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2009 Plymouth child abuse case

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505:, and the scale of their offending, with one estimate suggesting that at least 10% of sex offenders are female. The case also challenged the false stereotype that only men sexually abuse children. Previously some had attempted to blame the behaviour of female child sexual abusers on men, suggesting that the female child sex abusers were usually acting under duress or coercion. The case showed that the perpetrators were acting of their own free will and for their own sexual gratification. 521:, the report of which was published on 4 November 2010. It concluded that while ultimate responsibility for the abuse rested with George and that no "professional could have reasonably predicted that George might be a risk to children", there were several failings in the nursery's management, recruitment, staff reporting and other arrangements, which had "provided an ideal environment" for her to abuse. It also speculated that either a 2008 65:, and then started to email and text message each other. The messages were often of a sexual nature, and moved on to child abuse. The police believed that the three were having a contest to see who could produce the most depraved picture. George started taking indecent pictures of children between the ages of two and five at the 456:. George pleaded guilty to seven counts of sexual assault, and six of making and distributing indecent pictures of children. On 15 December 2009 George was given an indeterminate sentence, and told that she would serve at least seven years, with the proviso that she must prove she is safe to society before being released. 72:
A fourth member of the ring, Tracy Lyons, a mother of nine from Portsmouth, Hampshire, pleaded guilty in March 2010 to assault of a child by penetration, sexual assault of a child under 13, causing a child under 13 to engage in sexual activity and three offences of distributing indecent photographs
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Little Ted's, the private nursery where the abuse took place, was situated in the grounds of Laira Green Primary School. The nursery closed at the time of the first arrests, in June 2009. In September 2010 a new facility opened in its place, a pre-school unit named Greenshoots, which was to be
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and making, possessing and distributing indecent images of children. George admitted to making 124 indecent images of children, targeting the young children of the nursery. George did not include the faces of these victims in her photographs, which made it difficult for the police to identify
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stated "the reality is women abuse, women abuse without men telling them to abuse, and I think we have to acknowledge it for the sake of the children who are being abused." The case also promoted calls for more research into the offending of female paedophiles.
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caused controversy when parents of the victims railed against it, calling it 'sick' and saying they were 'horrified'. The author defended his position on the book, claiming it was written as a genuine attempt to understand what George did and why she did it.
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In June 2009, a colleague of Colin Blanchard turned on Blanchard's laptop computer to research Blanchard's business dealings whilst Blanchard was abroad. The colleague found images of sexual abuse of babies and toddlers, which he reported to
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Allen pleaded guilty to distributing an indecent image, and four counts of sexual assault; all of the offences involved children. On 15 December she was also given an indeterminate sentence, with a minimum tariff of five years.
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On 10 January 2011, Blanchard was given an indeterminate sentence of at least nine years, and two other members of the paedophile ring, Tracy Dawber and Tracy Lyons, were sentenced to four and seven years respectively.
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Vanessa George, a mother of two, worked for Little Teds Nursery in Plymouth, an unincorporated not-for-profit association. Between late 2008 and early 2009, Vanessa George, Colin Blanchard and Angela Allen met on
436:. Police searched Blanchard's computer, and arrested him upon his return to England. Police found indecent images on his computer, and emails and texts between himself, Vanessa George and Angela Allen. 69:
where she worked, and also a picture of her then 14-year-old daughter. George would often send Blanchard material captured during her working hours, and Blanchard would share them with Allen.
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inspection of the nursery just months before, which rated the nursery "good" for child protection, had not been adequate, or that Ofsted's "framework for inspection is not adequate".
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Lyons was released from prison in October 2011, nine months after her conviction, having spent two years in prison. Her release was condemned by child protection charity
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A fifth member of the ring, Tracy Dawber, a care worker from Southport, in Merseyside, was found guilty of one count of sexually abusing a baby in October 2010.
489:, with a spokesperson Claude Knights stating: "This early release is a betrayal of the victims and their families whose suffering will continue for years." 582: 608: 40:
ring involving at least five adults from different parts of England. The case centred on photographs taken of up to 64 children by Vanessa George, a
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Vanessa George was released from prison in September 2019 after serving ten years in prison. The parole board approved her release in July 2019.
