An autonomous report has found that Southampton Football Club left a pedophile youth mentor “allowed to proceed” his maltreatment of young men. Sway Higgins was imprisoned for a very long time in 2019 for physically contacting students during the 1970s and 1980s.
A report by Barnardo’s, appointed by the club, said its board ought to have followed up on bits of gossip about Higgins, which “appeared to be overflowing. The club said it had “no justifiable reason” for the inability to act.
Higgins was viewed entirely blameworthy of 46 counts of offensive attack on 24 casualties. Overwhelmingly Southampton and Peterborough United students, somewhere in the range of 1971 and 1996. Previous learners portrayed being manhandled during rubs, in Higgins’ vehicle, at instructional courses. And keeping in mind that remaining at his home.
Among its decisions, the kids’ foundation report found there was “no administrative oversight” of young men remaining for the time being at Higgins’ home. And the load up had been “careless” in not resolving the issue. It said the board was submitted mindful of a question against Higgins in 1979. Right away before he left the club for a period, yet there was no detail accessible regarding its tendency or the club’s reaction.
The report likewise said a letter from the executive of the Football Association in 1987 raised issues. That would have caused “anxiety.”
Higgins completely maltreated Jamie Webb, Dean Radford, Lee Smith, and Greg Llewellyn.
It said the load up “made no move, leaving young men powerless and Higgins allowed to keep maltreating them.” Notwithstanding statements despite what might be expected. The board, as well as the executives, should eventually have heard or been recounted about stories flowing with regards to Higgins and on the off chance that this was thus, they neglected to make any move to see if there could be any substance to the reports,” it said.
“By not doing as such, either deliberately or as a matter of course. The club neglected to put the wellbeing and government assistance of young men concerned first.”
It said it couldn’t close with complete confidence who had some familiarity with the bits of gossip. And that the young men themselves didn’t report maltreatment to different grown-ups.
Higgins left the club fourteen days after Dave Merrington, who was the adolescent group administrator. Caught players making “alarming remarks” about him in April 1989.
Barnado’s report said when his supposed sexual maltreatment of young men was brought to the board’s consideration. It didn’t promptly illuminate the police something it called an “emotional let-down” for those involved.
It said the club “tirelessly fizzled in practicing an obligation of care” towards the young men. “This left them and other young men helpless against continuous maltreatment by Higgins. Which affected upon their lives as kids and the grown-ups they became,” it said.