EUGENE DEVOTI AND ARTHUR BIRCH: HORRIFIC ABUSE AT BIRMINGHAM'S TENNAL ASSESSMENT CENTRE IN HARBOURNE

In a disturbing chapter of Birmingham's history, two former care workers, Eugene Devoti and Arthur Birch, have been linked to a series of heinous sexual abuses committed against vulnerable boys at the Tennal Assessment Centre located in the Harborne district. These revelations come after years of silence and legal proceedings that have finally brought some measure of justice to the victims.

It was announced that Eugene Devoti, aged 79 at the time of sentencing, had been convicted of five counts of indecent assault. Devoti, a retired music teacher, was found guilty of abusing young boys during his tenure at the now-closed Tennal Assessment Centre in Birmingham during the late 1970s and early 1980s. Despite his conviction, Devoti maintained his innocence throughout the trial, which saw him sentenced to seven years in prison. His residence was listed as Rising Lane, Baddesley Clinton, Warwickshire.

Similarly, Arthur Birch, aged 82 at the time of his death, was convicted of multiple sexual offences committed at the same facility. Birch, a former nightwatchman and WWII veteran, was sentenced to eight years after being found guilty of seven indecent assaults and three counts of a more serious sexual nature. Birch’s address was recorded as Wisley Way, Quinton, Birmingham. Like Devoti, Birch denied all charges but was convicted following a trial that uncovered the extent of his misconduct.

The court proceedings revealed that both men had exploited their positions of trust at the Tennal Assessment Centre, a residential home that housed children from troubled and deprived backgrounds. The centre, which closed in the mid-1980s, was meant to provide care and support but instead became a site of exploitation. The trial heard from 26 men, now adults aged between 12 and 15 at the time of the abuse, who recounted how Birch and Devoti would patrol the dormitories at night, offering cigarettes and chocolates to lure the children into vulnerable situations.

Judge Laurence Marshall delivered a stern verdict, condemning both men for their actions. He stated that Devoti and Birch had used their roles to satisfy their perverted desires, betraying the trust placed in them by society. The judge emphasized that many of the victims were pre-pubescent children from disadvantaged backgrounds, and their first exposure to sexual activity was through the abuse inflicted by these two men. The judge also noted that Birch and Devoti worked together during the late 1970s and early 1980s, with their misconduct spanning several years.

While Birch and Devoti were convicted of numerous charges, they were also cleared of a total of 20 other allegations, highlighting the complexity of the case. The trial underscored the tragic impact of their actions, which have left lasting scars on the victims. The Tennal Assessment Centre, once a place intended for care, is now remembered for the dark period of abuse that occurred within its walls, a chapter that finally saw justice served after decades of silence.