhurst , who also wrote the script. He made the film under the title Six from Eight . Crowhurst had already taken on Connolly's story in the short film of the same name, which he presented in 2019, in October 2019 in front of the Royal Society of Arts. She will be joined by the author and inspiration behind the film, Paul Connolly, the chief executive and clinical director of Kids Inspire, Sue Bell OBE, Olivier award-winning actress and patron of the charity, Ruthie Henshall, and the film’s executive producer, Richard Hart. His latest book, Not Normal , was released earlier this month and Paul says it is even more detailed than the first. Read More Related Articles

It came out, after certain reporting restrictions were lifted at the Old Bailey, that St Leonard's was not just a home for children without a place to go, but paedophiles. The screening will be followed by a special Q&A hosted by Paula Ashfield, head of fundraising and communications at Kids Inspire. The confrontation, which happened when Paul was 13 years old, meant that the abuse towards him stopped. Learning to read and write as an adult Sue Bell OBE said: "Paul Connolly’s story is one of hope. After experiencing years of extreme abuse at St Leonard’s children’s home, followed by years of gang-related violence in London, he turned his life around. It cost me nearly everything I hold dear, but it must be told. Even now there are pressures on children from many directions and abuse takes on many forms.

To launch the release of Big Boys Don't Cry, Screenbound Pictures is hosting a screening of the film on Monday, September 5 to raise money for Great Baddow-based Kids Inspire. As Paul struggles to build a relationship with Anthea (Zoë Tapper), he is forced to confront those responsible for his shattered childhood and the death of his friend. Kids Inspire do amazing work and I hope that between us and with this film reaching a wider audience, we will continue to make positive changes together."Paul has spoken of how the children would not go to school as they would be bullied following the abuse at the children's home, and instead would go and ride horses. T1 - The effectiveness of Nurture Groups in improving outcomes for young children with social, emotional and behavioural difficulties in primary schools: An evaluation of Nurture Group provision in Northern Ireland St Leonard's Cottage Homes was built around 1890, and began with trying to house 'pauper' children away from the workhouses. Most cottages were looked after by a house-mother and a house-father. One of his trainers threatened his house-father over Paul's abuse and the harrowing torture stopped.

Paul is so pleased to be working with Kids Inspire again and on this special screening of the film based on his life.It featured 13 cottages housing up to 300 children at any given time and saw 3,000 children pass through between 1965 and 1984 when it was closed.

Daniel O'Malley, a detective inspector who heads the continuing investigation, suggested that there could have been as many as 70 victims during those years. Paul Connolly: Not Normal: The Uncensored Account of an Extraordinary True Life Story, 2018. ISBN 978-1-982908-71-3 Big Boys Don’t Cry will be screening in the UK with special charity partners and is available on DVD from September 5. It is available to rent and buy on VOD from October 7.He began working as a doorman for busy bars and admits he would get involved in altercations on the door. The home was made up of several dormitories where the children would sleep, with up to 12 beds in each building. Read More Related Articles He actually saved my life, the Father in charge of the children's home beat me to a pulp and it was a particularly bad beating. Read More Related Articles He then attended lessons to learn how to read and write in his 20s, because he felt it would aid his career as a boxer.