Mistakes made over murdered Laura

Laura's body was found at Bainbridge's house

Concerns about the home life of murdered schoolgirl Laura Kane were not pursued by some care agencies involved in her case, a report has found.

The nine-year-old from Penshaw near Sunderland was abducted, raped and murdered by family friend Colin Bainbridge in August last year.

The 35-year-old was sentenced to life imprisonment at Newcastle Crown Court in June this year with a recommendation that he serve at least 22 years.

Laura Kane's body was discovered under floorboards

But the report, commissioned by the local child protection committee, concluded that nothing could have been done to save Laura from the man who killed her.

After Bainbridge's trial it emerged that Laura had been on the council's 'at risk' register.

'No complacency'

The independent report found that "concerns about parenting within Laura's family were not followed up consistently and family standards remained unchallenged".

But it added: "There was no complacency about improving the protection of children at risk of significant harm."

The conduct of the care services, said the report, should be considered in the light of the trial judge's assessment of Bainbridge.

[Colin Bainbridge] had no record that would have given cause for concern

Independent report

The odd-job man was "a trusted friend" of the Kane family who loved to be around children and was popular with them, and he had no criminal record save a minor motoring matter some years before.

"He was a man who was not a member of the family, was not known to the agencies involved and had no record that would have given them cause for concern," the report concluded.

No individual blamed

Sunderland's director of social services John Marsden said care workers had failed to spot warning signs because of the family's circumstances.

"I think that poverty masked the abuse and neglect and people could not see through the impact of what was going on in the family," he said.

Poverty masked the abuse and neglect

John Marsden, director of social services

He said various agencies, including the police, probation and health services, had been involved with the family for the last 10 years.

The report sets out 23 recommendations designed to improve the way 'at risk' children are monitored, including ways of collating the vast amount of information held by various agencies on families such as Laura's.

No care service worker has been disciplined as a result of the case, and Mr Marsden said no individual was to blame for any deficiencies in the way it was handled.

He said a report would always be produced following the death or abuse of a child on the 'at risk' register.

The document will now be forwarded to the Department of Health for consideration.