Charity criticised for employing convicted killer

Rashid Zaman started working with children in 2021, and carried on doing so despite being added to the barred list in 2023

A charity which employed a convicted murderer and allowed him to work with children for nearly two years despite him being banned from doing so made a "serious error", a regulator has found.

A report by the Charity Commission said it had reviewed evidence about Rashid Zaman, 44, from Bradford, who had worked for St Giles Trust, visiting schools and children's homes, after his release from a prison sentence for his part in killing a man in Halifax in 2001.

St Giles trustees had "breached their duties and responsibilities" and put children "at risk of harm", the report found.

In a statement, St Giles Trust said it welcomed the advice from the Charity Commission and had since made improvements.

Earlier this year, a BBC investigation found that a Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) certificate issued in 2021 did not prevent Zaman from working with youngsters, but a second one which was issued in 2023 did.

It is an offence for someone on a barred list to undertake "regulated activity" with a group from which they are barred. They may face a fine or a jail sentence of up to five years.

People on barred lists can still do up to three days of teaching or training with children in any 30-day period, in certain circumstances. It is not clear whether Zaman exceeded these limits.

Rashid Zaman was pictured working for St Giles Trust alongside West Yorkshire Police at Ossett bus station in August 2023

The Charity Commission said as a result of an "operational failure" by St Giles Trust, which is one of nearly 1,500 registered charities in England and Wales working with ex-offenders across the country to help rebuild their lives, no action was taken to stop Zaman from continuing in his role until December 2024.

The BBC found that by then he had been in contact with 28 children.

It was at this point that an HR officer reviewed the DBS certificate, reported it to the charity's senior management and Zaman was dismissed.

The commission opened a regulatory compliance case to gather more information, and met with the charity's trustees to find out what action had already been taken, and to check safeguarding policies and procedures.

The regulator said it conducted a full internal investigation and that the trust had since made a number of changes to its DBS and Risk Assessment policy, bringing in measures to ensure all DBS results were checked twice.

The report stated that the commission would not take further action due to the charity's response.

'Above and beyond'

Chris Sladen, the Charity Commission's head of regulatory compliance casework, said St Giles Trust had made "a serious error which should never have been allowed to happen".

"This case demonstrates that if problems do arise, the way trustees respond makes all the difference," he said.

St Giles Trust said it welcomed the advice and guidance from the Charity Commission after learning no further action would be taken and that the case was closed.

In response to the findings, a trust spokesperson said the charity "had taken the opportunity to go above and beyond the guidance" by improving its systems, policies and training in relation to safeguarding.

It added that the trust was confident it was "now in an even stronger position to deliver the very best service for our clients".

The BBC understands that Zaman was arrested earlier this year.

West Yorkshire Police said it was "continuing to investigate a report of alleged offending made to us and legal proceedings remain active".