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The Independent
28 minutes ago
- The Independent
Parents of girl who died in hospital say she had a ‘life of joy ahead of her'
The parents of a teenage girl who died after she was left alone in a children's mental health ward by an inexperienced agency worker using fake ID have described their daughter as a 'loving and adventurous girl with a whole life of joy ahead of her'. Ruth Szymankiewicz was being treated for an eating disorder at Huntercombe Hospital in Berkshire and had been placed under strict one-to-one observation when, on February 12 2022, she was left on her own by the member of staff responsible for watching her. The 14-year-old was able to shut herself in her bedroom at the hospital's psychiatric intensive care unit – also known as Thames ward – where she self-harmed, then died two days later at John Radcliffe Hospital in Oxford. On Thursday, an inquest jury sitting at Buckinghamshire Coroner's Court in Beaconsfield returned a conclusion of unlawful killing. Ms Szymankiewicz's parents, Mark and Kate Szymankiewicz, said in a statement they read out outside the court following the conclusion: 'Ruth was an incredible, bright, friendly, loving and adventurous girl with a whole life of joy ahead of her. 'She, like many other teenagers, developed an eating disorder. 'When, at our most vulnerable as a family, we reached out for help; we ultimately found ourselves trapped in a system that was meant to care for her, to help her, to keep her safe, but instead locked her away and harmed her. 'The inquest has been a harrowing and traumatic process for us, not just in reliving the awful reality of her neglect, but also bringing to light even more than we had feared at the time.' The agency worker responsible for watching Ms Szymankiewicz – a man then known as Ebo Acheampong – had never worked in a psychiatric hospital environment before coming to Huntercombe on February 12 2022 for his first shift. A police investigation later found he was hired by the Platinum agency – which supplied staff for Huntercombe Hospital – under a false name. Mr Acheampong never returned to work at the hospital following the incident and fled the UK for Ghana. Referring to Mr Acheampong's failure to supervise their daughter on Thames ward, Ms Szymankiewicz's parents said: 'Over the last two weeks, we have heard about the numerous systemic failures at Huntercombe Hospital. It would be easy to be distracted by the failings of one individual. 'However shocking that conduct might have been, it is paramount that the other wider and more important issues are acknowledged and addressed. 'Having been detained in a unit she should never have been sent to, Ruth was repeatedly denied access to the love and support of her family. 'We were excluded and completely disempowered. 'She was isolated, scared and alone. 'There were several important first-line treatments that Ruth desperately needed, but never received. 'She was immersed in a highly chaotic environment and denied the safety and structure she craved. 'She had very limited encouragement to access the education she loved. 'As a child who thrived on her connection with nature, she was essentially caged. 'She withdrew more into herself as she tried to navigate and survive months in a poorly trained, understaffed and unsafe ward. 'She was trapped.' Her parents, who are a consultant surgeon and a GP, added: 'We also heard powerful accounts of the huge ongoing challenges faced nationally across mental health services for children and young people. 'As healthcare professionals we understand the pressures that come with working within the NHS, and particularly so within mental health services. 'We thank all those working so very hard to look after our children and young people, and especially those that met Ruth along her journey and did indeed show much care and kindness. 'You need more resources, more research, more training, more recognition and more support. What you do matters every day and every night.' Her parents said they hope by sharing her story it will 'help inform the change needed in children's mental health services'. They added: 'Ruth was our daughter. An adored sister, cousin, niece, granddaughter and friend. 'But she could just as easily be your child, your niece or nephew, your grandchild. 'One in five children in this country have mental health problems, and if your child is above the age of 10, they are more likely to die from suicide than childhood cancer or accidents. 'That is the shocking, but rarely discussed truth. 'We hope that by sharing her story it can help inform the change needed in children's mental health services. 'We are very aware that a new mental health act is currently going through parliament, with a narrow window of opportunity to address some of these key issues. 'So we ask this, whether you are an MP, a health worker, a teacher, a social worker, an early years worker, a parent, grandparent or friend; whatever role you have in life. 'Remember Ruth's story. Remember her in the faces of the young people who look to you for help and support. 'What happened to Ruth is shocking, tragic and harrowing. 'Whilst there is much more to be said, if change can come from her story, it can make a tangible difference to others.'
