Sex Pest Was Given A Council Reference

David Kay sentenced to four years in jail after conviction for sexual activity with a child

By Joe Willis


A 63-YEAR-OLD youth worker who had a history of inappropriate behaviour with young girls was able to get a job working alongside vulnerable teenagers because social services bosses failed to disclose his past.

Sex pest David Kay was sentenced to four years in jail last month after being convicted of three charges of sexual activity with a child while in a position of trust.

Kay was able to get a job working with young people because North Yorkshire Social Services failed to pass on the fact he had a history of improper behaviour towards teenage girls.

Last night, officials said a social services manager had resigned after details of the blunder came to light.

The mistake allowed Kay to begin a relationship with a vulnerable 17-year-old while working for Cumbria’s Connexions youth advice service.

Last month, the youth worker was jailed for four years.

Kay worked for the North Yorkshire council as a youth justice worker for eight years in the Nineties.

He was sacked for behaving inappropriately with young girls while based in Northallerton.

He was later reinstated, but given a role that meant he did not come into direct contact with children. After being made redundant, he applied to the Cumbrian youth advice service in Workington.

It was there that he began the relationship with the teenager that led to his prosecution.

During the trial, at Carlisle Crown Court, it emerged that Kay got the job in Cumbria after a North Yorkshire official failed to disclose details of his disciplinary record in a written reference.

Bosses at the Cumbrian youth service said they would not have appointed him if they had known about his past.

They have written to North Yorkshire County Council (NYCC) demanding to know why details of his disciplinary record were not shared.

Following the court case, NYCC launched an investigation and suspended the unnamed official responsible.

Last night, the authority confirmed that the manager had resigned.

A spokesman said: “As a result of our investigation into the issue, North Yorkshire County Council has strengthened its processes with regard to giving references for staff where there have been conduct or capability issues, particularly relating to safeguarding children or vulnerable adults.

“While there are learning points for us from this case, we are confident that such a reference would not be given now.”

Kay, of High Seaton, Seaton, near Workington, had denied sexual activity with the Cumbrian girl, but was convicted after a trial.

The court heard how the teenager’s mother brought her to Connexions to get her life back on track after she had dropped out of school.

Kay and the girl began exchanging text messages and phone calls, and the relationship became sexual.

In her victim impact statement, the teenager revealed how Kay told her she would not be able to manage at college, that people of her own age were using her, and that she could not trust the adults trying to help her.

He often called her late at night and became angry if she missed his calls.

Kay was suspended after his colleagues became suspicious.

He persuaded the girl to withdraw the allegations against him and it was another three years before she went back to the police.

Greg Hoare, in mitigation, told the court his client was a broken man who had lost his good name and his chance to work.

After sentencing him, Judge Peter Hughes expressed concern that Kay was able to get his job.

He called for a thorough review of the case to establish what mistakes were made and how to ensure that they did not happen again.

Peter Bradley, deputy director of national children’s charity Kidscape, said yesterday that the case was a “huge concern”.

However, he added that the new vetting and barring scheme, due to be phased in next year, would prevent similar cases happening in the future.

Under the scheme, anyone working or volunteering in a supervisory role with children will have to be checked to ensure they do not pose a risk.

Mr Bradley said: “This case is a huge concern, but hopefully in the next year the scheme will bring to light those who pose a risk to children, meaning this does not happen again in the future.”

Kay was placed on the Sex Offender’s Register and banned for life from working with children.

It is an offence for any person in a position of trust to engage in sexual activity with a person under 18 who is in their charge.


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