Ex-Norfolk social worker Garfield Prowse jailed for abuse

Garfield Willoughby Prowse, 59, who previously worked for Norfolk County Council, was sent to prison for nine years after a jury in Australia found him guilty of 12 offences of child abuse.

Prowse, who gained a diploma in social work at City College Norwich in 2001, abused his victims - a boy and a girl - over an eight-year period between 2010 and 2018, after emigrating to Australia from Norfolk.

During his time in Norfolk, while training as a social worker in the early 2000s, he had worked at the East Hills Children's Home in Costessey.

He then worked with Norfolk County Council's Intake team based at Great Yarmouth, initially as a trainee, before becoming a social work assistant.

He left Norfolk to move to Australia in 2003. He became a director for West Australia's Department of Child Protection, in Perth, between 2012 and 2015.

The abused children were not in the department's care.

After he left the child protection department he worked for the Australian Border Force for several years.

Newspapers in Australia reported how prosecutor Chadd Graham told Perth District Court Prowse would have fully understood the impact his offending would have on the children, having worked with police and children's services.

He said his offending was a "gross and continual breach of trust" and happened "while representing himself in the community as a trusted figure".

The girl he abused wrote in a victim statement that the abuse had impacted her mental health, sleep and schooling.

She said he had made her feel the offending was her fault.

The boy said it had made him a "miserable child", who was unable to trust people.

Bernard Standish, for Prowse, said he had post-traumatic stress disorder, depression and a serious knee injury.

Sentencing him to nine years, Judge Lisa Toovey said the abuse had "a profound impact" on his victims and added: "They should have been safe … like all children in the department of which you were a director of."

Norfolk County Council's County Hall headquarters (Image: Mike Page)

NO 'RECORDS OF CONCERN' IN NORFOLK

Prowe's conviction has triggered reviews of his activities in Norfolk. No evidence of offending has been found, but if anyone has information to the contrary they are invited to contact the authorities.

Norfolk County Council confirmed Prowse had worked for them.

The authority said it had no records of concerns over Prowse's behaviour during his employment in the county.

Norfolk Constabulary said its checks had not flagged anything.

Penny Carpenter, cabinet member for children's services at Norfolk County Council (Image: Newsquest)

Penny Carpenter, cabinet member for children's services at Norfolk County Council, said: "The details of this case are as disturbing as they are heartbreaking – no child should have to face abuse from anyone and our thoughts are with those affected."

Anyone who may have been affected by the issues raised in this case can contact police on 101.

The freephone NSPCC helpline 0808 800 5000 is available for anyone to report or seek advice about non-recent abuse.

Calls can be made anonymously, people can email help@NSPCC.org.uk or fill in an online form.