School ‘failed’ sex abuse daughter
AMUM whose young daughter was sexually abused has hit out at her former school after discovering a counsellor kept her daughter’s horrific ordeal secret for two years.
Speaking anonymously, the woman says she believes that Cheadle Hulme High School failed in their duty of care to the now teenager, and as a result have caused her and their family even more suffering.
It comes as Richard McCann, 34, from Stockport, was jailed for six years after being found guilty of sexually assaulting her.
Manchester Minshull Street Crown Court heard how she was abused by McCann, who was 29 at the time, at an address in Reddish in 2011. McCann, of Northumberland Road, Brinnington, had given her alcohol and a ‘funny smelling’ hand-rolled cigarette, and engaged her in ‘inappropriate’ conversation.
Soon afterwards, she fell asleep on the floor. Recorder Peter Wright QC told McCann: “She was awoken by what she first thought was a dream. It was no dream, it was you touching her.” He said that the victim had been fearful, trying to turn away and wiggle herself free, and it wasn’t until McCann was spooked by a noise that she managed to escape.
In a victim impact statement, the young girl said the incident had affected her childhood, making her anxious and nervous. She struggled to have relationships with older male members of her family, as well as teachers, something which drastically impacted her studies.
The victim’s mum says she was pleased with the sentence imposed on McCann – who denied any wrongdoing but was found guilty of sexual assaulting a child under 13 – but she says it will never make up for what he did to her daughter.
She is now demanding answers from Cheadle Hulme High School as to why the young girl’s complaints were not reported in 2013 when she first told a counsellor about the assault.
Her mum said: “She was told there was no evidence to back it up. She had 32 sessions with that counsellor, and mentioned it on at least three occasions, and not once did they think to take it further or investigate it, or even tell me.
“Over the next two years, she became uncontrollable. She began to drink and take drugs, and would go AWOL. She was a completely different person.
“In 2015, she was referred to Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS) and on her first session she told a counsellor what had happened. Straight away they got me in, as well as police and social services.
“This should’ve been done two years earlier, it could’ve prevented so much stress and upset, and stopped her losing another two years of her childhood.
“My daughter’s biggest worry now is what if there were other students who were ignored as well.”
Stockport council have been contacted for comment.