Source: Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) A man has been found guilty of sexual assaults on young boys at a children’s home in Hastings in the 1970s.

Roland Simmons worked as a teacher at Guestling House, a residential home.

Four victims, who were placed into care at the property, and are now all in their 60s, came forward to report that they had been abused.

Catherine Wear, Senior Crown Prosecutor from the Crown Prosecution Service, said: “Simmons was supposed to be caring for these boys, but instead he abused the trust placed in him, knowing that the boys would struggle to speak out and report what was happening to them.

“One victim woke to find Simmons abusing him. Simmons then claimed that he had been dreaming and everything was fine. Another victim described Simmons as “persistent” after he first abused him, saying that Simmons would ask him to go out in his car alone, but he kept refusing.

“The trauma of sexual abuse can stop victims from making complaints for many years, but these men had the courage to come forward and report what happened to them and by doing so, have ensured that Simmons has been brought to justice for his appalling crimes.” 

 Following a trial at Lewes Crown Court, Roland Simmons [25/01/1949] was convicted of 10 charges of indecent assault on a male person relating to four victims between 1974 and 1979. 

Source: Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) published on this website Tuesday 21 April 2026 by Jill Powell

A nursery practitioner has been jailed for the gross negligence manslaughter of a 14-month-old toddler who died after being suffocated while staff tried to make him fall asleep.

Toddler Noah Sibanda died at Fairytales Day Nursery on 9 December 2022 having been physically restrained face down on a cushion, with a blanket over his face and a leg placed over him.

Nursery practitioner Kimberley Cookson, 23, was today jailed for three years and four months at Wolverhampton Crown Court after previously pleading guilty to gross negligence manslaughter. This related to her conduct in making Noah sleep. 

Fairytales Day Nursery Limited was fined £240,000 after it previously admitted one count of corporate manslaughter and a Health and Safety at Work Act offence. It was also ordered to pay £56,000 in costs. 

Director and business owner Debbie Latewood, 55, was sentenced to six months' imprisonment, suspended for two years. She previously admitted a Health and Safety at Work Act offence on the basis that she did not know children were being put down to sleep in this dangerous way, though should have known. She was also disqualified from being a director for seven years. 

The incident was captured on CCTV at the nursey, and showed Noah was tightly wrapped in a sleeping bag, had a blanket placed over his head, and was laid face down to sleep by Cookson.

She held him in place face down on a soft cushion and restrained him with her leg for some of that time, in what appeared to be an effort to make him sleep when he did not want to. After a considerable duration, it was noticed that he was not breathing, and the emergency services were called. Noah was pronounced dead at hospital.

Alex Johnson, Senior Specialist Prosecutor within the Crown Prosecution Service’s Special Crime Division, said: 

“This case has been deeply distressing and represents every parent’s worst nightmare whenever they leave their young child at a nursery. Noah Sibanda should have been safe in the care of professionals entrusted with his wellbeing. He lost his life as a result of reckless and dangerous sleeping practices which posed an obvious and serious risk of harm.

“The evidence in this case, including CCTV footage and expert medical findings, showed that Noah was placed to sleep in a way that severely restricted his ability to breathe and move. The prosecution case was that these practices created a suffocating environment, from which a 14-month-old child, was clearly unable to escape.

“Fairytales Day Nursery Limited has now accepted criminal responsibility for the systemic failures that led to this tragedy, and Deborah Latewood has also acknowledged that the failings occurred under her management and oversight. Kimberley Cookson has also taken responsibility for her harmful actions.

“Nursery providers have a fundamental duty to protect the children in their care. This case underscores the devastating consequences of what happens when that duty is breached. Our thoughts remain with Noah’s family, who have endured an unimaginable loss.” 
 

Source: Ofcom published on this website Wednesday 22 April 2026 by Jill Powell

Ofcom are investigating whether the provider of Telegram, Telegram Messenger Inc. has failed, or is failing to comply with its illegal content safety duties under the Online Safety Act 2023 in respect of Child Sexual Abuse Material. 

Part 3 of the Online Safety Act 2023 (‘the Act’) imposes illegal content safety duties (‘Illegal Content Duties’) on providers of regulated user‑to‑user (‘U2U’) services. In summary, these duties require providers to operate their services using proportionate systems and processes designed to:

• prevent individuals from encountering priority illegal content – including Child Sexual Abuse Material (CSAM) – by means of the service;
• effectively mitigate and manage the risk of the service being used to facilitate the commission of a priority offence, including offences around the sharing of CSAM; and,
• minimise the length of time for which any priority illegal content is present and swiftly take it down when they are made aware of its presence.

