Michael Horsham

An Adelaide musician has been sentenced to almost eight years in prison after admitting sexual offences involving a 15-year-old girl and offences relating to child exploitation material. Ashley William Lovett, 38, met the teenage survivor through Tinder before sexually abusing her. Police subsequently discovered thousands of images and hundreds of videos of child exploitation material at his home, with further material identified during a later search. This case highlights two connected safeguarding concerns: adults using online platforms to establish relationships with children, and the continuing exploitation represented by the possession and circulation of abuse imagery. The harm doesn't end when the original abuse stops. Every retained or circulated image represents a continuing violation of the child's privacy and dignity. The case also raises questions about how online platforms identify underage users, respond to reports and prevent adults from exploiting opportunities for contact. We don't yet know whether the platform received earlier warnings or possessed information that could have prevented the offending. We shouldn't invent institutional failures where evidence hasn't established them. But platforms, regulators and law enforcement agencies all have responsibilities in reducing opportunities for online exploitation. The investigation also demonstrates why police must examine digital evidence thoroughly when direct sexual offending is identified. A prison sentence provides accountability. Identifying other potential survivors, preventing further exploitation and ensuring effective offender management are equally important. Are online platforms doing enough to prevent adults from using their services to establish sexual relationships with children? #TheRiskRegister

Six teenagers have now been charged following an alleged group assault on a 13-year-old boy at Coolamon Oval in Ellenbrook, Western Australia. The incident occurred on 1 November. The boy reportedly suffered concussion and other injuries after being attacked and threatened with a knife. Footage of the incident subsequently circulated on social media. There's an additional safeguarding concern here that deserves attention. When violence against a child is recorded and distributed online, the harm doesn't necessarily end when the physical assault stops. The survivor may face repeated exposure, humiliation, unwanted attention and the knowledge that strangers have viewed footage of their suffering. Preserving evidence for police is one thing. Sharing recordings for entertainment, intimidation or public outrage is quite another. We also need to understand whether there were earlier signs of escalating conflict, threats or intimidation that could have prompted intervention. The available evidence doesn't establish organised gang activity or previous institutional failures. Those conclusions would be premature. But schools, police, families and youth services must recognise that serious violence can develop through a combination of online intimidation and real-world confrontation. The six defendants are children themselves, and their identities and legal rights must be protected. Supporting the injured boy must never become an excuse for vigilantism against other young people. How much more attention should safeguarding services give to the recording and online circulation of violence between children? #TheRiskRegister

Two people have been arrested on suspicion of child neglect following concerns about conditions at Greenfields Day Nursery in Blackwood, Wales. The investigation followed a referral from Caerphilly County Borough Council. Care Inspectorate Wales had already suspended the nursery's registration on 20 October, citing concerns about children's safety. The nursery subsequently closed after its registration was cancelled. The case raises an important question: how effectively do childcare regulators, local authorities and providers respond when concerns about children's living and care environments emerge? Safeguarding isn't limited to preventing inappropriate contact or identifying grooming. Hygiene, environmental hazards, infection prevention and basic standards of care are equally important. Young children cannot reliably recognise or communicate many environmental dangers. They depend on adults to identify risks and take appropriate action. We need to understand when concerns first emerged, what management knew, how staff were able to report problems and whether regulators received information promptly. The police investigation must establish whether criminal neglect occurred. An arrest isn't a conviction, and regulatory action isn't proof of criminal wrongdoing. But whatever the eventual outcome, the regulatory chronology deserves examination. Were concerns identified early enough? Were protective measures proportionate? And did the arrangements work as intended? A nursery's responsibility is to provide safe care, not simply to remain operational. Should childcare regulators publish clearer accounts of the safeguarding concerns that lead to emergency registration suspensions, while protecting children and preserving active investigations? #TheRiskRegister

A Nottinghamshire man has been jailed for nine years and ten months after sexually exploiting and physically abusing a child. Lee Saxton, 41, first contacted the girl online in April 2025. He subsequently manipulated her into meeting him repeatedly, subjected her to abuse and used recordings to intimidate her into silence. But there's another deeply concerning aspect to this case. After his initial arrest in December 2025, Saxton was released on strict bail conditions intended to protect the girl. Police say he continued contacting her, attempted to persuade her to withdraw her allegations and resumed the abuse. This raises serious questions about how protective bail conditions are monitored and how quickly authorities can respond when an offender attempts to circumvent them. A child's apparent willingness to communicate with an offender must never be mistaken for consent or an absence of risk. Grooming, intimidation and emotional manipulation can continue long after an arrest. We need safeguarding arrangements that recognise this reality, with coordinated risk assessments, practical safety planning and effective responses to breaches. An arrest isn't the end of a safeguarding intervention. It's often the point at which continued protection becomes even more important. Are current arrangements sufficiently robust to protect children from offenders who continue their coercion while criminal proceedings are underway? #TheRiskRegister

