OF CHILD VICTIMS Judges give councils a free pass to neglect abused kids
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Rotherham abuse victim Sammy Woodhouse, who was groomed by a sex gang when she was 14, said: “This shocking judgment gives professionals a free pass to neglect abused children.
“How are survivors like me supposed to rebuild their lives if we can’t hold the council to account?”
Another Rotherham victim said: “It seems to me like politicians and the legal system are more intent in protecting professionals than they are vulnerable children.”
Top child abuse lawyer Dino Nocivelli last night called the decision “simply not fair”.
The judgment, delivered last week in the Court of Appeal by Lord Justice Davis, Lord Justice Irwin and Lady Justice King, mainly applies to children who are not subject to care orders from their local authority but who were known to be abused. Lawyers plan to appeal but there are fears their bid will fail as Brexit means victims in the UK will no longer be protected by EU human rights laws.
Sources say cash- strapped authorities have hea heaved a sigh of relief at the move wh which will save them million in payouts – especially as the upcoming inquiry into UK-wide child sex abuse is expected to unearth hundreds more cases.
Rotherham survivor Sammy, 32, is in the process of suing the council after accessing records which show social workers were fully aware she was being abused as a teenager but did nothing.
Rotherham council chiefs were set to face a compensation bill running into millions after 75 women instructed lawyers to bring claims on their behalf.
It followed a 2014 inquiry which proved authorities turned a blind eye to the plight of 1,400 girls abused by grooming gangs, mainly from the town’s Pakistani heritage community.
Sammy has been advised by lawyers that her case, along with scores of other victims in the town, has been severely damaged by the controversial ruling.
Lawyer Dino, of Bolt Burdon Kemp, who has represented many victims in their cases against councils across the UK, said: “This judgment has a potentially devastating impact on survivors who have already been let down by social services.
“As has been seen in Rotherham and elsewhere, we cannot always rely upon local authorities to safeguard children and it is only right that they should be held to account where they have failed in their duty of care to protect the interests of vulnerable children.
“It is simply not fair for survivors to be punished for the failings of social services and to also allow local authorities to avoid compensating survivors for their failure to remove children from harm.”
Forced
An appeal to the UK Supreme Court is expected to take more than two years.
If the appeal fails, lawyers will be powerless to take the case to the European Court of Human Rights as the Government intends that the EU Human