Charity employee leaked particulars of kid intercourse sufferer to rapist boyfriend so he may intimidate fellow inmate
A charity worker passed details about a child sexual assault victim to her rapist boyfriend in prison so he could threaten a fellow inmate.
Lauren Leese, 30, was employed as an Independent Sexual Violence Advisor at a former Stoke-on-Trent-based charity Savana.
For six months in 2024, she unlawfully obtained and shared sensitive personal information about the child with Shane Davis, a prisoner at HMP Dovegate.
Davis, who is serving a 17-year jail term for rape, then used that information to threaten and intimidate a fellow prisoner, a court heard.
Davis, 36, and Leese, of Trentham, Stoke-on-Trent, both pleaded guilty to unauthorised accessing of computer material at Stoke-on-Trent Crown Court on Monday.
Davis was sentenced to 12 months to be served concurrently with his current sentence. Leese was given a 12-month sentence, suspended for 18 months.
Lauren Leese, 30, was employed as an Independent Sexual Violence Advisor at a former Stoke-on-Trent-based charity Savana
Leese, in pictures posted online, admitted unauthorised accessing of computer material
She was given a 12-month sentence, suspended for 18 months at Stoke on Trent Crown Court
Detective Inspector Lewis Haigh of Staffordshire police said afterwards: ‘Lauren Leese held a position of trust at responsibility with Savana, which she betrayed, letting down the victims she supported, her colleagues and the public.
‘She was only supposed to access sensitive and confidential information when necessary to support and advocate for victims of serious crime and instead she passed information to Davis, who was on remand awaiting a trial after being charged with rape offences and who she sustained a relationship with whilst he was in prison.’
Davis, of Stone, Staffordshire, was jailed for 17 years last year after he was found guilty of two counts of rape and three sexual assaults.
Police said Davis, a Network Rail worker, made forceful advances on his victims and pressured them into sexual acts against their will.
The offending took place between 2018 and 2023 when he was arrested.
As part of his sentencing, he was given an indefinite restraining order against the survivors and put on the Sex Offender’s Register for life. He was also given a Sexual Harm Prevention Order.
Jailing him for the sex offences in September last year Judge Sally Hancox said Davis had a ‘selfish and self-centred attitude towards women’.
A judge said Shane Davis’ actions had a ‘shattering effect’ on his victims
Leese in a police custody image handed the information to Davis who she had sustained a relationship with whilst he was in prison
Statements from the victims were read to the court. Each spoke of the traumatic memory and ongoing deep distress and emotional and psychological harm caused to them by Davis’ actions.
Judge Hancox said: ‘It has had a shattering effect on each of them. There has been a profound impact and harm upon your victims.’
She added that Davis, who is of previous good character, was ‘clearly an intelligent man who worked diligently within his chosen field for Network Rail’.
Savana was forced to close last year after operating for almost 40 years.
The charity, which provided counselling and support to people affected by sexual violence and abuse, announced the ‘heartbreaking’ closure due to a lack of funding.
CEO Sophia Baker told the BBC it had become increasingly difficult to secure financial support over recent years.
About 25 members of staff were made redundant, with six being transferred to other organisations to continue offering some services.
Its independent sexual violence advisor service helped people through the criminal justice process.
