DAVID MASON'S HORRIFIC PAST EXPOSED IN KENT CHILD FOSTERING SCANDAL
In a shocking case that has sent ripples through the child welfare system in Kent, a convicted paedophile named David Mason was allowed to foster a child despite his well-documented history of abusing young boys.The incident has raised serious questions about the effectiveness of the local authority’s safeguarding procedures and the thoroughness of their background checks.
It has emerged that Kent County Council failed to conduct comprehensive identity verification or detailed background screening on Mason when he applied to become a foster carer.
Instead, only a superficial inspection of his residence was carried out following his application.
This oversight allowed Mason, who is now in his 50s, to pass through the system undetected, despite his known criminal record and history of sexual offenses.
The case came under intense scrutiny after a High Court judge, Mr.
Justice Baker, publicly criticised the council’s handling of the matter.
During a judgment delivered behind closed doors last month, the judge expressed concern that proper checks could have revealed Mason’s true identity and his past crimes.
He urged Kent County Council to 'urgently review its practice,' emphasizing the importance of learning lessons from this failure to prevent similar incidents in the future.
In response to the revelations, Kent County Council issued a public apology, acknowledging that their care and attention in this case 'was not good enough.' The authority admitted that their procedures had fallen short and pledged to implement substantial improvements to their child protection services.
Malcolm Newsam, the interim director of families and social care at Kent, stated, 'What happened in this case is deeply regrettable.
We have been absolutely focused on recognising our shortcomings and weaknesses.
A plan to make sure substantial improvements are made to the services we provide to children in Kent is already being actioned.' Further investigation revealed that during the height of the crisis in Kent’s child protection system, approximately 2,700 cases had not been assigned to dedicated social workers, highlighting systemic issues within the department.
Mason’s ability to adopt a new identity was facilitated by assistance from his local Member of Parliament, who helped him obtain a new National Insurance number.
Mason convinced the MP that he was suffering from amnesia, deliberately omitting the fact that he was wanted by police in Scotland for sexual offences.
With the support of the MP’s letter, Mason also managed to secure an extension on his rented accommodation.
His true identity was only uncovered in July 2009 after allegations unrelated to his fostering activities surfaced.
Under the alias David Mathews, Mason was arrested, fingerprinted, and his deception was finally exposed.
The revelation led to his arrest and subsequent conviction for a series of heinous crimes against children aged between five and 14.
In December 2009, Mason, described as a bearded and balding art tutor, was sentenced to an indefinite term of imprisonment after admitting to 24 charges, including rape.
His criminal history predates this conviction, as he had previously served a three-year sentence in 1982 for abusing a Boy Scout.
Mason’s case underscores the critical importance of rigorous vetting processes and the devastating consequences of systemic failures in child safeguarding.
