02 March 2023 , 13:06
912
0
A domestic violence victim fled to a women’s refuge, only to be repeatedly sexually assaulted by a male member of staff.
The woman, who wasn’t named, sought help from Shropshire Domestic Violence after she left an abusive partner.
But she ended up being sexually assaulted and allegedly raped over a number of months by a handyman who had lied about his qualifications.
Stephen Russell, from Kirkheaton, Huddersfield, met the victim just 48 hours into her time at the shelter where he was employed.
He had gained the confidence of staff, meaning he had access to confidential files about the women staying there.
Man in 30s dies after being stabbed in park sparking police probe
On top of that, the women, often vulnerable, had to meet with him to arrange accommodation and housing benefits.
Richard Scorer, from law firm Slater and Gordon represented the victim as she won compensation from Connexus (Slater and Gordon)Russell abused his position and used information he had access to to coerce the victim, and in 2015, a law firm representing her alleged he raped her over a period of several months.
He would enter the 21-year-old’s room under the guise of doing maintenance and repairs before committing the horrific crime.
Russell told the victim that he would contact her abusive ex-partner if she was not compliant with him and threatened to contact social services himself - who he said would believe him, not her.
In 2019, at Shrewsbury Crown Court, Russell, 52, pleaded guilty to the lesser charges of attempted rape and sexual assault, alongside one count of fraud, and was jailed for three-and-a-half years.
A claim was later brought on her behalf against the refuge - which was owned by Shropshire Housing Group at the time, and now managed by Connexus Homes Limited - on the basis that it employed Stephen Russell.
Her claim was settled in January, and she was paid an undisclosed sum in compensation.
Richard Scorer of Slater and Gordon, representing, said: “A women's refuge should be a place of sanctuary and safety for vulnerable women. In this shocking case, a predatory male sex offender was not only able to gain entry to the refuge but, incredibly, to get a job which gave him access to women's rooms and their personal records.
“Sadly, given the erosion of the principle that women's refuges should be women-only, it is unlikely to be a one-off. This case demonstrates that predatory male sex offenders will try to find and exploit any possible means to gain access to, and target, vulnerable women. In 25 years of dealing with sexual assault cases, I have seen this happen over and over again."
Richard added that his client would like to ensure the wider lessons of this case were learned, so the crimes were not repeated in the future.
Russian model killed after calling Putin a 'psychopath' was strangled by her ex
A spokesperson for Connexus, which now manages the refuge said: “We are committed to protecting the women and girls who use our domestic abuse services across Shropshire.
“We do not tolerate abuse or predatory behaviour of any kind in our workplaces or refuges, and our thoughts continue to be with the victim and their family.
“The offence took place before the refuge joined the Connexus group of companies. At the time Shropshire Housing Group, who owned and managed the refuge, did undertake an investigation and the staff member responsible was dismissed. The incident was also reported to the Police.
“Since being managed by Connexus, the service has undergone significant changes to the way it is managed and how it operates, and robust safeguarding measures are in place. We do not employ men in our domestic abuse services for women.”