Regulated U2U service providers can comply with the Illegal Content Duties by implementing measures recommended in Ofcom’s illegal content Codes of Practice for user-to-user services issued on 24 February 2025 (the ‘Codes of Practice’), or through alternative measures.

These duties came into effect on 17 March 2025.

Ofcom has on 21 April 2026, opened an investigation into Telegram Messenger Inc., as the provider of Telegram, to investigate whether it has failed, or is failing, to comply with the Illegal Content Duties in respect of CSAM pursuant to Section 10 of the Act. 

They have gathered evidence regarding the alleged presence and sharing of CSAM on Telegram, including from their own assessment of the platform, and from the Canadian Centre for Child Protection.  

Ofcom’s Online Safety Enforcement Guidance sets out how Ofcom will normally approach enforcement under the Act. This includes our approach to information gathering and analysis and the procedural steps Ofcom must take to fairly determine the outcome of the investigation.

Where Ofcom identify compliance failures, they can impose fines of up to £18 million or 10% of qualifying worldwide revenue (whichever is greater). In the most serious cases of non-compliance, and where appropriate given risks of harm to individuals in the UK, they can seek a court order to require third parties to take action to disrupt the business of the provider. This may require third parties (such as providers of payment or advertising services, or Internet Service Providers) to withdraw services from, or block access to, a regulated service in the UK.

Ofcom will provide an update on this investigation in due course. 

Source: Department for Education published on this website Monday 20 April 2026 by Jill Powell

Vulnerable young people leaving the care system will be better supported following a review launched by the government today into the deaths of care leavers.

This is in response to the horrifying fact that a disproportionate number of young people who have been in care die young, often in complex circumstances and without support from social workers and others. The government is determined to change this as part of wider efforts to improve the lives of young people, breaking down barriers to opportunity and enabling them to succeed.

Data published in May 2025 showed 91 notifications of care leaver deaths in 2024–25, with the majority aged between 16 and 21. This number is unacceptably high and a serious problem which impacts wider society.

The review into some of these cases will be led by experienced social worker Clare Chamberlain and care-experienced author and broadcaster Ashley John-Baptiste.

Together, they bring a wealth of experience and expertise about the huge challenges which young people face both in and out of the care system. 

The review will focus on young people’s experiences, who and what mattered to them, and identify what more could have been done to support them.

It forms part of wider action to strengthen support for care leavers, including through the landmark Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill to enable them to thrive in adult life..

The Bill will introduce new duties on local authorities to provide “Staying Close” support up to age 25, helping care leavers find places to live, get jobs and access vital services including for health, education, training and relationships advice. 

The Bill will also introduce new corporate parenting responsibilities for public sector bodies to ensure they take support care leavers and take their needs into account when designing policies and delivering services.

Minister for Children and Families, Josh MacAlister, said:

“Far too many young people who have been in care face massive challenges in adult life. The fact that many have died far too early is truly shocking and must change.

“This review will help us understand what is going wrong and, crucially, what more we can do to protect and support young people as they leave care. We owe it to every child in our care system to ensure they have the network of loving relationships they need to thrive.

“The independent experts will begin their work immediately, with findings and recommendations to be shared later this year. Lessons will be embedded into the government’s forthcoming Enduring Relationships Programme, which will put the need to support enduring relationships for children in care at the heart of government policy.”

Ashley John-Baptiste said:

“As someone who grew up in care, it troubles me deeply that so many care experienced people have died so early. I can’t overstate how important this work is. I hope our efforts will provide the critical insights and learning needed - so that we can do better for our precious care experienced young people.”

Clare Chamberlain said:

“In undertaking this work we hope to hear not just from professionals, but from family and friends who were close to the young person, so that we can get a good understanding of what mattered most in their lives and what could have been different.”

The Department for Education has already taken steps to improve understanding of care leaver mortality. Since December 2023, local authorities have been expected to report the deaths of care leavers through the Serious Incident Notification system.

The next annual data release is expected in Spring 2026, with further work underway to improve the quality and consistency of reporting.

Alongside these reviews, the government is strengthening mental health support for children in care. A three-year pilot announced in December 2025 will bring together social workers and NHS professionals to provide earlier, more joined-up mental health support to children and families.