ACCUSED former care home boss James Bernard Littlewood has denied molesting any youngsters in his charge at a North Yorkshire home.

Littlewood, aged 58, of Brigg Road, Wrawby, is standing trial at Grimsby Crown Court accused of 15 counts of child cruelty, one indecent assault, and five other serious sexual offences.

The complainants in the case are predominately young males.

The allegations relate to time he spent as a house warden at a North Yorkshire children's home and as the deputy manager and later manager of a local authority care home.

Following the conclusion of the prosecution case yesterday afternoon, Littlewood took the stand and started giving evidence in his own defence.

He told the court he started working for social services in 1968 and, in November of that year, obtained a post at an approved school.

In 1974, he became a house warden at St Camillus school, near Tadcaster, a unit run by the Leeds Catholic Rescue Society.

Littlewood said the residents at this unit were all male and the majority were sent there by the courts. There were absconders from time to time and, he said, these were treated very seriously, after a young resident died in a road accident while returning from home leave.

"They were very vulnerable. They would not have any money and they could not get a bus or a train," he said, explaining that most runaways headed back to

their family homes.

Defence counsel David Hatton QC then asked him about the former St Camillus residents who had made complaints to the police.

Speaking of one witness, who claimed Littlewood punched him in the stomach, he said this had not taken place.

But, he explained, he could vaguely remember an incident when he pointed at the complainant with two outstretched fingers.

Mr Hatton asked if he had actually made contact with the witness. Littlewood replied: "I would have touched him - yes. Probably on his chest."

Another witness earlier claimed he had been sexually assaulted by Littlewood in a laundry cupboard at the Tadcaster school.

"It never happened," Littlewood declared, adding that he would not ever been in the laundry room with the complainant.

Mr Hatton then questioned his client about an allegation that he punched another youngster. Littlewood again denied the incident had taken place.

Speaking of the young residents in the local authority home, Littlewood said: "Some of the young people had horrendous problems."

And, he said, some were on the verge of being uncontrollable. But, he said, the only circumstances when they would have been physically restrained was if they were being a danger to themselves or to other residents.

The trial continues.

Updated: 12:14 Tuesday, April 23, 2002