Glasgow child sex abuse ring: "People must be held accountable for failings"

An expert in child sex abuse has said child protection services must be held accountable for failings which allowed a sex abuse ring to operate undetected for almost a decade

Author: Alice FaulknerPublished 28th Jan 2025
Last updated 28th Jan 2025

A child sex abuse expert has said that people in child protection services must be held accountable for the mistakes which allowed a sex abuse ring to operate in Glasgow for almost a decade.

A major review is currently underway to establish whether multiple authorities could have acted more quickly on information given to them about the gang members, charged yesterday.

READ MORE: Glasgow child abuse ring members jailed

The two women and five men were all convicted of gang raping a child and abusing other children in a drugs den in Glasgow where heroin and crack cocaine were used, and were given sentences of between 20 years and eight years in jail before they can apply for parole.

Iain Owens, 46; Elaine Lannery, 40; Lesley Williams, 43; Paul Brannan, 42; Scott Forbes, 51; Barry Watson, 48; and John Clark, 48, were convicted in November 2023 following a trial at the High Court in Glasgow.

Four of the group: Owens, Lannery, Brannan and Williams, were found guilty of attempting to murder a child by pushing her into a microwave and trapping her in other places.

The trial, which lasted for about eight weeks, heard evidence of systematic child sex abuse, described as "harrowing" by Lord Beckett who said it "plunges to the depths of human depravity".

All seven were found guilty of taking part in the gang rape of a child, and were each given an order for lifelong restriction, while Lord Beckett said: "What you and the community must understand is you may never be released."

'We do have to hold certain people accountable'

Child sex abuse expert, Dr Sarah Nelson, said: "These children should've been spared the years of torment that they went through.

"If they were protected, they wouldn't have suffered in these terrible ways and prosecutions could've been brought much sooner.

"I'm not happy to see, and neither would any of my colleagues be, to see the way these enquiries tend to go.

"That's usually them saying: 'Oh, we mustn't blame anyone or hold anyone accountable'.

"They talk about having learnings and other such jargon words.

"I think we do have to hold certain people accountable, and I don't see the point of having a child protection service which doesn't actually hold people to account."

'Highly complex and challenging case'

Colin Anderson, Independent Chair of Glasgow’s Child Protection Committee, said: “This has been a highly complex and challenging case for all concerned.

"As Independent Chair of Glasgow’s Child Protection Committee I have already initiated the process of undertaking a Case Learning Review. 

"This is being led by an independent reviewer to ensure strong governance and oversight. It would be inappropriate to comment further until the Case Learning Review is complete.”

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