Child abuse inquiry: Turning a blind eye should be against the law
Institutions that work with children should be required by law to report suspicions of child sexual abuse, a landmark independent inquiry has concluded.
The inquiry found crimes are often concealed from authorities, with allegations not recorded and victims “treated as if they were unworthy of protection” and blamed for the abuse.
One of the concerns raised by the inquiry is that many of the individuals who failed to report abuse to the police or social services may have failed to meet their professional or moral obligations, but did not break any laws in doing so.
It said “systemic change” is needed “to ensure reporting of allegations of child sexual abuse”.
The final report in a seven-year-long Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse said urgent action is required to protect children across England and Wales after it found many institutions have “historically inadequate measures” that fail to safeguard children from abuse that happened and continues to happen in schools, care homes and in religious settings.
Chair of the inquiry, Professor Alexis Jay, said: “The extent [of child sexual abuse] cannot be underestimated; the sexual abuse of children is an epidemic, that leaves thousands of victims in its poisonous wake.
“We heard time and time again how allegations of abuse were ignored, victims were blamed and institutions prioritised their reputations over the protection of children.
“I urge the UK government, the Welsh government and all other relevant institutions to implement the inquiry’s recommendations as a matter of urgency.”
Home Secretary Grant Shapps said: “I will keep the voices [of victims and survivors] front and centre in everything I do and I will ensure that the findings of the Inquiry, and their invaluable testimonies, are acted upon.
“To date, we have already taken action to tackle this abhorrent crime and learn from the lessons of the past, but I know there is much more to do. This is the start of a new chapter in our efforts to put an end to this terrible crime.”
The Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse was set up because of serious concerns that some institutions had failed and were continuing to fail to protect children from sexual abuse.
During seven years of investigating, the inquiry saw 725 witnesses give evidence and heard from 7,300 victims and survivors who shared their experiences in person, over the phone, via video call and through written accounts.
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Victims abused in institutions
Some 36% of victims and survivors who shared their experience said at least one incident of sexual abuse they experienced took place in an institution outside the family home.
Schools were the most frequently reported location.
Within its list of 20 recommendations, the inquiry lays out that the mandatory reporting of child sexual abuse must be an “absolute obligation” for those who work in the regulated activity or work in a position of trust with children.
The requirement of reporting, which the inquiry wants written into law, says “should not be subject to exceptions based on relationships of confidentiality, religious or otherwise.”
Vigilance is also key to the reporting, otherwise, the inquiry notes “there is a very real risk… institutions may continue with, or revert to, poor practice and worse still, actively downplay child sexual abuse”.
Online child abuse
The inquiry’s conclusions and recommendations for change also draw attention to the scale of online-facilitated child sexual abuse, saying it is “not just a national crisis, but a global one.”
They found children are being increasingly groomed and manipulated on internet platforms to commit sexual acts on screen, often for the purpose of sexual exploitation.
It said indecent images of children are being widely distributed and live streams of the sexual abuse of children around the world are prolific, with the number of referrals to law enforcement running into the “tens of millions.”
A change in the law for mandatory reporting is the best and most urgent place to start, it said.
‘Hostile, baffling’ compensation scheme
Many victims and survivors raised concerns and frustrations surrounding the existing compensation scheme, with some finding the legal processes involved to be “hostile, baffling, frustrating and futile”.
Building on the existing Criminal Injuries Compensation Authority, as part of the inquiry’s recommendations, it has advised the government to bulk up the compensation given to victims and survivors by seeking contributions to the scheme from the institutions responsible for past child sexual abuse.
Sir Keir Starmer has joined other European leaders in Kyiv to press Russia to agree an unconditional 30-day ceasefire.
The prime minister is attending the summit alongside French President Emmanuel Macron, recently-elected German Chancellor Friedrich Merz and Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk.
It is the first time the leaders of the four countries have travelled to Ukraine at the same time – arriving in the capital by train – with their meeting hosted by President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.
Sir Keir Starmer, Emmanuel Macron and Friedrich Merz travelling in the saloon car of a special train to Kyiv. Pic: Reuters
Leaders arrive in Kyiv by train. Pic: PA
It comes after Donald Trump called for “ideally” a 30-day ceasefire between Kyiv and Moscow, and warned that if any pause in the fighting is not respected “the US and its partners will impose further sanctions”.
Security and defence analyst Michael Clarke told Sky News presenter Samantha Washington the European leaders are “rowing in behind” the US president, who referred to his “European allies” for the first time in this context in a post on his Truth Social platform.
“So this meeting is all about heaping pressure on the Russians to go along with the American proposal,” he said.
“It’s the closest the Europeans and the US have been for about three months on this issue.”
Sir Keir Starmer, Volodymyr Zelenskyy and Emmanuel Macron among world leaders in Kyiv. Pic: AP
Trump calls for ceasefire. Pic: Truth Social
Ukraine’s foreign minister Andrii Sybiha said Ukraine and its allies are ready for a “full, unconditional ceasefire” for at least 30 days starting on Monday.
