John Humphreys: Sex abuse scandal sparks child safeguarding review

John Humphreys was the mayor of Exmouth from 2010 to 2012 and a councillor for 12 years

A council has voted unanimously to make improvements to child safeguarding in the wake of a child sex abuse scandal.

Members of East Devon District Council voted on Tuesday on a report into the council's handling of abuse allegations against a former councillor.

Ex-politician John Humphreys is currently serving 21 years in prison for sexually abusing two boys.

The council's safeguarding lead was not told about the allegations when he was arrested in 2016, the report found.

This meant Humphreys stayed in office for three years while under police investigation, without a safeguarding risk assessment.

He was also given a civic honour when he stood down from his position in 2019.

Humphreys was made an alderman by East Devon District Council while under criminal investigation

Speaking outside the meeting, council leader Paul Arnott said changes were needed.

He said: "The key issue to me is that if a report comes into this council at a senior level that a councillor has been investigated, that it isn't confined to just one officer to deal with.

"What we have just resolved is that our safeguarding lead must be informed as a priority. For whatever reason, and we do not understand that yet, in 2016 our safeguarding lead was not told.

"For me that is unsatisfactory and there will be further internal works to look at quite how that happened."

Humphreys, a former Conservative councillor, was jailed in 2021 for 21 years for what a judge called "shocking acts of sexual violence" against two boys before he was elected.

Timeline of events:

• Humphreys was first questioned by police in 2005 but police did not find sufficient evidence for a prosecution.

• Humphreys was also an Exmouth Town Council member and became mayor of Exmouth in 2010.

• Following a complaint by a second victim, Humphreys was arrested in 2016 before being released on bail on suspicion of sex crimes against children.

• He continued to be an East Devon Council member until May 2019, eventually being awarded the honorary title of alderman by the council in December 2019.

• Following his conviction in August 2021, the council removed his title and said it was to review the alderman process.

Councillors also voted unanimously to press Devon and Cornwall Police for more information about who in the local authority was informed about the allegations.

Devon County Council, which has a statutory role in managing allegations against adults working with children, will also be invited by East Devon District Council to discuss questions about how the John Humphreys case was handled.

The report into the council's handling of the allegations was carried out by management consultancy firm Verita.

The council has asked for government help to mend fractious relationships with its staff following its handling of the case.

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