A LEADING child welfare group is demanding an independent inquiry into the handling of sexual abuse cases, after a paedophile abused two sisters while under the supervision of social workers.
Norman Carden was jailed for ten years in May, three decades after inflicting a "catalogue of horrors" on the girls. Carden, 61, from Paisley, was only forced to face his past some 20 years after social workers were first told about the abuse, which
spanned eight years.
The Scotsman can reveal that the sisters were the subject of a social work supervision order at the time of the abuse.
Officials from Strathclyde Regional Council's social work department were concerned that the girls were being neglected, as Carden was an alcoholic.
However, they never suspected that he was involved in their abuse. In 1986, one of the girls told social workers about the abuse by Carden. But the social work department failed to report the allegation to police.
Sandra Brown, who set up the Moira Anderson Foundation, a charity supporting abuse victims, told The Scotsman: "This is a staggering catalogue of horror that illustrates how children can be subjected to abuse even when professionals have flagged up suspicions and when regular visits have been made to a home."
She added: "What we need is an independent inquiry."
The full article contains 222 words and appears in The Scotsman newspaper.
