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Police 'apology' to abuse victim Police admit abuse 'negligence'
(about 1 hour later)
The family of a Cardiff three-year-old girl assaulted by a paedophile say police have apologised and stopped opposing a civil claim for negligence.The family of a Cardiff three-year-old girl assaulted by a paedophile say police have apologised and stopped opposing a civil claim for negligence.
The youngster was snatched from her home by Craig Sweeney, 24, who was on early release for another attack.The youngster was snatched from her home by Craig Sweeney, 24, who was on early release for another attack.
Her family said a series of errors by South Wales Police meant Sweeney was only caught several hours later in January 2006, by another police force.Her family said a series of errors by South Wales Police meant Sweeney was only caught several hours later in January 2006, by another police force.
South Wales Police have been asked to comment. South Wales Police said: "We did not do everything we could have done.
More details to follow. Sweeney - who was known to the family - had snatched the girl from her home after she had returned home from a shopping trip and while her mother made a telephone call.
He drove her to his Newport flat where he was living after being released early from a three-year sentence for indecently assaulting a girl aged six.
The family of the three-year-old girl said Sweeney had not been recalled to prison despite being accused of violence towards another man and of inappropriate touching of a child.
It is very difficult to forgive given the callous way in which we as a family were treated but we owe it to our daughter to move on Victim's father
Two days later, his early release licence expired and he abducted the girl.
The family say they reacted "within seconds," making 999 calls and giving the police Sweeney's name and a description of his car.
They maintain police knew within 15 minutes of the abduction that Sweeney was on the Violent and Sexual Offenders Register and had a conviction for indecent assault on a six-year-old girl.
'Final insult'
But, they said, an "incredible series of errors by South Wales Police" meant Sweeney was only arrested three hours later when Wiltshire Police traffic officers saw a car with no lights on drive through red lights.
By this time, he had abused the girl in his flat and twice more in his car.
The Independent Police Complaints Commission (IPCC) later described Sweeney's crime as "monstrous," saying had there been prompt and appropriate action by South Wales Police, part of the child's ordeal may have been prevented.
The victim's family had said a £9,000 compensation offer was "the final insult" to their daughter.
They launched a civil action against the force for negligence and failing to protect her daughter from inhuman and degrading treatment.
Sweeney abducted his victim from her family home in Rumney
The family said South Wales Police had "finally accepted responsibility for their errors" and agreed to "substantial" compensation for the girl without "having to go through a traumatic civil trial".
The girl's father said: "We are pleased that South Wales police have recognised that they failed our daughter on the night of 2 January 2006 and that she should be compensated for that failure.
"Had it not been for the officers of Wiltshire police, our daughter would probably not be alive today.
"South Wales police should have backed down as soon as we started the claim so that we did not have to go through the court process.
"It is very difficult to forgive given the callous way in which we as a family were treated but we owe it to our daughter to move on. She is a wonderful little girl with so much ahead of her".
South Wales Police Assistant Chief Constable David Morris said: "South Wales Police fully recognises that we fell short of our usual high standards and we did not do everything we could have done to protect [the girl] on the night.
"I again apologise to the little girl and her family for the way in which we initially responded to this incident.
'Kidnap and abduction'
"I would like to stress that we have learnt from the way the incident was initially handled and robust procedures have been put in place to train our officers and staff to a high level.
"In the past three years, well over 50 officers from Inspector rank upwards have undertaken a bespoke training course on kidnap and abduction.
"In addition, we have incorporated the findings of the IPCC investigation into our critical incident training which is mandatory for all sergeants and inspectors and over 100 officers have received this specially designed input."