COUNCIL SPENT £289K ON PLACEMENT FOR TEENAGER

A LOCAL council agreed to pay an “astronomical” £289,000 for a child being exploited by an organised crime group to attend a specialist placement.

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Liverpool Family Court heard the teenager, who cannot be named, was involved in organised crime and was at high risk of child exploitation when a 17-week placement was found by an unnamed local council.

The court heard the teenager would “benefit enormously” from the placement, which specialised in working with young people at risk of child exploitation. But the placement, at an outdoor activity centre, charged almost £17,000 a week, meaning the local authority had to fork out £289,000 to send the boy.