Convicted paedophile today jailed for neglecting a baby
3rd August 2009
The London Evening Standard reports on how a convicted child abuser was convicted of neglect. The three week old girl suffered four broken ribs and a damaged ankle whilst in his care.
The man had previously been convicted of sexually abusing a teenage girl.
Abuse of children takes many forms, of which neglect is only one. Schedule 1 of the Children and Young Persons Act 1933 details a number of offences against children and young persons in which special provisions apply. Offences cover murder and manslaughter, infanticide, specific offences under the Offences Against a Person Act 1861, offences under Punishment of Incest Act 1908 or other offences involving bodily injury to a child or young person.
Individuals can also be held liable in the civil courts for failure to protect a child from abuse. One example is the case of S v W (Child abuse: Damages) [1995] 1 FLR 862.
There have been a series of high profile reports on the death of children at the hands of relatives or friends. The most well known are:-
- Jasmine Beckford, London Borough of Brent and Brent Health Authority, published December 1985
- Kimberley Carlile, London Borough of Greenwich and Greenwich Health Authority, published December 1987
- Tyra Henry – London Borough of Lambeth, published 1987
- The Victoria Climbié Inquiry – Report of an Inquiry by Lord Laming – January 2003 – www.victoria-climbie-inquiry.org.uk.
In March of this year, Lord Laming published his “Progress Report.” This is the government’s response to the shocking case of Baby P, as a result of which three people were convicted and sentenced to prison. The government responded to the death of Baby P by announcing a national child protection review by Lord Laming. The local authority in Baby P’s case, Haringey, was the very same council that found itself at the centre of another child abuse scandal in 2000, after the death of Victoria Climbie.
See London Evening Standard 3 August 2009 Paedophile who ignored baby’s injuries jailed for year
