A woman has been awarded damages for abuse she suffered at a children’s home.
The civil case was against Keys Care Ltd for sexual, physical and emotional abuse from her support worker Andrew Geeson (pictured right).
The abuse started in 2019 when the victim was 15-years-old and Geeson was employed at the home to safeguard vulnerable children.
Instead he exploited his position of trust to abuse the girl who was initially in the home because of concerns about her vulnerability to sexual exploitation.
Despite concerns being raised about Geeson, he continued working as the teenager’s care worker and even became her key care worker which gave him the opportunity to spend more time with her.
Geeson remained her care worker until he left the role in 2020.
He was arrested in 2021 and subsequently charged.
In 2023 Geeson was given a prison sentence after admitting sexual abuse of his victim.
After his sentencing, civil legal action was instigated against Keys Care Ltd which runs the children’s home.
His victim instructed Dino Nocivelli, a human rights partner at law firm Leigh Day to bring a claim.
After discussions with legal representatives for Keys Care Ltd, the claim was settled for an amount of money described as ‘substantial’.
The settlement includes compensation for the pain and suffering endured by Geeson’s victim.
It also reflected the impact the abuse had on her education, her need for future therapy and loss of earnings.
Keys Care Ltd also made an apology for the harm caused by its former employee.
“Carers in children’s homes hold positions of trust, and it is terrible that Andrew Geeson used this to subject my client to abuse, who at the time was a child in a vulnerable situation,” said Dino Nocivelli.
