Local Child Safeguarding Practice Review – Case A

Mr A did what sex offenders do best.  He lied, deceived and manipulated those around him.  Whilst being monitored for offences relating to indecent images of children, he met a woman and had two children with her. He didn’t inform the authorities as he should have done and he flew below the radar of those charged with keeping children safe.  The true nature of his continuing sexual interest in children and sexual deviance was only discovered when he was caught committing further offences.

There have undoubtedly been some improvements in the processes to manage and monitor such sex offenders, although there is still work to be done.  The recommendations arising from this review seek to strengthen these arrangements further and there is a key message for practitioners, policy makers and society as a whole.

For far too long, the risks represented by viewers of child abuse images have been minimised and downplayed as a lesser threat.  This is one of the greatest risks to making children safer, with less than 20% of those convicted of image-based offences receiving custodial sentences.

We can, however, be sure of one thing.  Those who seek out and download child sex abuse material have a sexual interest in children. In this respect, their behaviours need to be better understood by practitioners, the risks they represent better managed and their offending deterred by tougher sentencing.

The review into this case was undertaken by the CHSCP’s Independent Safeguarding Children Commissioner (Jim Gamble QPM) and its Senior Professional Advisor (Rory McCallum).  The report can be found HERE.