A five-week-old baby boy died in Western Australia after suffering serious injuries that police allege were inflicted by his father. The infant was taken from a property in Kiara to a medical centre on 10 August before being transferred to Perth Children's Hospital. He died five days later. A 23-year-old man has now been charged with manslaughter. He also faces two assault charges involving a woman known to him, with police treating those alleged incidents as family violence-related. The charges remain unproven. For those of us working in safeguarding, cases involving very young babies demand particular attention. An infant cannot explain an injury, disclose abuse or seek help independently. Their protection depends entirely on adults recognising danger and acting appropriately. Healthcare professionals, police and child protection services must have clear procedures for identifying potentially non-accidental injuries, assessing household risks and sharing information when protective intervention is necessary. We don't yet know whether there were earlier warning signs, previous agency involvement or missed opportunities. It would be wrong to assume failures occurred without evidence. But where a baby dies following suspected abuse, any review of agency involvement should establish what was known, when it was known and whether the response was appropriate. The relationship between alleged family violence and child safety also deserves careful examination. Children can be at risk even when the first reported incident concerns violence against an adult. Should every infant death involving suspected abuse prompt a structured, independent examination of previous agency contact, with lessons made public wherever legally possible? #TheRiskRegister

A serving Victoria Police officer has appeared in court charged with offences involving alleged child abuse material. First Constable Brody Stewart, 29, faces charges relating to the alleged transmission of child abuse material and offensive use of a carriage service. The alleged conduct occurred while he was off duty in May 2025. He has reportedly been stood down following an internal investigation. The allegations remain unproven, and there's no established evidence that police resources, confidential records or official powers were used. But the case raises an important institutional safeguarding question. Police officers routinely encounter vulnerable children, investigate exploitation and handle highly sensitive information. Their professional responsibilities demand particularly robust standards of conduct, accountability and supervision. When allegations of this nature arise, a police organisation must be able to demonstrate how it assesses potential risks, protects sensitive information and separates criminal investigations from internal employment decisions. Standing an employee down may be an appropriate precaution, but it isn't a finding of guilt. Equally, an allegation involving off-duty conduct shouldn't automatically fall outside an organisation's safeguarding risk assessment. Victoria Police should have clear procedures for handling such cases, including independent scrutiny where appropriate. Should police forces be required to publish anonymised information about how they investigate serious safeguarding allegations against their own officers, including the protective measures taken while proceedings remain unresolved? #TheRiskRegister

A councillor elected to both Hampshire County Council and Portsmouth City Council has been charged with 35 criminal offences, including 12 counts of rape, offences involving indecent images of children and causing or inciting the sexual exploitation of a child. George Madgwick was serving as a Reform UK councillor when the charges were announced on 3 November. The allegations concern four complainants and alleged events between 2008 and 2021. He denies wrongdoing, and the charges remain unproven. Reform UK suspended him following the announcement. He has stepped down from his Hampshire group leadership position but remains an elected councillor. This raises an important safeguarding governance question that applies to EVERY political party, regardless of affiliation. What checks are carried out before candidates are selected? What are councillors required to disclose when serious criminal investigations arise? And what procedures exist to assess safeguarding risks when elected representatives hold positions involving children's services or access to sensitive information? Being charged doesn't establish guilt, and we mustn't imply that colleagues knew about allegations without evidence. Equally, the presumption of innocence doesn't remove an institution's responsibility to assess identifiable risks through lawful, proportionate procedures. Political parties and councils should have transparent safeguarding policies that operate consistently, regardless of political convenience. Should all political parties be required to publish their candidate-vetting and safeguarding escalation procedures, including how they respond when an elected representative faces serious allegations involving children? #TheRiskRegister

A former Essex maths teacher has now been convicted of 56 child sexual abuse offences involving 18 girls. Syed Shahreear Ahmed used fake online identities to groom children, some as young as 13, before arranging meetings and sexually abusing them. He was already serving a 20-year prison sentence when investigators uncovered further offending. The Metropolitan Police continued examining digital evidence, identifying another 12 survivors and securing 37 additional convictions. There's an important safeguarding lesson here. Ahmed was a trained teacher who understood safeguarding procedures, yet exploited children through online platforms and personal contact. Professional status and safeguarding training are not guarantees of safety. We need to understand whether earlier warning signs existed, whether concerns were appropriately shared and whether institutions had opportunities to intervene. Those questions require evidence, not assumptions about what schools or colleagues knew. The police deserve recognition for continuing their investigation after the initial conviction. But safeguarding must be about preventing abuse, not simply securing justice once multiple children have been harmed. Should every conviction involving an adult who has worked with children trigger a structured review of their previous access, safeguarding records and potential unidentified survivors? #TheRiskRegister