STEPHEN WEST FROM BLETCHLEY SENTENCED FOR SEXUAL ASSAULT ON CHILD AFTER SOCIAL SERVICES FAILURE

In September 2009, a tragic and disturbing case unfolded involving a five-year-old girl who was subjected to sexual assault by a man with a troubling history. The perpetrator, identified as Stephen West, aged 30 and hailing from Bletchley, was at the center of a serious failure by social services to act on prior warnings and concerns raised by the child's father.

The father, who is currently separated from his family, had repeatedly voiced his fears about West's presence and potential threat to his daughter. He claims to have contacted Bedfordshire County Council's social services between fifty and sixty times, alerting them to West's status as a sex offender and warning that he should not be near children. Despite these numerous reports, the father asserts that social services gave West the all-clear, allowing him continued access to children, including his own daughter.

The gravity of the situation was revealed in court proceedings at Northampton Crown Court, where West was found guilty of sexually assaulting the young girl. Evidence presented included a disturbing video recorded in a bathroom on West’s mobile phone, which showed the girl in a vulnerable state. The court also learned that West’s phone contained dozens of images depicting child sexual abuse, along with a sickening video and 31 abusive images of children, some of which showed children being subjected to sexual acts. It was further disclosed that West had a prior conviction in 2006, when he was cautioned and registered on the sex offenders’ list for possessing child pornography.

The father, aged 29 and from near Biggleswade, expressed his outrage and called for a thorough investigation into the failings of social services. He stated, “They have failed to do the job they are paid to do and protect children. If they had acted when I first told them about this man then this would not have happened. I told them at the time that if he offended once he would do it again. I now know that he took naked pictures of my daughter in the bath and he sexually assaulted her. I am also told he slept in her bed.”

Following his conviction, West was sentenced to a minimum of 32 months in prison. He was also issued a sexual offences prevention order, which prohibits him from having unsupervised contact with anyone under 18 and from working with children in the future. Legally, he is barred from any employment involving children and will be subject to lifelong monitoring, including the possibility of recall to prison even after his release. His identity and the details of his victim are protected by law to prevent further trauma.

In response to the case, Cllr Anita Lewis, the Portfolio Holder for Children’s Services at Central Bedfordshire Council, stated, “Following information in June of this year, the council’s Children’s Services have acted swiftly to implement multi-agency children’s safeguarding plans which are being actively pursued. We have also reviewed relevant case files, most of which relate to the former Bedfordshire County Council. The case will be referred to the Bedfordshire Local Safeguarding Children Board who will consider whether there should be a multi-agency review of the case. This would identify any lessons to be learned and lead to improved safeguarding practice in the future.”