WAKEFIELD OFFENDERS DAVID CANNON AND JOHN SCARFE SENT TO PRISON FOR ABUSING BOY
In a deeply troubling case that has shocked the community of Wakefield, Yorkshire, two men, David Cannon and John Scarfe, have been convicted and sentenced for their involvement in the sexual abuse of a young boy, Andy Cannon, who was adopted by David Cannon in 1997.The case has uncovered a long history of neglect and failure by social services, which ignored repeated warnings and complaints from Andy and his mother over several years.
Andy Cannon, now 23 years old, endured years of abuse at the hands of his adoptive father, David Cannon, and his partner, John Scarfe.
Despite numerous reports and pleas for help, social workers repeatedly dismissed his allegations, labeling him as an unruly child and failing to take appropriate action.
Instead of protecting him, authorities returned Andy to the same household where he was subjected to ongoing abuse, even praising David Cannon as a 'very caring parent' in official reports.
The report, which spans 160 pages and was authored by Patrick Ayre, a leading expert in child abuse negligence cases, criticizes Wakefield social services for their 'folly and gross misjudgement.' It highlights the fragmentary and censored nature of the case records, which obscured critical details and hindered justice.
The report questions the rationale behind considering the possibility of returning Andy to his father’s care, given the serious concerns about violence and sexual advances from John Scarfe, which should have been evident to social workers.
Throughout his ordeal, Andy was subjected to drugging with Ecstasy and cannabis before being molested by David Cannon and John Scarfe.
His repeated attempts to report the abuse were ignored, and at one point, he was wrongly diagnosed with mental disorders and prescribed anti-psychotic medication.
The situation escalated until Andy was readmitted into council care following a domestic incident, during which he managed to convince a foster carer that he was being abused.
In May 2006, both David Cannon, aged 54, and John Scarfe, aged 31, were sentenced to 30 months in prison after being found guilty of inciting sexual activity with a child.
Their crimes included causing or encouraging a male under 16 to engage in sexual acts and taking indecent photographs of a child.
The court also ordered them to register as sex offenders and banned them from working with children for life.
Following a legal battle that lasted five years, Andy Cannon was awarded £25,000 in compensation after suing Wakefield social services for their mishandling of his case over a seven-year period.
Now residing in Barnsley, South Yorkshire, Andy has chosen to speak publicly about his traumatic experiences, waiving his right to anonymity.
He expressed his feelings about the case, stating, "I’ve got no problems with anyone being gay as long as they don’t do what my dad did to me.
That goes for heterosexual couples too.
The council should have been there to prevent this from happening but they would rather just sweep it under the carpet." Andy shared his ongoing struggles, revealing that he has attempted suicide multiple times and suffered a breakdown four years ago.
Despite the convictions, he feels the pain of his past still lingers, and he worries about the impact on his future.
His primary motivation now is his children and his girlfriend, Redeana, who is 23 and expecting their third child.
The case also revealed troubling details about David Cannon’s past, including a prior conviction for assaulting Andy’s mother, Elaine Moss, and possession of cannabis and stolen property.
Despite these allegations, social workers failed to bring the accusations to the family court’s attention, instead describing Cannon as a caring parent who prioritized his children’s needs.
Andy recounted that he first experienced sexual abuse around the age of nine, coinciding with his father’s relationship with men, which was not explained to him or his siblings.
He described the abuse as ongoing, with physical violence often preceding the sexual assaults.
His attempts to seek help were met with disbelief, and his pleas were ignored for years.
In August 2004, Andy ran away from home and filed a complaint, which led to his return to David Cannon’s care nine days later.
However, he was eventually placed with a different foster carer after persuading social workers that he was being abused.
The legal proceedings culminated in the 2006 convictions, which brought some measure of justice but could not undo the profound damage inflicted.
Jim Crook, the interim Corporate Director for Wakefield Council’s Family Services, issued an apology, acknowledging the failures and promising that lessons had been learned.
He assured the public that the council’s procedures for adoption and handling allegations had been strengthened, emphasizing their commitment to safeguarding children and ensuring such tragedies do not recur.
