Abuse Lawyer Calls For Strong Reaction To ‘Horrific’ Case

By Rob Dixon

The serious case review into the handling of concerns over the welfare of murdered four-year-old Daniel Pelka must provide answers over the actions of authorities in the case which can lead to improvements in child protection, an abuse lawyer has urged.

A jury at Birmingham Crown Court unanimously found Daniel’s mother Magdelena Luczak and his stepfather Mariusz Krezolek guilty of his murder, with the trial revealing the child was starved and subjected to horrific abuse prior to his death in Coventry in March 2012.

Following the verdict this week, Coventry’s Safeguarding Children Board has confirmed a serious case review will report findings within six weeks and will examine specifically the contact that authorities had with the family and whether more could have been done to protect Daniel.

According to reports, specific concerns related to why social services and police were not involved after his school noticed marks on the child’s neck in January 2012, as well as apparent black eyes in February 2012.

Luke Daniels, a legal expert at Irwin Mitchell’s Birmingham office who specialises in providing support to victims and the families of those affected by abuse, said: “This is clearly a truly horrific and shocking case which has highlighted a hugely worrying series of events, as well as the need for answers over several key points.

“It is now absolutely vital that the review into the handling of this case provides comprehensive answers over the actions of social services and the police, as well as any possible indications as to how steps could be taken to prevent this terrible set of circumstances from ever emerging again.

“What is perhaps most worrying is that this case follows a number of reviews into other high-profile incidents in the past when children have suffered horrendous abuse, where the ultimate hope has been that lessons would be learned to improve the safeguarding of youngsters.

“Everything possible needs to be done to ensure that children can be protected from harm in the future.”

Read more about Irwin Mitchell's expertise in relation to Child Abuse claims