Finding Stevie, page 14
‘I knew it was bad and I hoped that once I’d sent the photos to Joey he would just go away and leave me alone. He did for a while. Then he contacted me again and said he wanted more photos or he would send the photos of Liam and Kiri to my grandparents and post them online with my name on them.’
‘You didn’t take any more, did you?’ I asked, a cold chill running up my spine.
‘No.’
I sat for a moment, taking it all in. Never in my wildest imagination would I have guessed Stevie’s secret. It wasn’t for me to question him about the details of the photographs – where and when he’d taken them. That was for the police. The less I knew about them the better, for once something is seen or heard it cannot be undone. I knew that what I’d learnt so far would plague me for ever. I’d fostered enough abused children to know what paedophiles are capable of, and reluctantly I now had to admit I had one in my home – a fourteen-year-old boy. Yes, it might have been a grave error of judgement on Stevie’s part, but I was struggling to understand why, having been well brought up by his grandparents – who as far as I knew had sound moral principles – Stevie had actually done this. I hoped he was telling me the truth about the circumstances in which he’d taken the photographs of Liam and Kiri – that he’d been blackmailed. For the alternative – that he had taken them of his own free will through some perverse pleasure and then shared them with Joey online – was too awful to contemplate.
‘I’ll need to phone your social worker,’ I said, and left the room.
Shaking and with my stomach churning, I went into my bedroom and closed the door. I felt hot and queasy as I perched on the bed and picked up the phone. I tried Verity first, but it was after six o’clock and her work voicemail clicked in, inviting me to leave a message or, if it was urgent, to contact the emergency duty social worker. I did both. ‘Verity, it’s Cathy, Stevie’s carer,’ I said, unable to keep the tremor from my voice. ‘I’m afraid that Stevie has just disclosed. He has taken indecent photographs of his siblings, Kiri and Liam, and sent them to Joey – the same lad he sent the indecent images of himself to. I’ll phone the duty social worker now.’
I cut the call, phoned the social services’ out-of-hours number and explained to the call operator why I needed to speak to either Verity or the emergency duty social worker as soon as possible. She took my details, asked if Kiri and Liam were in any immediate danger, which as far as I knew they weren’t, and said the emergency duty social worker would call me back. I replaced the handset and continued sitting on my bed, my thoughts all over the place. A knock sounded on the door. ‘Mum, are you OK?’ It was Paula.
‘Yes, I’m waiting to speak to the duty social worker. I’ll be down shortly.’
‘We’ve cleared up,’ she said.
‘Thank you, love.’ She stayed outside my door. ‘I’ll be with you soon,’ I called. She’d be looking for an explanation and reassurance after Stevie’s outburst. Goodness knows what I was going to tell her, Lucy and Adrian. ‘I’ll see you when I’ve finished on the phone,’ I said. I heard her go round the landing to her bedroom.
The landline rang and it was the duty social worker, but not the one I’d spoken to before when Stevie had gone missing. I explained in more detail Stevie’s disclosure, gave him Stevie’s details again, how long he’d been with me and why he’d originally come into care. He asked where Stevie was now and I said in his bedroom at my house. ‘And the photos were taken when he lived with his grandparents and siblings last year?’ he confirmed.
‘Yes.’ The duty social worker said he’d try to speak to Verity, and in the meantime Stevie wasn’t to contact Liam and Kiri, which I knew. He or Verity would phone me back this evening. There would now be safeguarding issues around Stevie’s two younger siblings, and indeed any other young children he had been in contact with. The consequences of Stevie’s actions would be more far-reaching than Stevie could have ever imagined. Having ended the call, I sat for a moment and then went to Stevie’s room. His door was closed so I knocked on it. ‘Come in,’ he called, subdued.
He was sitting on his bed as I’d left him, but now had his phone in his hands. ‘What are you doing?’ I asked suspiciously.
‘Messaging the WhatsApp group from my class,’ he replied.
‘About what?’
‘School stuff.’
Would I ever trust him again? I had no idea. ‘I’m waiting to hear back from the duty social worker or Verity,’ I said.
He put his phone to one side. ‘What’s going to happen to me? Will she tell the police?’
