Case Dropped Same Day for Client Accused of Child Abuse

Case study summary

Our client was accused of causing neglect and suffering to a child she cared for over 30 years ago. She was devasted. We prepared a detailed statement setting out our client's defence. Three hours later, the police closed their investigation and took no further action.

Case study

Our client was invited for a voluntary interview under caution following a report of sustained child abuse over 30 years ago. The allegations included causing harm and abandonment to several children. As a dedicated child minder for many years, this devasted our client.

Due to the shock and upset caused, our client's brother researched firms who could help his sister which led to us being instructed. We learnt that our client became a registered childminder after a neighbour asked for help with her daughter. This would be the beginning of several years caring for local children as if they were her own. Our client adamantly denied causing any harm to this particular child and anyone else in her care. She was able to provide extensive detail about how she cared for each child, which was witnessed by her own sons and husband. As a result, we drafted a comprehensive prepared statement setting out how she came to care for the child and how she continued to care for them for several years.

On the day of the interview, our client was understandably anxious. One of her main concerns was how people would view her in light of these allegations. Through conversations with the police, we learnt that no witnesses were able to support the allegations made. We advised our client that the case was weak and we were confident that the prepared statement would give strong grounds for discontinuing the investigation.

Following the interview, we spoke with our client's son who was able to provide a statement supporting the account put forward. Ultimately, this additional evidence was not required as three hours later, the police decided to take no further action against our client.

The length of investigations can vary greatly and individuals often find themselves struggling for months whilst waiting for a decision to be made. The outcome of this case highlights the importance of instructing specialist legal advice as early as possible so an assessment of the evidence can be made. In doing so, you can feel supported to present a clear case which will ensure the right outcome is reached.