A Barrow mum whose two young daughters were repeatedly sexually assaulted by the same man has spoken out about their fight for justice.


A Barrow mum whose two young daughters were repeatedly sexually assaulted by the same man has spoken out about their fight for justice.

Unbeknown to each other, the two sisters had separately been sexually abused by Scott Webb over a period of four months when they were both under 10.

Webb was eventually found guilty of four counts of sexual assault on a girl under 13, and two charges of assault by penetration on two girls under 13.

In 2007 one of the girls reported the abuse to her mum, who recalled: “She was bright and happy but a light was taken from her.

“She trusted no one and yet wanted to please everyone… She became ashamed of her body and hated her looks.”

The family reported the offences to police and were devastated to be told Webb faced no further action. But the case was re-opened in 2014 when her sister confided that she had also been abused by Webb.

To their shock, and even the detectives involved in the investigation, the Crown Prosecution Service announced there was not sufficient evidence for a realistic prospect of conviction.

The girls’ mum, who we cannot identify because of the automatic right to anonymity given to sex offence victims, refused to accept the decision and was determined Webb would be brought to justice.

“My children felt as if no-one believed them; they just wanted the chance to give their side and for a fair trial,” she told The Mail.

“Webb abused my kids and nearly destroyed our family.”

The determined mum embarked on a battle to persuade the CPS to reconsider by lodging an appeal through the Victim’s Right to Review.

She was supported by Detective Constable Rebecca Joseph and Victim Support Worker Sarah Place who she has described as “our rocks”.

Finally, last year, Webb was charged with a string of offences relating to the sexual abuse.

A spokeswoman for the Crown Prosecution Service said: “The case was reviewed under the CPS’s Victim’s Right to Review Scheme which makes it easier for victims to seek a review of a CPS decision not to bring charges, and following that review the decision not to prosecute was overturned.”

Webb, now aged 28 and a dad-of-three, pleaded not guilty at Preston Crown Court in September 2018.

His trial was due to take place last month but on the first day he pleaded guilty.

His victims’ mum, who has since received an apology from the CPS, said: “This conviction has come at a massive cost but I couldn’t let my kids down; they deserved to be believed and they deserved justice.

“The effects of what Webb did to my children are profound.

He not only assaulted them; he took away a trust in humanity that no child should ever endure.”

The family has “been through hell”, she said, but added: “They now have justice and can go about rebuilding their lives.

“I just want them to walk forward now, not as victims, but survivors.”

Webb will be sentenced on March 18.