‘SEXUALLY ABUSED’ TEENAGER DETAINED FOR OWN PROTECTION
Woman with learning difficulty under care of city council
A Stoke-on-trent teenager who has a learning difficulty and a history of being sexually abused is under supervision at a specialist unit for her own protection.
Lawyers representing Stokeon-trent City Council – which is responsible for her care – revealed she had absconded from placements and engaged in “sexual activities” with strangers in return for drugs.
They told Mr Justice Keehan how she had been sexually abused by “multiple males at a time” and is considered to be at “high risk” of sexual exploitation.
Mr Justice Keehan considered the woman’s case at a hearing in the Court of Protection, where judges look at issues relating to those who may lack the mental capacity to make decisions.
He agreed it would be in her best interests to remain at the unit.
The judge said the woman could not be named in media reports.
A barrister leading the council’s legal team outlined details of her history to the judge.
Emma Sutton said the teenager has a history of selfharming, has been in council care for several years, and has engaged in extreme risk-taking behaviours.
“This included absconding from her placements and engaging in sexual activities with adult males, often with the ‘reward’ of drugs, being sexually abused, often by multiple males at a time, and she was considered a victim of modern slavery and at high risk of child sexual exploitation,” she said.
“Regrettably, although the level of restrictions remains high (she) has continued to evade professional supervision, on occasion, and has absconded and repeated her pattern.”
The woman is continuously supervised during the day, and has to sleep with her bedroom door ajar to enable staff to regularly look into her room,
She is not allowed items she could use to harm herself or others, the judge was told.