Baby P Relative Implicated In Child Sex Ring

A relative of Baby P, who died after sustained abuse, was known by police and social services to be involved in a suspected paedophile ring, it emerged this weekend.

The close relative was named in the children’s homes scandal in Islington, north London, in the 1990s in which youngsters in council care were alleged to have been abused by paedophiles and driven into prostitution.

The relative was considered such a key figure in the scandal that an independent report was commissioned on his role. It found that he had been singled out by suspected child abusers and was subsequently alleged to have recruited other children for wealthy paedophiles.

According to the report the child was involved with three pimps suspected of being involved in child abuse. These men telephoned or called at the children’s homes and persuaded him with money, drugs and threats to bring other children to them.

The disclosure raises further questions about the failure of Haringey council to take Baby P into care. Care experts say routine background checks on the family would have uncovered the history of abuse in the family and should have raised serious and immediate concerns.

Liz Davies, the former Islington social worker who blew the whistle on the 1990s scandal, said the child was like a “Pied Piper” who led other children into abuse. “But he was also a victim himself, who begged for help,” she said.

The scandal was uncovered by the London Evening Standard in the early 1990s. It said children in council care had been abused by paedophiles and prostitution rings.

An inquiry found the homes had been run “disastrously”, and although it was unable to confirm some of the worst allegations, it concluded they had not been properly investigated at the time.

At the time of the scandal Baby P’s mother was living in Islington. Her own mother had a drink problem and she was sent, aged 11, to a boarding school for disturbed children.

Her relative had already been placed in an Islington’s children’s home. He is now believed to be in prison.

There is no suggestion that he was involved in abusing Baby P, who died in August after having suffered months of violence. Baby P’s mother and two codefendants were convicted of causing or allowing his death and are awaiting sentence.

When the Department for Children, Schools and Families was asked last week why no effective action was taken by Haringey in light of the role of Baby P’s relative in the Islington child homes scandal, a spokesman said a new “serious case review” had been commissioned into the death of Baby P.

Any fresh information about any alleged failures involving social services in Haringey should be handed to the review team, he said.