OPEN SIGHT TRUSTEES UNaware of Christopher Hedges' Criminal Past in HAMPSHIRE

The trustees of Open Sight were unaware that Christopher Hedges had been jailed after admitting to five charges of engaging in unlawful sex with a 14-year-old girl. When Hedges was recruited, the trustees did not perform a criminal records check because his role did not involve contact with young people. However, the Daily Echo has uncovered that his responsibilities later evolved to include working with vulnerable youngsters, despite him being banned for life from working with children. Hedges' troubling history only came to light after he was dismissed from his chief executive position due to alleged bullying. Trustees stated to the Daily Echo that he would never have been offered the job if his convictions had been known. None of the current board members of Open Sight, which supports thousands of individuals with sight loss across Hampshire, were serving at the time of his appointment more than four years ago. A charity spokesperson, which operates bases in Eastleigh and Bishopstoke, confirmed that Hedges had never disclosed his previous conviction or his status on the sex offenders’ register.