Council pays £55,000 and makes an apology to survivor of abuse in children’s home

Essex County Council has personally apologised to a man and agreed to pay him £55,000 in compensation following a civil compensation claim over sexual abuse he suffered as a child while in the council's care.

The claimant was taken into the care of the local authority when he was a young child, living with foster parents and later in children's homes. Eventually, when he was aged 13, he was placed into the care of a children's home in Essex.

While living at the children's home, the claimant was subjected to numerous incidents of sexual abuse by a staff member named John Carpenter. The abuse took place in the children's home.

He also alleged that his avenues to disclosure were cut off by Carpenter, who tried to turn other residential workers against him. Carpenter befriended the claimant's social worker and had a key to the claimant's property after he was moved to semi-independent living.

After he had left care, the claimant complained about the abuse to Essex County Council. Some years later, when the authority launched an investigation into Carpenter's alleged offences, the local authority contacted the claimant. Shortly after this, Carpenter took his own life.

The investigation by the local authority continued, and the claimant was eventually provided with a report which confirmed his account was believed. An apology was offered.

Several years later, the claimant decided to make a civil compensation claim against Essex County Council.

The county council provided the claimant's legal team with a copy of the report, and evidence was also obtained which found that he had suffered with Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder linked to the abuse.

Andrew Lord, senior associate solicitor in the abuse claims team at Leigh Day, represented the claimant. He said: "[The claimant] was subjected to sexual abuse by an adult entrusted to care for him. What's more, the perpetrator was calculated enough to cut [him] off from sources of support and potential disclosure. It was a significant and abhorrent breach of the position of trust."

Mr Lord added: "The civil claim for [him] posed a number of unique issues, and I am glad that we were able to successfully negotiate a payment of compensation and a renewed apology. [His] determination to seek justice was admirable, and his case shows that civil compensation claims can still be successful many years after abuse suffered."

A spokesperson for Essex County Council said: “The person in this case has a right to privacy which will be respected.

“Essex County Council will work to achieve an amicable resolution to any case.”

Adam Carey