How Could You? Hall of Shame-UK-16-Year-Old Foster Daughter case
This will be an archive of heinous actions by those involved in child welfare, foster care and adoption. We forewarn you that these are deeply disturbing stories that may involve sex abuse, murder, kidnapping and other horrendous actions.
From Leicester, UK, “the police and social services have been criticised for not prosecuting a self-confessed paedophile who sexually abused his step-daughter in the 1980s – leaving him free to foster a vulnerable teenage girl whom he twice made pregnant.
Leicester Crown Court judge Nicholas Dean QC said it was “incomprehensible” and “inexplicable” that no action had been taken against the man, despite him admitting to the police what he had done.
The judge said the authorities had “let down” the step-daughter and “betrayed” the foster daughter.
The abuser, who cannot be named because the identities of his victims are protected, appeared at court on Friday to at last plead guilty to the crimes he committed against the step-daughter.
It meant the victim finally saw justice, after a 30 year wait.
He was jailed for seven years – which will run at the end of the six year-and-eight month term he is already serving for abusing his foster daughter.
The judge said at the hearing: “The actions of social services and the police really do deserve some scrutiny.
“Why was there an approach taken by the police that led to a situation where another individual was exposed not just to risk, but to offending?”
The court was told that the step-daughter suffered a catalogue of sexual assaults from the age of 10 until she turned 14, when she made a formal complaint.
The defendant, who had even suggested she report the matter, acknowledged his wrongdoing to his wife, the police and social services – but was not taken to court.
His wife stood by him and pressured her distraught daughter, who was sent to live with her grandparents, not to pursue the matter.
Then, in 2005, a 16-year-old girl moved into the defendant’s home “with the blessing of social services” under a fostering arrangement called a voluntary adult supervision agreement, and he was paid £45-a-week to care for the girl.
He regularly molested her.
The first abuse was after he plied her with cannabis. He had sex with her while his sleeping wife was sedated on medication in the same bed.
There were multiple occasions of sex in their Leicester home, and during trips to Bradgate Park and other rural places.
The girl twice became pregnant. Both children were taken into care.
Last year, the man, now 59, was jailed for six years and eight months for having sex with the foster daughter, whom he had treated like “a sex slave”, the court was told.
At court on Friday, the man admitted 11 counts of indecently assaulting his step-daughter between 1985 and 1989.
He had initially pleaded not guilty to the charges.
James Varley, prosecuting, said the police officer investigating the case of the foster child last year resurrected the case relating to the step-daughter.
Judge Dean commended the officer, Detective Constable Kate Beale, for ensuring the step-daughter saw justice.
Mr Varley said the defendant’s escalating abuse of the step-daughter in the 1980s caused the then 10-year-old to “freeze in fear”.
He rewarded her compliance with gifts and “groomed” her with compliments.
Anjali Gohil, mitigating, said: “At the time, he recognised he’d wrongly and seriously harmed his step-daughter and admitted it to the police.
“He’s sorry now and he was sorry then.”
Ms Gohil said no violence was used, and that her client had “recognised for the second time” his wrongdoing.
Sentencing the man, the judge said the defendant had been “impassive” in court, despite the step-daughter reading out a powerful impact statement in court.
Judge Dean added: “These were matters you admitted 30 years ago, when they first came to light.
“It’s incredible that you weren’t prosecuted in relation to these matters.
“We live now in a different age, but not so different that someone who admitted serious sexual abuse of a girl should not be prosecuted in the 1980’s, when you admitted that sexual abuse in the clearest possible terms.
“You don’t dispute any aspect of what is said.
“Your abuse culminated in a most unpleasant event that would now be charged as rape.
“Twenty years or so after these events you abused another a child, who was being fostered and was in your care.
“You became her father and exploited her and had a sexual relationship with her.
“We know when you did that you’d abused your step-daughter, but social services still placed the girl with you.”
He told the defendant: “It was within your control whether you abused the second victim and you took the opportunity to do so.”
The judge said he hoped that after a 30-year wait for justice, the step-daughter “will live her life free from your malign influence”, and made a restraining or order banning him from ever contacting her.
After the case, Detective Inspector Kenny Henry, of Leicestershire Police, said: “We take on board the comments made by the judge and recognise that justice has been delayed in this case as prosecution was not initially progressed in 1989.
“As a result of fresh evidence, we reviewed the previous case file and investigated this case thoroughly, in line with today’s policing standards.
“Over the last 30 years, legislation, police practices and police expertise have developed significantly.
“We have dedicated specialist trained teams to investigate child and sexual abuse and, with our partners, can support victims to ensure that offenders are brought to justice irrespective of when the offences were committed.
A Leicester City Council spokesman said: “Due to ongoing legal action in relation to this case were are not able to comment at the present time.””
Pervert who treated foster daughter ‘like sex slave’ wasn’t prosecuted for abusing step-daughter
[Leicester Mercury 3/27/17 by Suzy Gibson]
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