OUR story about a 12-year-old girl who was raped four times is truly shocking.

Last week we examined the background to how this youngster was so woefully let down by the authorities. It doesn’t make for pleasant reading. 

We tell how a serious case review into the circumstances of the girl, who we can only name as Julia, identified 25 failings and missed opportunities to help her by Thurrock Council’s social services. 

Julia, who has learning difficulties, was raped on four occasions and told social workers how she had sex with up to 20 other people.

Much of this abuse was up to the age of 12, yet amazingly her case was closed, twice, and she was not placed under a child protection plan until three years later.

The case has been described as a “catalogue of incredible failures and missed opportunities”. This seems to be something of an understatement.

Stephen Metcalfe, MP for South Basildon and East Thurrock, rightly says the authorities should challenge everything they are told and always act to protect potentially vulnerable individuals.

This clearly didn’t happen here.

As yet, no one from social services has given us an explanation or their views on what happened, or said sorry.

At the very least someone should give assurances about how it will never happen again.

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