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On the evening of 8 June, police arrested George, a worker at Little Teds Nursery in Plymouth. George appeared in court on 11 June on charges of
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Elliott, Ian A.; Ashfield, Sherry (1 March 2011). "The use of online technology in the modus operandi of female sex offenders".
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Wonnacott, Jane (6 December 2012). "Keeping children safe in nurseries: A focus on culture and context".
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managed jointly with the school, with the school head teacher on its board of trustees.
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The case prompted an increased recognition of the problem of
609:"Nursery worker child sex abuse case: Angela Allen profile" 1455: 986:"Little Ted's was 'ideal' place for Vanessa George abuse" 52:, as all but one of the members of the ring were female. 1149: 642:"Three police force probe that snared child sex abusers" 809:"Anger at book about nursery paedophile Vanessa George" 729:"Nursery paedophile Vanessa George jailed indefinitely" 583:"Member of a Rochdale man's paedophile ring convicted" 1012:"Pre-school facility replaces Vanessa George nursery" 288:
Indeterminate imprisonment sentence (minimum 9 years)
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Indeterminate imprisonment sentence (minimum 5 years)
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Indeterminate imprisonment sentence (minimum 7 years)
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The case prompted Plymouth City Council to launch a
472:In March 2010, a book written by Wensley Clarkson, 689: 607:Bunyan, Nigel; Savill, Richard (1 October 2009). 1528: 978: 669: 667: 426: 1120: 480: 773: 1165: 664: 755:"'Spoilt brat' who became 'evil' paedophile" 695: 606: 532: 1004: 723: 721: 1172: 1158: 626:White, Sarah; Bell, Dan (1 October 2009). 1091: 951: 625: 554: 552: 550: 801: 718: 675:"Three sentenced for child sex offences" 14: 1529: 1416:Complex post-traumatic stress disorder 1074: 954:"Women paedophiles come out of hiding" 561:"Chilling bond between online abusers" 547: 1153: 1075:Morris, Jonathan (15 December 2009). 1036: 1018:from the original on 3 September 2010 735:from the original on 21 December 2009 992:from the original on 4 November 2010 952:Covington, Coline (5 October 2009). 696:de Bruxelles, Simon (11 June 2009). 628:"Spotlight on trio of child abusers" 1612:Incidents of violence against girls 648:. 19 September 2012. Archived from 558: 467: 24: 1077:"Nursery abuser's trail of damage" 1068: 862:. 15 December 2009. Archived from 25: 1623: 1537:2009 crimes in the United Kingdom 831:"Anger over paedophile's release" 1572:Child abuse incidents and cases 1567:21st century in Plymouth, Devon 1542:2009 in United Kingdom case law 1030: 945: 919: 881: 845: 823: 452:The trial was presided over by 1037:Evans, Martin (11 July 2019). 1014:. BBC News. 2 September 2010. 747: 731:. BBC News. 15 December 2009. 634: 619: 600: 575: 48:. It highlighted the issue of 34:2009 Plymouth child abuse case 13: 1: 1582:Child sexual abuse in England 1197:Adverse childhood experiences 988:. BBC News. 4 November 2010. 860:The Lucy Faithfull Foundation 540: 447: 427:The investigation and arrests 1587:Children's rights in England 1135:10.1080/13552600.2010.537379 1123:Journal of Sexual Aggression 1106:10.1080/13552600.2012.747631 1094:Journal of Sexual Aggression 509:of child protection charity 481:Release of Lyons from prison 257:Rochdale, Greater Manchester 7: 833:. BBC News. 11 October 2011 559:Kay, Jon (1 October 2009). 474:Vanessa: A Portrait of Evil 10: 1628: 929:. Sky News. Archived from 55: 50:child molestation by women 1406:Abusive power and control 1388: 1187: 1179: 533:Release of Vanessa George 492: 434:Greater Manchester Police 420: 412: 404: 400: 392: 367: 360: 352: 344: 336: 332: 307: 300: 292: 284: 276: 272: 264: 239: 232: 224: 216: 208: 204: 185: 160: 153: 145: 137: 129: 125: 117: 88: 81: 1481:Psychological projection 1343:Referee and umpire abuse 811:. BBC News. 4 March 2010 27:English Paedophile ring 36:was a child abuse and 1451:Just-world hypothesis 1202:Anti-social behaviour 396:Community care worker 1486:Psychological trauma 927:"Female paedophilia" 897:Mark Williams-Thomas 652:on 19 September 2012 587:Rochdaleonline.co.uk 93:Vanessa Sylvia Marks 1396:Abusive supervision 1323:Psychological abuse 1298:Institutional abuse 907:on 22 December 2017 613:The Daily Telegraph 519:serious case review 1476:Playing the victim 1368:Surveillance abuse 1318:Professional abuse 1239:Cruelty to animals 966:on 10 October 2009 761:. 18 December 2009 646:This is Nottingham 499:female paedophiles 444:specific victims. 1607:Trials in England 1577:Child pornography 1524: 1523: 1501:Traumatic bonding 933:on 5 October 2009 789:. 10 January 2011 759:Hucknall Dispatch 685:on 13 March 2014. 424: 423: 356: 355: 296: 295: 228: 227: 149: 148: 16:(Redirected from 1619: 1602:Sex crime trials 1363:Structural abuse 1338:Police brutality 1244:Disability abuse 1174: 1167: 1160: 1151: 1150: 1146: 1117: 1088: 1086: 1084: 1062: 1061: 1059: 1057: 1034: 1028: 1027: 1025: 1023: 1008: 1002: 1001: 999: 997: 982: 976: 975: 973: 971: 962:. 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Index

Colin Blanchard
paedophile
nursery
Plymouth
child molestation by women
Facebook
nursery
Plymouth
Manchester
traffic warden
Rochdale, Greater Manchester
Portsmouth
Southport
Greater Manchester Police
sexual assault
Mr Justice Royce
Kidscape
female paedophiles
sex offenders
Michele Elliott
Kidscape
serious case review
Ofsted



"Chilling bond between online abusers"
"Member of a Rochdale man's paedophile ring convicted"
"Nursery worker child sex abuse case: Angela Allen profile"
"Spotlight on trio of child abusers"

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