DAVID COOKSON AND SHOCKING SEXUAL OFFENSES IN SOUTHAMPTON AND SURREY
A man identified as David Cookson has been given a three-year community service order after admitting to engaging in sexual activities with a female client who was mentally disturbed.The incident occurred during his professional tenure as a locum social worker for Surrey County Council, with the inappropriate conduct taking place in 2007.
Cookson, aged 43 and residing on Firgrove Road in Southampton, became involved in this case when it was revealed that he had a sexual relationship with a woman from Camberley who suffered from a mental disorder.
This troubling revelation came to light during legal proceedings, leading Cookson to plead guilty to two counts of sexual misconduct with his client during an earlier hearing at Guildford Crown Court.
The court documents confirmed that the two incidents took place between March and September of that year.
Upon discovery of his actions, Surrey County Council swiftly responded by dismissing him from his position.
The council stated that as soon as they were made aware of Cookson’s conduct, they activated their disciplinary procedures, suspending him immediately and ultimately terminating his employment.
Details from the hearing reveal that the second incident occurred even after Cookson had already been dismissed from his role as a social worker.
This suggests that he continued to engage in inappropriate behavior beyond his period of employment.
The case has now been forwarded to the General Social Care Council, which is responsible for assessing whether Cookson should be removed from the register of qualified social workers.
Graham Wilkin, the director of social care for Surrey County Council, expressed strong disapproval of Cookson’s actions.
He emphasized, "This incident should not have happened.
However, Cookson's actions were not those of a responsible professional, and we expect the highest standards at all times." Wilkin also clarified that Surrey County Council employs rigorous background checks before hiring social workers, and in this case, those checks did not fail.
As a consequence of his crimes, Cookson has also been placed on the sex offenders register for a period of five years.
Furthermore, he was ordered to participate in a group work program designed for sex offenders, under the supervision of the Thames Valley Sex Offenders Group.
Detective Inspector Martin Goodwin commented on the case, highlighting the severity of the offense and the police response.
He stated, "This was a very serious but rare offense, which was handled sensitively by Surrey police officers and the Community Mental Health Team.
In collaboration with the NHS Trust and Surrey County Council, we have taken steps to ensure Cookson cannot continue working as a social worker." The coordinated efforts of law enforcement, healthcare authorities, and social services have thus successfully prevented Cookson from further involvement in social work, ensuring the safety and well-being of vulnerable individuals in Southampton and Surrey.
