'Uncle Bully' on charges of assaulting boys

A man accused of assaulting children put into his care by Child, Youth and Family told police he occasionally "screwed their ears", but he knew better than to hit them.

Michael George Matthews, 54, is on trial in the Napier District Court facing 11 charges of assault relating to five boys put into his care.

The court was told Matthews, or "Uncle Bully" as he asked the boys to call him, was a caregiver for the Heretaunga Maori Executive, an organisation which provides homes in the community for children taken into care by CYF.

The five boys, who now range in age between nine and 18, told the court Matthews assaulted them in various ways, including hair pulling, punching, kicking and an assault with a pole.

Several said they saw Matthews kick the youngest boy, who also told the court he was lifted off the ground by his ears.

Defence lawyer Steve Manning suggested to the boy he was making up some of his evidence, and asked why there had been no visible injury to his ears if he was lifted by them.

During a police interview played back to the court, Matthews said he did not know why the boys would make up the allegations, but denied assaulting them.

It was suggested to Matthews that it may have been considered acceptable 20 or 30 years ago to be rough with youngsters who misbehaved, but "things don't work like that now".

Matthews said he understood that.

"Some of those boys needed a good kick up the pants, but I know better than that."

The court heard evidence from two adult "trackers" who stayed at the house, and whose job it was to keep an eye on youths at risk of running away. Each said they saw no evidence of Matthews hitting or assaulting boys.

Another man said his son had benefited greatly from a three-month stay with Matthews, and remembered his time there fondly.

He said his son had been hard to manage, and the placement with Matthews was a "last resort" before he was placed in a secure youth facility.

"It takes a special character to be able to do that on a consistent basis," the man said.

The jury was expected to retire to consider its verdicts tomorrow.

- NZPA