Operation Pallial: Third man charged in North Wales care abuse probe

A 74-year-old man has been charged with assault and child cruelty as part of an investigation into historic child abuse in the care system in North Wales.

Peter Steen, from the Wrexham area, is charged with three offences of assault occasioning actual bodily harm and four charges of child cruelty, the National Crime Agency said.

The offences are alleged to have taken place against four boys and one girl – aged between 13 and 16 – from 1978 to 1986.

He has been bailed to appear at Mold Magistrates’ Court on June 12.

Steen is the third person charged under Operation Pallial, which is looking at offences allegedly committed against people aged between six and 19 from 1953 to 1995 at care homes across North Wales.

Earlier this week Richard Dafydd Vevar, 62, from Wrexham, was charged with two offences of indecent assault against a boy aged between 13 and 16.

Another man, John Allen, 72, has been charged with a string of child sex offences and awaits trial later this year.

Latest figures show 37 people have been investigated as suspects under Pallial, with 20 arrests made.

A total of 255 people have reported allegations to the NCA, and information from 212 is under active investigation.

Some 28 care homes in North Wales are involved in the investigation.