Rotherham social services urge court ban on four men approaching teenage girl
Social services staff want a High Court judge to intervene in a bid to protect a vulnerable teenage girl they say is being sexually exploited by four men.
Lawyers representing council bosses in Rotherham, South Yorkshire, want a judge to order the men to stay away from the youngster.
Mr Justice Keehan has analysed preliminary issues at hearings in the Family Division of the High Court in London.
Decisions are expected to be made in the near future following a final hearing.
In late 2014, Mr Justice Keehan made civil court orders against 10 men from the Birmingham area, who had sexually exploited a teenage girl who was in local authority care, following ”bold and novel” legal moves by council bosses.
Police said there was insufficient evidence to secure criminal convictions against the men.
But Mr Justice Keehan imposed injunctions barring the men from contacting the teenager, and from approaching girls they did not know, following applications by Birmingham City Council.
He also ruled that the 10 men, who could be jailed for being in contempt of court if they are found to have breached the orders, could be identified in media reports.
Lawyers representing Rotherham Metropolitan Borough Council now want a judge to take similar steps.
Mr Justice Keehan has ruled that neither the teenager nor the men – in the Rotherham case – can be identified.
He indicated that journalists might be allowed to name the men at a later stage in the litigation.
Rotherham hit the headlines two years ago after concerns were raised about youngsters being sexually exploited in the area.
In August 2014 a report said around 1,400 children had been sexually exploited in Rotherham between 1997 and 2013, and found that in more than a third of those cases youngsters were already known to agencies.
The report, written by an academic following an inquiry, said there had been ”blatant” collective failures by council leaders.
Barrister Rebecca Foulkes, who is leading Rotherham council’s legal team, outlined detail of the council’s application to Mr Justice Keehan at the latest hearing in London on Thursday.
She indicated that social services staff had responsibility for the teenage girl’s welfare.
She said council bosses wanted a judge to make “injunctive orders” against the four men.
She said the girl’s parents backed the council’s application.
Mr Justice Keehan also heard submissions from lawyers representing police.
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