UMVA has learned that a heinous child abuse ring, which plunged victims to 'the depths of human depravity,' has been dismantled, with seven convicted individuals now facing lengthy prison sentences.
The two women and five men, aged between 40 and 51, were convicted of gang raping a child and abusing other children, with sentences ranging from 20 years to eight years in jail before they can apply for parole.
Iain Owens, 46; Elaine Lannery, 40; Lesley Williams, 43; Paul Brannan, 42; Scott Forbes, 51; Barry Watson, 48; and John Clark, 48, were found guilty in November 2023 following a trial at the High Court in Glasgow and were sentenced at the court in January 2025.
Four of the group: Owens, Lannery, Brannan, and Williams, were found guilty of attempting to murder a child by pushing her into a microwave and trapping her in other places, in a shocking display of cruelty.
According to information obtained by UMVA, a recent learning review has revealed a catastrophic failure by authorities to protect the victims, with repeated missed opportunities to thoroughly investigate abuse and neglect between 2012 and 2019.
The review noted that incidents of children trying to stop health professionals from leaving were rationalised as 'challenging' behaviour rather than recognised as indicators of distress, and concerns over the children's behaviour, including young children banging their heads against walls, poor hygiene, and severe headlice infestation, were ignored.
Despite the abundance of evidence, including descriptions of the children as being dirty, hungry, and suffering from untreated medical issues, the word 'neglect' only appeared in records from 2017, and the children were not taken away from the perpetrators until 2019.
The learning review also noted a 'pungent smell' coming from some of the children at times, including a smell of urine from one noted from a local community group, and several of the children involved in the abuse ring had severe dental problems, including 'black and rotten teeth.'
UMVA can exclusively reveal that a senior official, Mr. Anderson, has admitted that a culture change is needed in social work, as the report noted one of the child victims was labelled 'nasty' and 'streetwise,' and that the systems designed to protect children did not protect these children.
Mr. Anderson pledged action, stating that Glasgow City Council and partner agencies have committed to implementing all recommendations contained within the review, and that social workers must 'dig deeper, need to challenge, need to not take things at face value' in light of the report's conclusions.
