Couple 'offered children as prizes at drunken orgies'

Some of the parties organised by Michael Brooks and his wife Maureen, 63, descended into orgies at which children were exposed to pornography.

The Brooks and seven other defendants are accused of committing 32 offences up until 2007, including rape, sexual activity with a child and indecent assault.

One of the six alleged victims was aged only seven when she was raped for the first time, the court heard.

Accused: Maureen Brooks and Terrence Shave

Prosecutor David Bartlett said that drinking parties staged at a house in New Milton, Hampshire, often resulted in children being offered as prizes in card games.

Mr Bartlett said the defendants lived a life of ‘freewheeling, and often alcohol fuelled, sexual indulgence.’  

The group of abusers included close friends of Mr Brooks, 66, and his 63-year-old wife, as well as unidentified New Forest District Council workers, it was claimed.

Mr Bartlett said: ‘In addition to the drunken parties, there are a number of significant references to drunken parties descending into orgies.

‘At these parties Michael and Maureen Brooks and another woman called Patricia Harris appear to have been active participants.

Court case: Peter Saville, left, John Wells, centre, and Terrence Shave stand outside Southampton Crown Court today

‘The two females for example by stripping and comparing the size of their breasts.

‘It is alleged that the children witnessed these orgies and were further exposed to pornography either showing on the television of in the form of magazines.

‘Often at the evening drinking parties the children were offered as prizes in card games at the suggestion of Michael Brooks.’ 

He added: ‘There was encouragement from Maureen and Michael Brooks for the girls to have inappropriate relationships with assorted New Forest District Council workers.

‘Maureen Brooks was party to drunken orgies when children were present and should have been aware of the corrupting harm such conduct would cause.

‘On certain occasion when Michael Brooks was assaulting one or more of the children, she sat passively by or even actively encouraged the assaults.’  One victim can ‘recall Michael Brook's beery breath’, after she was allegedly raped at the age of seven, the court heard.

Accused: John Wells and Nico Sharque at court this morning

Mr Bartlett said: ‘All the defendants, with the exception of Maureen Brooks, were involved in the sexual abuse of the complainants.

‘The central defendant is undoubtedly Michael Brooks, and around him orbits the other defendants and their offending.’ 

Mr Bartlett added: ‘The passage of time and age did not deter Michael Brooks and a man called Ian Whitlock from continuing in their sexually deviant ways against the complainants, even after they became adults.’ 

Maureen Brooks was aware that physical and sexual abuse of children was taking place, but did nothing to prevent it, the court heard.

Accused: Patrice Budd and Ian Whitlock

Brooks of Lymington, Hampshire, is facing seven counts of child cruelty. Patrice Budd, 47, of Bournemouth, is accused of indecency with a child. Patricia Harris, 57, of New Milton, is accused of attempted rape. Peter Saville, of Ringwood, Dorset, is accused of sexual activity with a child.

Nico Sharque, 44, of Stevenage, Hertfordshire, John Wells, 58, of Brighton, and Ian Whitlock, 66, of New Milton, are all accused of indecent assault. Whitlock is also accused of sexual assault along with Terrence Shave, 65.

All have pleaded not guilty.

Michael Brooks of Church Lane, Lymington, has been ruled unfit to enter a plea. He is facing five counts of child cruelty, five counts of indecent assault, five counts of rape, one count of sexual activity with a child, and one count of inciting a child to engage in sexual activity.

The trial, at Southampton Crown Court, continues.