Hundreds of abused children to sue councils

Lawyers are preparing up to 300 cases after councils failed to take children into care for weeks or even years.

It comes after a landmark ruling at the Court of Appeal that Doncaster council must pay compensation to a man who suffered 12 years of abuse from his parents.

The judgment means local authorities are liable for abuse suffered by children if they do not save them, and could force hundreds of councils to settle claims.

Haringey council, which was heavily criticised for failing to prevent the deaths of Baby P and Victoria Climbié, is among the authorities facing claims over its past failings.

The Court of Appeal test case, which was backed by the Legal Services Commission, arose after Jake Pierce, 32, sued Doncaster council over neglect and abuse that he suffered as a child.

The other cases are the subject of similar legal aid arrangements.

Mr Pierce was initially removed from his family home into foster care for 15 months, but social services returned him to his parents, where he suffered 12 years of further abuse. He won £25,000 plus legal costs from the council in December last year.

His parents kept him and his siblings in squalid conditions and beat him almost daily.

Jonathan Wheeler, of Bolt Burdon Kemp solicitors in London, said the appeal judges upheld the original ruling that the abuse could have been prevented in part had Doncaster acted properly.

He said: "This shows that the death of Baby P and the failings of social services in Haringey which have been highlighted recently are not isolated incidents."