The Independent
28 minutes ago
- The Independent
Teacher who sent explicit pictures to 15-year-old boy banned for life
A teacher who sent explicit pictures of herself to a 15-year-old pupil has been banned from the profession for life. Georgia Lowe, 27, was caught when 'inappropriate' notes were found by the boy's mother. Her relationship with him began with late-night email sessions using emojis and nicknames, months after she started in the role, a Teaching Regulation Agency (TRA) panel heard. When the affair came to light, Ms Lowe was suspended by the school, but she contacted the pupil again, sending him sexual images of herself, the TRA panel was told. After resigning, the teacher was found guilty of engaging in sexual communication with a child and was handed a 14-month suspended jail term, the panel heard. Ms Lowe began working as a trainee teacher at Kingsmead School, Staffordshire, in July 2021. In September that year, when she was 'responsible' for the then 15-year-old, she began emailing him as late as 10pm, the panel was told. Her messages included heart symbol emojis, would often end with a kiss, and used nicknames, the panel heard. Ms Lowe wrote to the pupil using phrases like 'make me proud', 'try not to miss me too much' and 'you've already made my day', the TRA was told. In October 2021, the boy's mother found notes she believed were from Ms Lowe and reported her concerns to the school. An investigation was launched, and Ms Lowe was suspended, the panel heard. Despite having 'a warning shot across her bows', the teacher contacted the boy again, and sent him intimate photos, the TRA was told. Ms Lowe resigned in November 2021 and was charged by the police. She initially denied the charge before changing her plead to guilty on the day of trial, the panel heard. Ms Lowe was sentenced to 14 months jail, suspended for 18 months, and was put on the Sex Offenders Register for 10 years. In his sentencing remarks, the judge said Ms Lowe committed a 'gross breach of trust' and 'used the environment in which you were working with (the pupil) to pursue what was evidently your sexual interest in him'. 'You moved on to the passing of inappropriate notes to him, and ultimately, by the end of the period that we are concerned with, matters escalated to private digital communications between you and him, including you sending him images of yourself in your underwear,' the judge said. 'The concerning aspect of your case is that after matters came to light, by his mother having found out what was going on, you were spoken to, and yet you still had another face-to-face meeting with him at school, and ultimately, when the investigation was launched and you were suspended from work, you contacted him again, and that included the sending of the images of yourself to him. 'That was a warning shot across your bows, the investigation at school, and the suspension, but you did not bring your pursuit of him to an end at that point in time.' On behalf of the Secretary of State, decision maker Marc Cavey said Ms Lowe's behaviour was 'incompatible with working as a teacher'. He decided she should be prohibited from teaching indefinitely.
Telegraph
29 minutes ago
- Telegraph
Woman thought trans officer could ‘kill her during sexual assault'
A young woman who alleges that she was sexually assaulted by a now-transgender volunteer Metropolitan Police officer told a court she thought he could 'kill' her. Amersham Law Courts heard that James Bubb, who now identifies as a woman named Gwyn Samuels but will be referred to by his biological sex throughout the trial, allegedly assaulted the woman multiple times while she was between the ages of 12 and 18. The trial heard they met on Omegle, a video chat site, in 2018 when the complainant was 12 and the defendant was about 21, before meeting in person for the first time at a Christian festival a few months later. On Thursday, the complainant said she was 18 when Bubb allegedly assaulted her at his flat in Chesham. The defendant is charged with assault by penetration in relation to the complainant and the alleged assault last year. 'I didn't consent' Of this alleged assault, prosecutor Richard Milne asked: 'You said the word that he had 'raped' you, can you explain what aspects of the sexual activity between you were in your mind rape and why?' The complainant, who cannot be named for legal reasons, replied: 'The fact that I didn't consent, I couldn't consent with the gag in my mouth, I didn't feel there was any way to consent that.' She went on to say that she froze during the alleged attack, which she thought could 'ruin my chance of fertility for life, and potentially kill me'. The complainant said she had told the defendant she was five years older when they first started speaking online, had sent him photos of herself wearing her school uniform but was 'scared' he would reject her if she revealed her true age. The alleged victim's mother told the court that she could often hear a 'male voice' coming from her child's bedroom at night when the complainant was about 11 to 12. She clarified that she thought this voice belonged to 'a man'. The trial previously heard that Bubb allegedly sexually assaulted the complainant on Shepherd's Bush Green while she was visiting London with her parents to celebrate her forthcoming 13th birthday. 'Very subdued' Of this trip, her mother told jurors that her child had 'disappeared' for a period while the family were in a shopping centre buying her birthday presents, and that the complainant's father said he thought she had 'gone to meet a friend'. 'She didn't come back, we were meant to board the train to go home and I'd waited, we'd waited for half an hour, maybe an hour, and I began to get really panicked,' she said. After the child returned, her mother said she seemed 'very subdued' on their journey home and did not tell her about the alleged assault until 'much later on'. The defendant, wearing a white shirt and black cardigan, dabbed his eyes and appeared to be crying at points during the hearing. The 27-year-old has denied one count of rape in relation to one complainant, and two counts of rape, two counts of sexual activity with a child, one count of assault of a child under 13 by penetration, one count of rape of a child under 13 and one count of assault by penetration in relation to the other complainant. A not guilty verdict on one of the rape charges in relation to a second complainant was returned on Wednesday after the prosecution offered no evidence. All charges are alleged to have taken place between Jan 1 2018 and April 2 2024. The defendant, of High Street, Chesham, Buckinghamshire, denies all charges. The trial continues.
