Fears over paedophile Mik Smith date back 10 years

Fears over the behaviour of a paedophile were raised nearly a decade before he was jailed for sexually abusing a boy and filming it.

Youth worker Mik Smith, 49, from Haverforwest, was sacked by Pembrokeshire council in 2012 but went on to abuse the boy in 2013.

The victim's mother said if the council had properly investigated complaints in 2005 her son may not have been abused.

Last week, Smith was jailed for six years at Swansea Crown Court.

"If people had taken the time and the care to do their jobs properly, what we've been through might have been avoided," the boy's mother told BBC Wales programme Week In Week Out.

Smith filmed the abuse he carried out on the boy

"We've been through hell. We're still going through it."

She wants an inquiry into how the council handled the complaints - and wants its chief executive Bryn Parry Jones to go.

"He is in a position of huge responsibility for the people of Pembrokeshire who need to live in a safe way," she said.

"He shouldn't keep his job, no - not at all."

In 2005, whistleblower Sue Thomas warned the council Smith was behaving inappropriately with children and could pose a risk.

But he was only given a verbal warning at the time.

"I still can't get my head round it because there were so many good hard working professional people that came forward with complaints," she said.

"I cannot understand why we were not listened to."

Children's Commissioner for Wales Keith Towler wants the 2005 case reopened to determine whether children were left at risk.

'Serious allegations'

'I'll take a look at it because I think what you're [Week In Week Out] raising there are very serious allegations," he said.

"If I take the view that things that happened to children in the past could help to improve the lives of children today then I certainly have powers and remit to take look at it."

Council chief Mr Jones said the 2005 investigation revealed no evidence of criminality but, since then, the council had changed its procedures and management of the education department.

He said past failings would not be repeated.

Week In Week Out: The Monster the Council Failed to Stop Tuesday 15 July BBC One Wales, 22:35 BST.

Reporter Tim Rogers spoke to the victim's mother, who cannot be identified