A VULNERABLE, bed-bound resident in a Southend care home was sexually assaulted by a man with a history of similar abuse who had recently been released from jail, it has been revealed.

Councillors will be told next week of an alarming case of a sexual assault in a Southend care home involving a man who had been convicted of sexual offences and spent time in prison.

According to a safeguarding review, the man was involved in four sexual offences in Southend “in quick succession” all in the same area of Southend and was convicted.

Shortly after his release from custody, he reoffended and spent more time in jail.

When he was released, he was placed in the unnamed residential care home in Southend.

The report, which refers to the man as “X”, adds: “X is on the violent and sex offender register and is monitored by the police, his risk grading is High. X had a probation worker who visited him and settled into the home well.

“X sexually assaulted a vulnerable resident B. B is entirely dependent on care. She is bed-bound and non-verbal.”

The report, put together by the Southend Safeguarding Partnership, details the outcome of the serious incident review, stating how they “do not have sufficient specialist facilities in which to place people with complex needs, including those who have a history of sexual offending”.

The report adds how they have since introduced training for care staff in response to this safeguarding review.

James Moyies, Tory Southend councillor responsible for adult social care, said: “The Safeguarding Adult Review in Rapid Time relating to a sexual offence in a care home was managed as what is known a rapid time learning process. The outcome of this was published in June 2022.

“Rapid reviews enable the health and care system to understand the changes that are needed quickly to prevent further incidents.

“As this happened under a previous administration, I am unaware of the specifics concerning this incident, so have requested a full briefing from officers to assure myself that all proper Governance procedure has been followed.

“I am told that the review highlighted a range of outcomes, which are detailed in the system learning and the progress of which, continue to be monitored by the independently chaired Southend Safeguarding Partnership, which holds Southend Council, Essex Police and health services to account.”