‘Yes, she will have to. Joey needs to be caught and stopped,’ was all I said, not wanting to go into all the procedure that awaited Stevie. That was for Verity and the police to explain to him. He looked at me, naively surprised, still not grasping what he and Joey had done. ‘If Joey has done this to you, he will be doing it to others,’ I said. ‘Are you still in contact with him?’
‘He’s just messaged me again.’
‘Saying what? Show me, please.’ My heart was thumping wildly as I went over. Stevie turned the phone so I could see the screen. The message from Joey was threatening: Where are the photos, Stevie boy? Don’t keep me waiting. I felt sick at the thought of that pervert at the other end of this message, still out there and free to perpetrate more evil.
‘Don’t reply,’ I said. ‘And don’t tell him you’ve told me. Hopefully the police will be able to trace him, so don’t make him suspicious by deleting your account. Just leave everything as it is for now.’ As I continued to look at Joey’s profile picture my anger and disgust rose, but also I thought he looked slightly familiar, although I didn’t know where from.
‘Is that a recent photo of him, do you know?’ I asked, returning the phone to Stevie.
‘He said it was, but perhaps he was lying about that too.’
‘I want you to take a screenshot of his page and send it to my phone, please. Do you know how to do that?’
‘Yes. Why?’
‘He looks familiar,’ I said. ‘I want to check something.’ Also, I thought, if Joey deleted his account I’d have something to show Verity and the police.
Stevie did as I asked and sent the screenshot to my mobile phone, which I would collect presently. ‘Are you OK?’ I asked him. It was a daft question and he shrugged despondently. ‘I’ll let you know when I hear from Verity or the duty social worker.’
I pulled his door to and was about to look in on Paula when the house phone rang. I continued round the landing to take the call in my bedroom, where I closed the door. It was Verity. I told her exactly what Stevie had told me about taking the indecent images of Kiri and Liam. I could hear the gravity in her voice as she replied, ‘I’ll contact the child protection officer [from the police] first thing tomorrow morning. I’ll see Stevie just after nine.’
‘I’ll keep him off school then?’
‘Yes. And he’s not to go to his grandparents’ house or have any contact with Liam or Kiri for now.’
‘I’ll keep him at home with me.’
‘How is he coping?’ she asked. For despite what Stevie had done, he was a minor and a looked-after child. Hopefully one who’d acted foolishly and had been taken advantage of, rather than the more sinister option that he’d willingly engaged in paedophile activity.
‘Shocked, worried and upset,’ I said.
‘Keep an eye on him and I’ll see him first thing tomorrow.’
I went round to Stevie’s room and told him that Verity had phoned and would be visiting us at nine o’clock the next morning. He was lying on his bed, staring up at the ceiling. ‘Is there anything else you want to tell me?’ He shook his head. ‘I’ll be downstairs if you want to talk.’
‘I don’t,’ he replied.
I stopped off at Paula’s room, but she was in the middle of a telephone conversation with a friend, so I went downstairs. Lucy was on her way up. Unaware of what Stevie had told me, she was still annoyed with him. ‘Did he apologise to you?’ she asked.
‘Not yet, but don’t push it, love. I’ll explain later.’
‘Well, he needs to,’ she said, and went into her room.
While I was touched by her support, Stevie apologising was the last thing on my mind. I took my mobile phone into the front room, logged on to my computer and then sent the screenshot of Joey’s profile page to it. The image was clearer and bigger. He still looked familiar and I now had a vague idea where I’d seen him before. Five minutes later I had the answer and had identified ‘Joey’. Only of course the photo wasn’t of ‘Joey’, but a little-known actor called Robin. I found the exact same photograph online, which is where ‘Joey’ would have stolen it from. Paedophiles often steal photos from online to disguise their true identity. It was pure chance I recognised it. Robin had had a few small parts in repertory theatre, but had toured with a company the year before in a show I’d gone to see. It was a fluke, and although it wouldn’t help identify who Joey really was it showed he was a fraud. I made a note of the website address where I’d found the photo in case Verity or the police wanted it, and then I went upstairs and told Stevie. He was obviously shocked.