Ahead of the meeting on Saturday, Sir Keir, Mr Macron, Mr Tusk and Mr Merz released a joint statement.
European leaders show solidarity – but await Trump’s backing
The hope is Russia’s unilateral ceasefire, such as it’s worth, can be extended for a month to give peace a chance.
But ahead of the meeting, Ukrainian sources told Sky News they are still waiting for President Donald Trump to put his full weight behind the idea.
The US leader has said a 30-day ceasefire would be ideal, but has shown no willingness yet for putting pressure on Russian president Vladimir Putin to agree.
The Russians say a ceasefire can only come after a peace deal can be reached.
European allies are still putting their hopes in a negotiated end to the war despite Moscow’s intransigence and President Trump’s apparent one-sided approach favouring Russia.
Ukrainians would prefer to be given enough economic and military support to secure victory.
But in over three years, despite its massive economic superiority to Russia and its access to more advanced military technology, Europe has not found the political will to give Kyiv the means to win.
Until they do, Vladimir Putin may decide it is still worth pursuing this war despite its massive cost in men and materiel on both sides.
“We reiterate our backing for President Trump’s calls for a peace deal and call on Russia to stop obstructing efforts to secure an enduring peace,” they said.
“Alongside the US, we call on Russia to agree a full and unconditional 30-day ceasefire to create the space for talks on a just and lasting peace.”
Sir Keir and Volodymyr Zelenskyy during a meeting in March. Pic: AP
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Putin’s Victory Day parade explained
The leaders said they were “ready to support peace talks as soon as possible”.
But they warned that they would continue to “ratchet up pressure on Russia’s war machine” until Moscow agrees to a lasting ceasefire.
“We are clear the bloodshed must end, Russia must stop its illegal invasion, and Ukraine must be able to prosper as a safe, secure and sovereign nation within its internationally recognised borders for generations to come,” their statement added.
“We will continue to increase our support for Ukraine.”
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The European leaders are set to visit the Maidan, a central square in Ukraine’s capital where flags represent those who died in the war.
They are also expected to host a virtual meeting for other leaders in the “coalition of the willing” to update them on progress towards a peacekeeping force.
Military officers from around 30 countries have been involved in drawing up plans for a coalition, which would provide a peacekeeping force in the event of a ceasefire being agreed between Russia and Ukraine.
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This force “would help regenerate Ukraine’s armed forces after any peace deal and strengthen confidence in any future peace”, according to Number 10.
A special constable has been jailed after taking pictures on his phone from bodycam footage showing a dying man.
Former police volunteer William Heggs, 23, was sentenced to 12 months’ imprisonment at Leicester Crown Court on Friday after showing the photos of victim William Harty, 28, to a female colleague and storing them on his Snapchat account.
Mr Harty was found seriously injured in a residential street in Leicester on 25 October 2021 and Heggs had attended the scene, helping with CPR before paramedics arrived.
Mr Harty died in hospital a day later and the man responsible for his injuries, his brother-in-law Martin Casey, was subsequently convicted of his manslaughter.
Heggs showed the pictures he had taken of bodycam footage of Mr Harty’s body to a Leicestershire Police constable, who reported Heggs and said she did not like seeing blood.
His phone was seized and officers discovered other photographs and video clips of bodyworn footage of incidents Heggs had attended on duty, including of a knife seizure, use of baton and pepper spray, and a man with an injured hand receiving first aid.
He also took pictures of a police computer screen, showing details of crimes and suspects, without consent.
Heggs stored the materials in a Snapchat folder and disclosed graphic details – most of which were not in the public domain – about the injuries to a woman who was killed in a road traffic collision he had attended, to a friend on the social media platform.
Heggs was suspended from the force in November 2021 and resigned in October 2024 before pleading guilty to 11 computer misuse and data protection offences this March.
William Harty’s widow Mandy Casey. Pic: PA
‘He has traumatised me’
Mr Harty’s widow, Mandy Casey, said in a victim impact statement read to the court that Heggs “took (her) husband’s dignity when he was most vulnerable”.
“You don’t take someone’s dignity and pride from them on their deathbed.”
She continued: “When I found out special constable Heggs had done this, I just wanted to ask why. He has traumatised me. I feel I will never know if he showed them to others.”
Ms Casey said she was still scared that photos of her husband’s body might appear on social media.
She added that she had lost trust in the police.
Public trust in police ‘significantly undermined’
Judge Timothy Spencer told Heggs, who has autism and ADHD, that he was “probably too immature to be working as a police officer” as he handed down the sentence.
He said Heggs had received “extensive training”, including on the importance of data protection, and knew he should only share materials for “a genuine policing purpose”.
Heggs’s actions had “significantly undermined” public trust and confidence in police, according to the judge.
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Malcolm McHaffie, from the Crown Prosecution Service, added: “William Heggs abused the public’s trust in the office he held as a special police constable.
“He violated the dignity of the deceased victims for no apparent reason other than what could be considered personal fascination and to gain credibility among his peers.”
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