Council apologises for mistakes that led up to boy, 9, being raped

Published by Ross Macmillan for 24dash.com in Housing

Council bosses have apologised for mistakes leading up to an 11-year-old raping a nine-year-old boy.

As many as 21 organisations involved in the attacker's care from across the country contributed to a serious case review which has concluded the attacker and victim were failed.

The rapist, known as Child X, and his family were well known to police, health, education and children's services for a number of years.

He was born abroad and his father was killed in a suspected drugs feud by which time Child X lived with his mother in London. They were eventually moved to Sunderland.

Professionals were concerned about inappropriate remarks he made, often of a sexual nature. He had also witnessed domestic violence.

Two letters were sent by a child psychiatrist, warning social services about his behaviour, but no action was taken.

He attacked the nine-year-old in 2009 having lured him into a bedroom with the offer of playing a computer game.

He admitted rape at Newcastle Crown Court and was sent to a detention centre for four and a half years.

An independent report into the case included the criticism: "The lessons to be drawn from this serious case review for Sunderland children's services social care are significant; they consistently failed in their statutory duties to safeguard Child X."

Communication failures between agencies were highlighted.

Sunderland City Council leader Paul Watson said: "This was a very sad case. We recognise the impact it has had both on those directly involved and on the wider community.

"As a council we acknowledge that things could have been done better in this case.

"We've listened and learned from what went wrong and we've put in place in a series of measures, including extra training, resources and investment.

"This is to help make sure as far as possible that something like this doesn't happen again.

"Safeguarding children is an absolute priority for us. Every day we protect and support upwards of 1,000 vulnerable children in this city.

"A huge amount of work has been done in the last two years to improve and strengthen safeguarding in Sunderland. That work will continue so that we do our very best by the children of this city."

Keith Moore, executive director of children's services, said: "We are sorry that mistakes were made. We recognise and regret the impact of the events covered by the serious case review on all those involved, especially the children and their families.

"We fully accept the findings of the serious case review. We also accept that the failure of children's social care to respond to the two letters from the child psychiatrist should not have occurred."

He said a series of new procedures were in place and more experienced social services staff have replaced temporary workers.