Baroness Casey condemns abuse of power in child protection failings

Baroness Louise Casey, who previously led an audit into grooming gangs, has stated that abuses of power by prominent individuals to assault young people are "frankly appalling". The 61-year-old made these remarks during an appearance on BBC Radio 4’s Today programme, speaking in the wake of Russell Brand's sentencing for rape and sexual assault, and amid allegations concerning David Walliams.

Baroness Casey also conveyed her approval that an injunction sought by author and television personality David Walliams, intended to prevent reporting of allegations against him, has been lifted. Mr Walliams, 55, has denied any wrongdoing in relation to accusations of grooming teenage girls, some as young as 15, and abusing his position to pursue women. He was named this week as part of a journalistic investigation.

Systemic failings in child protection

Reflecting on the broader issue of child protection, Baroness Casey stated, "We don’t prioritise and we don’t think about how we protect young people." She acknowledged that the situation becomes more complex as individuals age but insisted on the need for greater attention. "Come on," she added, referring to the week's events, particularly Russell Brand's conviction.

Comedian Russell Brand was sentenced this week to 10-and-a-half years in prison for raping one woman and sexually assaulting three others during his career. Baroness Casey commented, "I’m extremely pleased that Russell Brand is inside for 10 years." She also stated, "I’m glad that the injunction was lifted on Mr Walliams. I think that there are people throughout the country that use things like injunctions not to face the law, and we have to make sure that those things are changed."

When questioned about the adequacy of current laws to protect young people from grooming, Baroness Casey asserted, "We have not got our attitude towards children and the protection of children right." Her previous work includes leading an investigation into Rotherham Council following a report that identified over 1,400 children sexually exploited by gangs between 1997 and 2013. Her 2015 report highlighted significant cultural and service failures within the council.

Baroness Casey indicated a desire for swifter progress, stating, "I am impatient for change, and I don’t think the momentum has been good enough." The Government had commissioned a national audit by Baroness Casey last year, which identified a lack of data on the ethnicity and nationality of sex offenders in grooming gangs as a significant failing over more than a decade. This audit included 12 recommendations, one of which was for a national inquiry.