Playful exterior hid porn obsession

To the many children who knew her she was lovely, fun Rose – a woman who opened up her house for them to play on go-karts, hold pets and enjoy pool parties.

But behind Rosemary Foxall's playful exterior lurked a dark secret. Rather than bringing children to the house for fun and games, they were unwittingly starring in her husband's seedy home-made videos.

After years working as a dinner lady and teaching assistant, Foxall had built up trust with families all around her home town of Brownhills. But she betrayed it in the worst way possible, using her young friends to satisfy husband Martin's strange obsession.

The prosecution in her trial said Foxall played an "active part" in the ruse, bringing the children home to use the swimming pool and then running them baths while her husband filmed them from the loft through a peephole in the ceiling.

She protested her innocence throughout, claiming she knew nothing about it.

Their sinister ploy, which went on for several years, could have remained undetected, had firefighters not stumbled across videos, images and camera equipment at the Sadler Road house when they tackled an accidental blaze.

The Express & Star can reveal today that Martin Foxall desperately tried to get inside his home after firefighters sealed it off, but he was told to stay back.

Graham Harvey, aged 48, from nearby Cedar Avenue, knew the Foxalls for nine years. He remembers the night of July 13 when an electrical fault from a toaster caused a blaze in the kitchen.

"I helped to get some of the pets out, including the guinea pigs which I brought to mine, but they sadly died," he said. "I remember on that night Martin was trying to get back into the house but the firefighters wouldn't let him because the fire was too fierce."

When the Foxalls were eventually allowed into the house, shocked firefighters had already discovered the equipment and images. They passed the information on to police, who arrested the pair.

Five days later, Martin Foxall, aged 50, took his own life. It was his second attempt at suicide. The first time he took sleeping pills but was discovered. At his inquest last year, his brother, Dennis Green, said he asked staff at Walsall's Manor Hospital if he could be sectioned because he feared for his mental health.

Rose Foxall also attended the hearing and told the coroner that the last time she'd seen her husband he seemed withdrawn and could not stop saying he was sorry.

"I just couldn't bring myself to be near him," she said.

Martin Foxall was never charged with any offences, leaving his wife to face the music alone. Mr Harvey said the court case and the events leading up to it had been a huge shock to the community.

He said: "I have known both Martin and Rose for many years. They had lots of different reptiles, including snakes and iguanas, and they also had guinea pigs. Lots of children both boys and girls from all over the neighbourhood used to go there.

"They had a home-made, big, inflatable pool. There was a big water slide coming from a tree house.

"You could hear by the noise they were making how much fun the children were having."

He said Martin Foxall would often pop round to his home to enjoy a beer and a chat.

"I always got on so well with Martin," Mr Harvey said. "He always seemed such a nice bloke, very amiable and a fun guy.

"We both had an interest in the outdoors, such as camping and canoeing, and we would often chat about that. I know he was doing up a barge as part of a community project. My wife was more friendly with Rose and I know she used to say how controlling Martin would be.

"He wanted to go everywhere with her and what he said, went. But Rose was a nice, chatty lady who everyone really liked."

Since the fire, Rose Foxall has made changes to her home. The house which was known for its clutter due to numerous purchases from car boot sales has now been emptied, using more than a dozen skips.

The swimming pool which was at the heart of the court case against Foxall has now been removed and the garden landscaped.

Another neighbour, who didn't want to be named, added: "Rose was a lovely lady who you could trust with all your heart."