A SENIOR carer has begun to explain his dealings with autistic children which led to allegations of ill-treatment.

Laurence Donkin, senior house parent at a residential unit, part of Thornhill Park School, Sunderland, denies seven charges of cruelty against youngsters in his care.

Mr Donkin, 44, of Brockenhurst Drive, Hastings Hill, Sunderland, told Durham Crown Court of his background and training as a residential social worker before applying for the job at Thornhill Park, in May 1985.

He was asked about an incident in which colleagues alleged he dragged a screaming boy out of the unit at night in his pyjamas.

When he returned, colleagues said the boy had a cut above the eye and was taken to hospital as a precaution.

Mr Donkin said: "His hand slipped out of mine. He went towards the corridor and caught his head on the door handle."

He said that the boy was taken to hospital for a check-up and he reported it to the school principal.

In another incident, where staff reported seeing Mr Donkin hanging a disruptive boy head first from a bed in his room, he said he was trying to stop him falling.

Defence barrister Michael Hodson asked Mr Donkin: "Did you have him there to punish him, or ill-treat him?"

He replied: "No, I put my arm behind his shoulders, all the time to stop him falling."

The trial continues.