Payout for victim, 21, sexually assaulted by man in Shropshire women's refuge

Then aged 21, the victim had sought help from Shropshire Domestic Violence in 2015 after fleeing from an abusive partner.

There, her lawyers said, she was subject to repeated attacks from handyman Stephen Russell, after he was given access to her room and personal information.

In March 2019, Russell was jailed for three-and-a-half years after admitting charges including attempted rape and sexual assault.

A claim was subsequently brought on the victim's behalf against the refuge, at the time owned by Shropshire Housing Group and now managed by Connexus Homes Limited, for employing Stephen Russell in a position of power.

Richard Scorer of Slater and Gordon, representing, said: "A women's refuge should be a place of sanctuary and safety for vulnerable women.

"In this shocking case, a predatory male sex offender was not only able to gain entry to the refuge but, incredibly, to get a job which gave him access to women's rooms and their personal records."

Mr Scorer said the expectation that women's refuges should be women-only had been eroded, and that without change "it is unlikely to be a one-off".

He said: "This case demonstrates that predatory male sex offenders will try to find and exploit any possible means to gain access to, and target, vulnerable women.

"In 25 years of dealing with sexual assault cases, I have seen this happen over and over again."

He said his client would like to ensure the wider lessons of this case were learned so the crimes were not repeated in the future.

A spokesperson for Connexus, which now manages the refuge, said the service had "undergone significant changes" and does not employ men in domestic abuse services for women.

They said: “We are committed to protecting the women and girls who use our domestic abuse services across Shropshire.

“We do not tolerate abuse or predatory behaviour of any kind in our workplaces or refuges, and our thoughts continue to be with the victim and their family.

“At the time Shropshire Housing Group, who owned and managed the refuge, did undertake an investigation and the staff member responsible was dismissed. The incident was also reported to the police.

“Since being managed by Connexus, the service has undergone significant changes to the way it is managed and how it operates, and robust safeguarding measures are in place."

The victim's claim was settled in January and she was paid an undisclosed amount in compensation.