Charity's investigation still ongoing
A youth charity is reported to have paid £500,000 in reparation to victims who alleged sexual abuse against one of its former instructors.
According to The Guardian, Sea Cadets is thought to have paid the sums to eight abuse survivors who made allegations against Peter Sherwin, a Sea Cadets instructor who died in 2014.
Following his arrest on October 2013, Sherwin was immediately suspended from the role he held at the charity’s Birmingham branch.
The police case was dropped soon after due to lack of evidence.
As a national youth charity, Sea Cadets works with 15,000 young people between 10 and 18 years old across the UK.
It has over 400 units in England, Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland,Malta and Bermuda run by 9,000 volunteers. Cadets follow a similar ethos, training plan, and ranks, to the Royal Navy, and are recognised by the UK Ministry of Defence.
The organisation would not comment on sums it has paid but has apologised to the victims of abuse suffered at Sherwin hands and urged anyone with information to come forward.
“Sea Cadets unreservedly apologises for any hurt or anger felt by any victim of abuse,” a statement said.
“Sea Cadets takes safeguarding concerns very seriously and has a zero tolerance approach to any abuse. Our specialist safeguarding team manages all safeguarding cases in line with the charity’s safeguarding policy and procedures and statutory responsibilities.
“The charity has a 24/7 safeguarding incident reporting line. All staff and volunteers are recruited following safer recruitment practices, including enhanced criminal record checks for all who work directly with children and young people.”
Sea Cadets said that as part of the training of all its cadets, it had a dedicated programme called Shout! that teaches them to identify and report concerns.
Following his arrest on October 2013, Sherwin was immediately suspended from the role he held at the charity’s Birmingham branch.
The police case was dropped soon after due to lack of evidence.
As a national youth charity, Sea Cadets works with 15,000 young people between 10 and 18 years old across the UK.
It has over 400 units in England, Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland,Malta and Bermuda run by 9,000 volunteers. Cadets follow a similar ethos, training plan, and ranks, to the Royal Navy, and are recognised by the UK Ministry of Defence.
The organisation would not comment on sums it has paid but has apologised to the victims of abuse suffered at Sherwin hands and urged anyone with information to come forward.
“Sea Cadets unreservedly apologises for any hurt or anger felt by any victim of abuse,” a statement said.
“Sea Cadets takes safeguarding concerns very seriously and has a zero tolerance approach to any abuse. Our specialist safeguarding team manages all safeguarding cases in line with the charity’s safeguarding policy and procedures and statutory responsibilities.
“The charity has a 24/7 safeguarding incident reporting line. All staff and volunteers are recruited following safer recruitment practices, including enhanced criminal record checks for all who work directly with children and young people.”
Sea Cadets said that as part of the training of all its cadets, it had a dedicated programme called Shout! that teaches them to identify and report concerns.
