Council accepts inquiry findings into serial abuser Sean Bell

Officials at Edinburgh council were criticised for failing to act on formal allegations about Sean Bell's conduct

Councillors have unanimously accepted the recommendations of an inquiry into a senior social worker at the centre of abuse allegations covering 30 years.

Sean Bell, 58, was facing criminal charges when he was found dead in 2020.

Earlier this week, an independent probe found he was protected by an "old boys network" at Edinburgh City Council.

Meanwhile, his stepdaughter Emma Barrie told the BBC's Reporting Scotland it was a huge relief to finally be listened to and believed.

The inquiry was commissioned in October last year by council chief executive Andrew Kerr following complaints about Bell's historical behaviour.

• Senior social worker was serial abuser, report finds

In her report, Susanne Tanner QC recommended reforming the council's system of investigation relating to sexual allegations, domestic abuse, physical violence, stalking or harassment to make sure that it was independent and impartial.

She said managers should also be given mandatory training on domestic abuse, coercive control and dealing with individuals making complaints of a potentially criminal nature.

An appropriate redress scheme, without admission of liability, will also be set up to compensate those who were abused by Bell.

'Horrific experiences'

Mr Kerr said: "Once again I want to offer my deepest sympathies to all the survivors of Sean Bell who suffered abuse at his hands over so many years, including those who came forward to speak to the independent inquiry and those who may not have felt able to do so.

"The report lays bare the extent of his abuse and the terrible and long-lasting impact it had, and continues to have, on their lives.

"I want to apologise to them on behalf of the council - this should never have happened."

Mr Kerr said the council would now move quickly to put in place a plan to implement the recommendations, which would go before the council next month.

Council leader Adam McVey said: "I want to thank the survivors for the courage, sincerity and perseverance in sharing their horrific experiences.

"I also want to apologise to them on behalf of all councillors in light of their appalling experiences, which the independent inquiry has highlighted."

Mr Bell had been an Edinburgh City Council social worker for 30 years, rising to a senior position in the children and families department.

He was found dead in Edinburgh last August after taking his own life.

'Lecherous and predatory'

Bell was due in court the following month to face charges connected to historical physical, sexual and verbal abuse.

His death signalled the end of any criminal investigations but it led to the council commissioning an independent investigation into his behaviour and the way the council had handled complaints against him.

During the inquiry, the team spoke to more than 50 witnesses and reviewed over 70,000 emails.

They discovered a man who was described as "lecherous" and predatory" in his attitude towards female colleagues.

There were also five separate occasions since the 1990s, when three separate women came forward to say they had been the target of sexual and physical abuse by Mr Bell.

They would have had a reasonable expectation that action would be taken as result of their information but either that did not happen, or the action fell short.

A fifth complaint in June 2020 ultimately led to police action.

'Untouchable' power

Bell's stepdaughter Emma Barrie was one of those abused by him.

She had been allocated her own social worker due to other problems in her life.

"I spilled my guts to her about what had been happening over the last three years since I was about 18 and I told her who he was and what he did for a living and she was shocked," she said.

But a week later, her social worker told her the information she had passed on would go no further and would not be recorded in her social work records.

"I was gobsmacked that nothing happened," she said. "I feel angry, hurt and upset. I feel they believed Sean over me without even thinking to look into it any further.

"The power that man seemed to have within those city council walls was immense and untouchable."

Ms Barrier she had spent years terrified of Bell.

"When he killed himself it became quite obvious to me just how much I would scan streets," she said. "Anywhere I went there was always that anxiety of bumping into him and that's not there any more."

"There are no winners here. In some ways I wish I could have had my chance in court so he had to answer questions because I had to answer lots of questions - whereas he was charged and within four weeks he was dead."