Inquiry into sex offender's rape

The Vale of Glamorgan council's Youth Offending Service had monitored the teenager

An investigation is under way after a teenager on the sex offenders register raped another boy six years his junior.

The 16-year-old from the Vale of Glamorgan has now been detained under the Mental Health Act after admitting the offence at Cardiff Crown Court.

He had been monitored by police and the Vale of Glamorgan council's Youth Offending Service (YOS) after committing a previous sexual offence.

They are now reviewing the case for the Local Safeguarding Children's Board.

Local AM Jane Hutt has also asked for a meeting with the council's leader, along with the minister for social services and the chief inspector for social services in Wales.

It comes after the court heard that the 16-year-old had assaulted the young boy for three years, from when he was aged seven.

The younger boy said he was threatened with a penknife if he didn't do as he was told.

The teenager, who cannot be named for legal reasons, had been convicted four years earlier of a sexual offence involving another 12-year-old boy, the court was told.

We certainly have to ensure that all agencies involved are held to account Jane Hutt AM

The defendant, who was said to be suffering from schizophrenia and a personality disorder, was ordered to be detained indefinitely in a psychiatric hospital .

He was also banned from working or having unsupervised contact with children under the age of 16.

A review is now being conducted by agencies involved in monitoring the teenager after he moved to the area after being given a referral by a youth court in England for his previous sexual offence, which occurred in 2004.

As he was a registered sex offender, he was the subject of multi-agency public protection arrangements, managed by the police.

He was also monitored by the Vale of Glamorgan council's YOS, a multi-agency partnership composed of social workers, probation officers, police officers, education and health workers, and drug misuse professionals.

'Supervision completed'

However, the council said he completed the period of supervision as required in July 2007, when it was decided that no further action was needed.

Beverley Noon, the council's operational manager said: "The young man was a client of the YOS for a 10 month period on a referral order until July 2007.

"As the 2004 offence was of a sexual nature he was referred to a specialist service for young people.

"The conclusion of their assessment in June 2007 was that further intervention was unnecessary and that he did not require anything other than the current level of support and supervision being offered to him by the YOS.

"He completed the period of supervision as required in July 2007 and the council's involvement ceased."

Ms Hutt, AM for the Vale of Glamorgan, said: "Obviously we have got to hear from those at the sharp end dealing with this... we certainly have to ensure that all agencies involved are held to account.

"It has to come out into the open what's happened, what the history is and the most important thing is are our systems working now to protect vulnerable people, particularly children and young people."

'Tragic events'

Philip Evans, the Vale's social services director and chair of the Local Safeguarding Children's Board, which requested the review, said: "The board expects the reports from all the agencies to be completed soon, including any lessons to be learned and recommendations for action. These reports will be considered by the board when finalised."

Deputy Minister for Social Services, Gwenda Thomas, said she was "saddened" to hear about the "tragic events".

"The review will identify whether there are any issues for local agencies to consider. My officials will consider the outcome of the management review that is being conducted."

The case comes after the Vale of Glamorgan council apologised unreservedly earlier this year to the family of young children sexually abused by a teenager placed with them by social services.

Three workers were suspended after the 19-year-old admitted rape and sexual abuse at Cardiff Crown Court while on a placement scheme for adults