Alfie Steele: Murderer threatened to torture grandmother over concerns

Alfie loved sport and would watch Worcester Warriors play with his grandfather

The grandmother of Alfie Steele has described how the boy's killer threatened to torture her to death after she raised concerns about his behaviour towards the nine-year-old.

A BBC investigation found 64 calls to police and social services were made with concerns for Alfie, who was "sadistically" murdered in 2021.

A review has set out how agencies missed opportunities to help him.

Worcestershire Safeguarding Children Partnership said it had apologised.

Concerns had been raised by friends, family, neighbours, school staff and members of the community, according to the partnership's report.

Alfie's grandmother Alaina Scott said people had spoken up despite aggression and threats by her grandson's killer Dirk Howell.

He had threatened to burn a neighbour's home down in 2020 after they shared concerns, the report said.

"People tried and when they were threatened people continued to try and help, but they were threatened again," Mrs Scott said.

"He [said he] was going to torture me to death."

People had taken "great risks" to help protect Alfie and more should have been done when they were threatened by Howell, the report said.

Alfie's grandfather Paul Scott said he would like to thank members of the public who had tried to help by making reports about Howell.

"If you hear any of this, I say thank you for your part to try to stop it, but it didn't get stopped," he added.

Before Alfie died in 2021 after being held under freezing bath water, he had been subjected to months of brutal punishment by his mother Carla Scott and her partner Howell.

The nine-year-old was found to have more than 50 injuries on his body.

In 2023, 41-year-old Howell, of Princip Street, Birmingham, was found guilty of murder and Carla Scott, of Vashon Drive, Droitwich, was convicted of his manslaughter,

Freedom of Information requests by the BBC discovered Worcestershire County Council was contacted 36 times between 2018 and 2020 by people who were concerned about Alfie's welfare.

West Mercia Police were contacted 28 times during the same period.

Alfie Steele died after being held under water as punishment

Friday's report sets out how professionals knew of Howell's aggressive and abusive behaviour, but thought it appropriate he continued to have contact with Alfie.

Carla Scott was asked by social services to supervise the contact between her son and Howell which was "just wrong," said Mr Scott.

"She didn't even sort out a proper meals for Alfie," he said.

"So they're going to give responsibility to someone who can't even sort out food."

• Alfie Steele: How events before his death unfolded

• The sports-mad boy killed by brutal punishments

Alfie's grandparents said they felt the concerns they had raised with social services had not been taken seriously.

"We could never get communication with them, even to talk about any aspect," said Mr Scott.

"You'd ring them and they just wouldn't bother ringing back."

'They acted like it was our fault'

He said the couple had researched the criminal past of Howell on the internet and flagged it to social workers before the child's death.

"We were told they knew about it and that they were sorting things," he said.

"So they knew that he was involved in drugs, they knew that all these things were going on."

At times "social services acted like it was our fault [with] the way that they were fighting us," he said.

The couple also described how they were only given a copy of the safeguarding report 45 minutes before it was made public on Friday.

In a previous visit, the council's director of children's services had shown them a piece of paper which included recommendations but did not allow the family to see the report in full or keep the information.

"We want the right people to admit that they made mistakes. We want them to learn," added Mr Scott.

The nine-year-old died in 2023

Alfie's grandparents said they still wanted answers and were keen to speak to other families whose loved ones were murdered by their carers.

Mr Scott said: "Children are the future of society. If we keep letting them down what future do we have?

"We've got to do what we can to try and make sure this doesn't happen to any other children - to any other families."

Eight recommendations for agencies were made in the report and there is an ongoing investigation by the Independent Office for Police Conduct into the West Mercia force's involvement.

Steve Eccleston, independent chair of Worcestershire Safeguarding Children's Partnership, said: "Aspects of our response to Alfie, both as a single agency and collectively, fell short of what Alfie needed and what Alfie deserved.

"For that, I would like to apologise."

The report had made "uncomfortable reading", he said, but the clear objectives and recommendations were welcomed.

He said: "Often after a tragedy such as this people want reassurance that it will not happen again, and sadly we just cannot give that reassurance because we are dealing with people who mean harm to children."

Alfie's was a "rare case" where individuals were intent on causing harm, he added.

"On a day-to-day basis all around the country hundreds, if not thousands, of cases are going on," he said.

"That doesn't mean that lessons aren't being learned by improving practice, and reducing the risk of practice."

A spokesperson for the NSPCC, said: "It is devastating to be discussing yet another case review about the deliberate death of a child."

They added it was important to reflect on the learnings and help professionals to do everything possible to put the safety of the child at the heart of all plans.

"One thing to take away from this tragic case is the strength of Alfie's community, who reported their concerns, despite receiving threats."

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