Category: child abuse

Tackling child abuse: is mandatory reporting the answer? – Halsbury’s Law Exchange

Posted November 11th, 2013 in child abuse, hospitals, local government, news, police, social services, statutory duty by michael

“Former Director of Public Prosecutions, Keir Starmer QC, has called for an overhaul of the law concerning safeguarding children. In a previous post I considered the current legislation and whether it goes far enough. I concluded that there is a need for a more general duty to have due regard to the need to eliminate abuse of minors over and above the existing welfare duty in s11 of the Children Act 2004.”

Full story

Halsbury’s Law Exchange, 8th November 2013

Source: www.halsburyslawexchange.co.uk

South Yorkshire Police criticised over child sex victim protection – BBC News

Posted November 11th, 2013 in child abuse, news, police, prosecutions, prostitution, sexual grooming, victims by michael

“There is ‘serious concern’ about the protection given by South Yorkshire Police to victims of child sexual exploitation, a watchdog has found.”

Full story

BBC News, 11th November 2013

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Anger as Catholic orphanage abuse inquiry ends – BBC News

Posted November 8th, 2013 in care homes, child abuse, inquiries, news, police by tracey

“Former residents of a Catholic orphanage who claim they suffered physical and sexual abuse have expressed anger at a police decision to end an inquiry into the allegations.”

Full story

BBC News, 7th November 2013

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Darrell Mercer jailed for attack on sleeping girl, 10 – BBC News

Posted November 6th, 2013 in assault, child abuse, news, sentencing, sexual offences, sexual offences prevention orders, trespass by sally

“A convicted sex offender who grabbed a 10-year-old girl as she lay asleep in bed has been jailed for four years.”

Full story

BBC News, 5th November 2013

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Report calls for female genital mutilation to be treated as child abuse – The Guardian

Posted November 4th, 2013 in child abuse, female genital mutilation, news, reports by sally

“Thousands of girls in danger of genital mutilation are being failed by the health and justice systems, a coalition of health professionals has warned in a report that recommends aggressive steps to eradicate the practice in the UK.”

Full story

The Guardian, 4th November 2013

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Special report: Haringey children’s services – ‘They said things would change after Baby Peter’ – The Independent

Posted November 4th, 2013 in child abuse, child cruelty, local government, news, social services by sally

“The council that repeatedly promised to protect its children following the deaths of Baby Peter and Victoria Climbié has launched yet another serious case review (SCR) into a child abuse case, The Independent on Sunday can reveal. The new investigation has started only a month after the publication of Haringey’s last SCR into Child T, a three-year-old who was beaten so badly with a belt, stick and cable that he was hospitalised yet was still returned to the family home, where the abuse continued. The latest investigation is the council’s sixth known SCR – investigations into serious incidents of child abuse – since the report into Baby Peter’s death was published in 2009.”

Full story

The Independent, 3rd November 2013

Source: www.independent.co.uk

Prosecute professionals who stay silent on child abuse claims – Keir Starmer – The Guardian

Posted November 4th, 2013 in child abuse, news, prosecutions, small claims, social services, teachers, witnesses by sally

“Teachers and health workers should be prosecuted for failing to alert the police to allegations of child abuse, according to the former director of public prosecutions, who is calling for an overhaul of the law to prevent more victims from slipping through the net.”

Full story

The Guardian, 4th November 2013

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Man sentenced to 16 years in jail for ‘grievously serious’ rape of girl, 8 – The Independent

Posted October 28th, 2013 in child abuse, news, rape, sentencing, sexual offences, sexual offences prevention orders by sally

“A 55-year-old man who raped a girl between the ages of eight and nine has been jailed for 16 years for the ‘utterly disgraceful’ crime.”

Full story

The Independent, 25th October 2013

Source: www.independent.co.uk

Jeffrey Lake, ex-policeman, jailed for child rape – BBC News

Posted October 25th, 2013 in child abuse, extradition, news, police, rape, sentencing by sally

“A retired police sergeant has been jailed for raping and sexually abusing two children while he was an officer serving in Lancashire and Merseyside.”

Full story

BBC News, 24th October 2013

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Amelia Bowmar death: Darryl Elliott jailed for life – BBC News

Posted October 24th, 2013 in child abuse, murder, news, sentencing by tracey

“A father-of-two who murdered his partner’s young daughter has been jailed for life.”

