Anna was the eldest of three children. She lived with her mother, sister and brother in an affluent suburb of a large northern city. Although Anna’s parents were divorced her father remained in touch with the family and was supportive.

At 14, Anna became unhappy at school due to episodes of serious unresolved bullying. At this time Anna became acquainted with a 26-year-old man, P, whom she had met in the city centre one Saturday afternoon.

Shortly after, P turned up at the family house and introduced himself to Anna's mother. The following week, Anna disappeared from home for two nights. This behaviour was completely out of character for her.

On the third morning of Anna being missing, her parents found her at P’s home. Anna was taken to the police station and questioned. She refused to talk about what had happened to her and quoted her rights under the Children Act 1989 to refuse a medical examination. As a result, no action was taken against P, even though, as Anna later admitted to her mother, he had committed serious offences against her.

The following three years became a nightmare for the family. Anna became further involved with P (who the family discovered was a known petty criminal, drug dealer and pimp) and his associates. In particular, Anna became involved with a 32-year-old friend of P, X. X was also a petty criminal and drug user, and had one sexual offence on his record. Between the ages of 14 and 16, Anna regularly stayed overnight with X. She was truanting from school and was given drugs, including crack cocaine.

Anna's mother was frantic with worry. The whole family was affected and the family home was turned into an area of extreme conflict. Anna's mother regularly begged for help from police and social services. She asked for a case conference to be held under the Children Act 1989. At this conference Anna was judged not to be at risk.

When Anna was 17, X was imprisoned for 18 months for street robberies. P, who had remained in association with X and Anna, began a relationship with Anna, took her to clubs and smoked drugs with her.

Before Christmas 1993, Anna's body was found in a multi-storey car park. She had been murdered. An Inquiry revealed that in the last three weeks of Anna’s life P had forced Anna to work for him as a street prostitute.

Anna's murderer was convicted but no charges were ever brought against P for the part he played in the destruction of Anna's life.