A judge has strongly criticised a Welsh council for its handling of a case involving a disabled child who was falsely accused of historic sexual abuse by his grandparents. Despite evidence that cast doubt on the allegations, the council removed the child from his grandparents’ care for over 17 months. The judge, Jonathan Holmes, condemned the council’s actions as “indefensible” and also highlighted shortcomings in the police investigation.
The boy, who has a life-limiting illness, had been under his grandparents’ care since shortly after birth and was thriving. However, in August 2022, allegations of historic sexual abuse were made against the grandparents, prompting the council to intervene and place the child with foster carers. The accusations stemmed from the boy’s mother, who later admitted to fabricating the claims, citing reasons such as seeking attention and wanting to portray a strained relationship with her family.
Despite these inconsistencies, it took the council eight months to initiate care proceedings, eventually dropping the case in February 2024 as it was deemed disproportionate to pursue the historical allegations. The judge highlighted the detrimental impact of the child’s removal from his grandparents’ care, noting changes in his behaviour and health during the separation.
Judge Holmes criticised the council for its delayed response, failure to analyse inconsistencies in the claims, and overreliance on the police investigation. He raised concerns about information sharing between the council and police, as well as the council’s reluctance to acknowledge its mistakes. The judge concluded that the child had suffered immensely from being removed from his loving family and stressed the importance of supporting the grandparents in caring for him.
The grandfather expressed frustration at the lack of accountability and indicated a desire to pursue legal action against the council and police. Despite the judge’s decision not to name the authorities involved to protect the child’s identity, the grandparents felt that transparency was essential to holding those responsible for the ordeal accountable.
The case underscores the complexities and challenges faced by families involved in child protection proceedings and highlights the need for greater scrutiny and accountability within social services and law enforcement agencies. It serves as a stark reminder of the profound impact that mishandled investigations can have on vulnerable children and their families.