Full story

BBC News, 23rd October 2013

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Institutions still not safe from child sex abusers – National Crime Agency

Posted October 24th, 2013 in child abuse, news, reports, sexual offences, victims by tracey

“Organisations are at risk of being ‘complacent’ about tackling abuse because of a tendency to concentrate on historic cases, the new law enforcement agency has concluded in its first major report.”

Full story

National Crime Agency, 24th October 2013

Source: www.nationalcrimeagency.gov.uk

Birmingham branded ‘national disgrace’ for child protection failures – The Guardian

Posted October 16th, 2013 in care homes, child abuse, child cruelty, child neglect, local government, news, reports, social services, standards, statistics by sally

“Vulnerable children are being let down by councils with ineffective and incompetent leadership, according to the Ofsted chief inspector, who singled out Birmingham as a ‘national disgrace’.”

Full story

The Guardian, 15th October 2013

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Sexual offences: Wrong questions asked of victims, says Keir Starmer – BBC News

Posted October 14th, 2013 in child abuse, codes of practice, Crown Prosecution Service, government departments, human rights, inquiries, news, police, prosecutions, sexual offences, victims, witnesses by sally

“Victims of sexual offences have been afraid of reporting them because police have asked ‘the wrong questions’, the director of public prosecutions for England and Wales has said.”

Full story

BBC News, 13th October 2013

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

South Yorkshire sex abusers not to face extra charges – BBC News

Posted October 14th, 2013 in child abuse, conspiracy, indecent photographs of children, news, prosecutions, sexual offences, victims by sally

“Two men who pleaded guilty to more than 50 ‘appalling’ child sex offences will not face trial over 14 other allegations, prosecutors have said.”

Full story

BBC News, 14th October 2013

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Baby P council apologises for failings in Child T abuse case – The Guardian

Posted October 11th, 2013 in child abuse, local government, news, reports, social services by sally

“The council that dealt with the Baby P and Victoria Climbié cases has apologised after failing to prevent the abuse of a toddler who suffered extensive injuries at the hands of his family.”

Full story

The Guardian, 10th October 2013

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Child sexual abuse victims are being failed by courts, says NSPCC – The Guardian

Posted October 7th, 2013 in barristers, child abuse, courts, cross-examination, evidence, news, prosecutions, statistics, victims, witnesses by sally

“Children giving evidence in court in sexual abuse cases need to be given more support because many suffer from stress before a trial, the NSPCC has said.”

Full story

The Guardian, 5th October 2013

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Chris Grayling scraps early release for child rape and terrorism – Halsbury’s Law Exchange

Posted October 7th, 2013 in child abuse, early release, news, prisons, rehabilitation, statistics, terrorism by sally

“Today [4 October] the Ministry of Justice (MoJ) announced that there would be significant changes to the early release provisions. An MoJ press release stated that primary legislation would be brought forward in the new year.”

Full story

Halsbury’s Law Exchange, 4th October 2013

Source: www.halsburyslawexchange.co.uk

A cautionary tale – Halsbury’s Law Exchange

Posted October 7th, 2013 in assault, cautions, child abuse, Crown Court, drug offences, indecent photographs of children, news, weapons by sally

“Justice Secretary Chris Grayling has announced a ‘radical’ overhaul of simple cautions whereby their use will be banned in dealing with all indictable-only offences – ie serious offences such as robbery and serious assault that can only be tried in a Crown Court before a jury –and possession of any offensive weapon (including a knife), supplying Class A drugs and a range of sexual offences against children, including child prostitution and pornography.”

Full story

Halsbury’s Law Exchange, 4th October 2013

Source: www.halsburyslawexchange.co.uk

Professionals failed to prevent toddler Keanu Williams’ death, report finds – The Guardian

Posted October 4th, 2013 in child abuse, doctors, news, reports, social services by sally

“Doctors, social workers, police and nursery staff collectively failed to prevent the death of a two-year-old boy who was beaten to death by his mother after months of horrific cruelty, a serious case review has found.”

Full story

The Guardian, 3rd October 2013

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Chris Grayling: Simple cautions for serious offences to be scrapped – Ministry of Justice

Posted October 2nd, 2013 in cautions, child abuse, drug offences, indecent photographs of children, press releases, sexual offences, violent disorder, weapons by tracey

“Criminals who commit serious offences will no longer receive just a ‘slap on the wrist’ Secretary of State for Justice Chris Grayling announced today in a radical overhaul of ‘simple’ cautions.”

Full press release

Ministry of Justice, 30th September 2013

Source: www.gov.uk/government/organisations/ministry-of-justice