‘Why did he do that?’ he asked naively. ‘I sent him my real photo.’
‘I know you did, love. You’re honest, but this person, whoever he is, is a liar, a pervert and a paedophile.’
‘So he’s not gender-fluid like me?’ Stevie asked innocently.
‘No, and I don’t suppose he’s fifteen, or has a younger brother or sister, or lives with his grandparents or any of the other things he told you. He’s lied to get what he wants – it’s too easy online.’
Chapter Fifteen
Excluded
Stevie stayed in his room for the rest of the evening and I checked on him regularly. He seemed to be coping, although at present he was unaware of the wider implications of what he’d done. Apart from the effect his abuse would have had on Liam and Kiri, teenagers younger than Stevie had been put on the sex offenders’ register for being in possession of child pornography, and Stevie had actually taken the indecent images. Stevie knew what he’d done was wrong, but never in a million years would he have classified it as paedophile activity. If found guilty, he could be given a custodial sentence and, once released, placed on the sex offenders’ register, which he’d have to disclose on any college or job application, as well as it affecting his future relationships.
Just before 9 p.m. Stevie came down for a drink before going to bed and I asked him for his phone.
‘Why? Don’t you trust me?’ he asked moodily. The short answer was no, not right now. Although this was for his own good, as I didn’t want him to keep checking his phone while ‘Joey’ was issuing threats. ‘I always switch it off at night,’ he added.
‘Good, but I think it would be better if it was down here tonight. I won’t look at it. You can switch it off first and I’ll put it in my drawer in the front room. Has Joey been in touch again?’ I asked. He nodded. ‘Saying what?’
‘That if I didn’t do as he said and take more photos he’d post the pictures of Liam and Kiri online with my name.’
‘So why didn’t you tell me?’
‘He only just messaged.’
‘Have you replied?’
‘No.’
‘I want you to bring your phone down and I’ll put it away until Verity comes tomorrow. It’s likely the police will want to see it too, so bring it down now, please.’
‘But I won’t be able to WhatsApp my class.’
‘No, you won’t for now.’
He sighed and reluctantly went off to do as I’d asked. This was all new territory for me, so I was running on common sense in dealing with it and learning as I went. Stevie was vulnerable and frightened, and I knew it wouldn’t take much for Joey to push him into doing something else. I thought it was a pity that the police weren’t involved now while Joey was active online, but then again, I knew that police digital forensics would be able to trace Joey from his IP address. IP stands for Internet Protocol and is the unique number that identifies each of us online.
A few minutes later Stevie came down and handed me his phone. ‘There’s no credit on it,’ he said, as if I was going to use it.
‘It doesn’t matter. I’m going to put it safely away until we see Verity tomorrow.’ He hesitated. ‘Yes?’
‘Can you tell Adrian, Lucy and Paula what I’ve done?’ he asked quietly.
‘If you want me to.’
‘I can’t face telling them.’ His eyes filled, and at that point I felt sorry for him. ‘Please tell my grandparents too.’
‘Verity will need to tell them,’ I said.
He went into the kitchen, poured himself a glass of water and went to bed. While I felt sorry for Stevie, I also had deep sympathy for his grandparents, who had yet to be told, and little Kiri and Liam, who’d been abused by the older brother they’d trusted, for this was abuse. Whether they’d been threatened, coerced or tricked into taking off their clothes and posing for the photographs was for Verity and the police to discover. I thought Kiri and Liam would probably need counselling to get over what had happened.
At 9.15 Adrian let himself in the front door, having worked a late shift. I went into the hall. ‘Have you eaten?’ I asked him.
‘Yes, thanks. I had something in my break at work.’
‘Good.’ I tried to raise a smile.
‘What’s the matter, Mum?’ he asked, seeing through me straight away. ‘Is Nana ill?’
‘No, she’s fine. Something has happened in connection with Stevie. He’s in bed, but I need to speak to you, Lucy and Paula. Can you wait for me in the living room while I fetch the girls?’
‘What is it?’ he asked, worried.
‘Please wait until I’ve got Lucy and Paula. I don’t want to go through it all twice.’
