A GOVERNMENT inquiry has heard that dozens of boys were sexually abused at a children’s home in Widnes over the course of nearly 30 years.

The Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse’s heard evidence concerning the former St Aidan’s home over a period of three days.

Catholic-run St Aidan’s was situated on Norlands Lane, before it was closed in December 1981.

Around 50 people have reported that they were sexually abused by staff at St Aidan’s in the 1960s, 70s and 80s.

One witness told the inquiry that he was first sent to St Aidan’s when he was aged 13 and lived there for around 14 months

It was only in the 1990s that he reported to the police that he had been sexually abused by a teacher, Mr McEvoy, on three occasions.

He told the inquiry: "I had a feeling deep down that by reporting the abuse, I actually felt as if it was my fault and I would be classed as a homosexual.

"It was something that we kept inside – I never told anybody at all about the sexual abuse, not even my own wife.

"I was so ashamed of it.

"All I was after was justice – I just wanted to see the abusers brought to court and convicted for the crimes that they committed, I prayed for that day."

The investigation into St Aidan’s began when allegations of abuse were first made in 1994, before ‘snowballing’ into a major investigation in which 60 people were identified as suspects.

In total, 10 people were arrested and charged – resulting in four convictions – while 10 other suspected offenders died before they could be charged.

Allegations of abuse at the children’s home have been made as recently as this year – with one investigation still ongoing in relation to two former member of staff at St Aidan’s.

Another witness was aged around seven when he first went to St Aidan’s, where he was sexually abused by a man named Colin Dick – who was later jailed for four years.

The witness was indecently assaulted and raped on several occasions.

He said: "Colin Dick was a coward.

"You don’t forget is the abuse – that never goes away, and it never will go away."

A statement from another victim of Colin Dick was also read out to the court.

The statement said: "I would like to know how a place like St Aidan’s, that was a publicly-owned and operated children’s home, could be allowed to operate for so long without anyone finding out or doing anything about children being physically and sexually abuse there for so long.

"I would like to know why everyone responsible – from the staff to social workers to police and other officers – turned a blind eye to abuse and did not intervene to protect children like me, who were supposedly in the care of the local authority."

A fourth witness said he was groomed by Colin Dick, who pulled his shorts down in a public swimming pool.

St Aidan’s was operated by Catholic Social Services, now the Nugent Care Society – with many victims of sexual abuse have called for an apology from the company.

A statement from the Nugent’s chief executive Normandie Wragg was read out to the inquiry.

The statement said: "As the chief executive of Nugent, I wish to state on behalf of my organisation that it will always be a matter of the greatest regret for us that we know that children were abused whilst in our care.

"We have nothing but sympathy and compassion for those who suffered so appallingly at the hands of individuals who should have been caring for them, but instead did the exact opposite.

"No child should ever have to suffer what those children went through, and as an organisation we want to do everything we can to make sure that such events will never happen again to those in our care."

The inquiry continues.