A couple in Gloucestershire specifically sought to adopt an 'emotionally disturbed' child so they could sexually abuse them, a safeguarding report has revealed. The couple, known as Couple A, were jailed in 2018 for abusing two of their four adopted children, but the abuse had far-reaching consequences, including a second generation of abuse.
Couple A adopted the four siblings, who had already been abused by their birth parents, in the 1990s. Police described them as 'wealthy' and 'people you wouldn't suspect', with the woman being 'a pillar of the community and a church-goer with a very successful job'. Detective Sergeant Grace Craddock, who led the investigation, said they 'sought out children that were traumatised' to have access to children who would not be believed.
One of the siblings, along with her husband (Couple B), later abused two of their own children and were jailed in 2023 for a total of 17 years. The report highlights systemic failures, including a missed opportunity in 2010 when police did not prosecute Couple A despite one child alleging abuse and evidence of the father downloading indecent images of children.
School staff noticed 'significant sexualised behaviour' in Couple B's children but felt their concerns were dismissed by social services. A staff member, 'Pete', said: 'Their behaviour was screaming at us and that wasn't being taken account of.' The Gloucestershire Safeguarding Partnership report into the failings led to Operation Acorne, which saw 11 children taken into care and ultimately brought the abusers to justice.