Upstairs, I went first to Paula’s room and then Lucy’s and asked them to come down, as I needed to talk to them. Paula was already in her dressing gown, and Lucy was about to shower, but they came down as I asked, guessing it was serious.
I closed the living-room door and we sat down. They looked at me, their expressions full of questions and concern.
‘As you know, Stevie hasn’t been himself for some days,’ I began.
‘Tell me about it!’ Lucy put in.
I nodded. ‘He clearly had something worrying him and this evening he told me what it was.’ I took a breath and steeled myself. ‘It seems that Stevie not only took indecent photographs of himself and sent them to “Joey” – the guy he met online – but he also took some of his younger brother and sister.’ I paused. There was silence as they continued to look at me and the enormity of what I’d said hit them.
‘He sent indecent photos of Kiri and Liam to his friend Joey?’ Paula asked incredulously.
‘Yes, except Joey isn’t his friend. I’m almost certain he’s a paedophile, and Joey isn’t his real name. I’ve informed Verity and she will be coming here tomorrow to see Stevie. The police will be involved.’
‘Stevie took photos of his brother and sister without their clothes on?’ Lucy asked, still struggling to take it in. I nodded. ‘That’s really sick. Why?’
‘Joey threatened to send the photos of Stevie to his friends and post them online if he didn’t.’
‘Blackmail,’ Adrian said.
‘Yes, and now he wants more indecent photographs of children.’
Paula’s hand shot to her mouth. ‘That’s awful, Mum,’ she cried, shocked.
‘Stevie’s such an idiot!’ Lucy exclaimed.
‘I think he knows that now,’ I replied.
‘I can’t believe he’d do something like that,’ Paula said. ‘He seems so nice.’
‘I think he panicked and made a bad decision,’ I said. ‘But that’s for the police to investigate.’ I looked at their shocked and saddened faces. It wasn’t the first time since we’d begun fostering that I’d had to tell them something I would rather have protected them from. When they’d been little it had been even more difficult, and at times I’d loathed myself for taking away their innocence by explaining something the average child wouldn’t have heard about but they had.
‘What will happen to Stevie?’ Adrian asked.
‘I don’t know yet, but for the time being I think the social services will want him to stay here. Long-term will depend on the outcome of the police investigation.’
‘Will he go to prison?’ Paula asked.
‘I honestly don’t know.’
‘But he didn’t actually abuse them?’ Lucy said. ‘You know, do stuff to them?’
‘Not as far as I know, but making two children take off their clothes to photograph them is an abuse as well as illegal. Stevie is still being investigated for sexting, but this is a lot more serious.’
‘What did his grandparents say?’ Paula asked anxiously. ‘I bet they were upset.’
‘They don’t know yet, but yes, they will be very upset when they’re told.’
Adrian shook his head sadly.
‘I know this is a huge shock,’ I said. ‘Stevie knows what he’s done is wrong. He asked me to tell you because he couldn’t bear to tell you himself. Don’t raise it with him unless he wants to talk about it, but obviously if he tells you any more about the images he’s taken or that he’s taken others then you need to tell me.’ They nodded solemnly. ‘Don’t demonise him. From what he’s told me, he made a huge error of judgement and will need our support.’
Lucy grimaced. ‘Not sure I can do that, Mum. I mean, who goes around taking photos of their little brother and sister without their clothes on, and sends them to a paedo?’
I nodded. ‘Although Stevie didn’t realise he was a paedophile.’
‘Why else would a guy online want photos of naked kids?’ Lucy asked, amazed. ‘I mean, it doesn’t take much to make the connection.’
‘That’s maybe true for young people like you,’ I said. ‘I’ve brought you up to be aware of the dangers online. But while Stevie was at home I don’t think he was. His grandparents don’t even own mobile phones. They’ve no idea about computers or the internet. I think Stevie was naïve and was taken advantage of by someone he thought he could trust. I would hope that you’d have had alarm bells ringing, but he didn’t. He thought he was in a relationship when he sent the photos of himself, then it all changed and he found himself being blackmailed and panicked. To be honest, it was probably easier for him to take the photos than to admit to his grandparents what he’d done.’
