Woman 'ran shallow baths for children'

A teaching assistant from Brownhills ran shallow baths just ankle deep for young girls while her husband secretly filmed them from the loft, a court heard.

Videos were played to a jury in the trial of Rosemary Foxall which showed two girls having a bath after playing in the couple's outdoor swimming pool in Brownhills.

Just before they got in the bath, the jury heard Mrs Foxall saying "they want to go in together" followed by her husband Martin, who was allegedly filming through a peephole in the loft, responding "go on then".

Mrs Foxall, aged 49, of Sadler Road, denies 10 counts of making indecent videos and photographs of children.

She also denies possessing 147 indecent photographs and videos of young girls.

Her husband committed suicide just days after the pair were arrested last year after the recording equipment and images were allegedly found by fire crews tackling a blaze.

Dc Tracy Stockton, from the child investigation unit, gave evidence in court yesterday.

She said: "Mrs Foxall ran the bath. The water was very shallow in the bath – just above ankle level. It could only have been two inches deep."

She said the images found at the home were given a classification of level one, the lowest level of indecency.

Evidence showing Mrs Foxall being questioned by police following her arrest is set to go in front of the jury today before she gives her version of events as the defence opens up its case. The trial is expected to last until Friday.

Mr Foxall, who was 50 when he died, ran an outdoor pursuits centre while his wife was also a school dinner lady as well as a classroom assistant.

Firefighters were called to the couple's home in July last year following a fire and allegedly stumbled upon camcorder equipment in the loft and the couple's bedroom along with a stash of pornographic DVDs and photographs both of an adult nature but also images of children.

The case continues.