Nottinghamshire County Council sorry over historical sex abuse

Historical sex abuse committed in children's homes across Nottinghamshire has left a "dreadful stain" on a local authority, its leader has said.

It follows Nottinghamshire County Council's commitment to the national inquiry into child sexual abuse.

Councillor Kay Cutts said it had "failed" children entrusted to its care and issued an apology to the victims.

In 2016, Andris Logins became the first carer to be convicted over historical abuse in the county's children's homes.

Ms Cutts said while lots of good work is done to keep children safe today, in the past others who were entrusted to the authority's care had been "failed".

She said: "We now know that they were subjected to horrible and heinous abuse that has left many damaged and scarred for life.

"They suffered at the hands of devious people who had malice in mind.

"The fact that this happened is something that leaves me personally feeling deeply saddened and ashamed."

The independent inquiry into child sex abuse (IICSA) will look at 13 investigations across a wide range of institutions including local authorities.

It will identify failings, demand accountability for past failings and support victims to share their experience of sexual abuse.