Scout Association settles case for child sexual abuse committed by Barry Warren

A former Scout has settled his child sexual abuse case with the Scout Association for abuse by scout leader Barry Warren at 7th South Lynn Scout group in 1993.Warren was convicted in 2015 for child sexual abuse offences and received a 10 years and 6 months prison sentence.

He was convicted of abusing 14 boys that he met through his role as a scout master between the 1970s and mid-1990s.One of the men who had been abused by Warren when he was 12 and 13 years old instructed Dino Nocivelli, abuse claims partner at law firm Leigh Day, to bring a civil case for the abuse that he had suffered.  

Dino has settled a significant number of claims against the Scout Association, and these cases have resulted in changes to the association’s safeguarding measures. 

After collating evidence for this case and presenting it to the Scout Association, admissions of responsibility from the Scout Association were secured. 

The Scout Association’s legal team then entered into settlement negotiations, and a settlement was reached that included compensation for the pain and suffering that the former scout continues to suffer as a result of the abuse, along with the need for further psychological therapy, and a written apology from the Scout Association. 

The case has settled without a confidentiality clause or non-disclosure order but our client has chosen to retain his anonymity. 

The vast majority of abuse survivors disclose their abuse in their 30s to 50s due to the barriers of disclosing abuse which include elements of shame, embarrassment, a fear of being believed, concerns about going against someone who is in a position of trust and good public standing, and many other reasons.   

Dino Nocivelli, who represented the former scout, said: 

“My client has struggled for the majority of his life with the impact of childhood sexual abuse that he experienced in the Scout Association.  The resolution of this matter understandably means a lot to my client and he hopes that he will now be able to move forward with his life, safe in the knowledge that the Scout Association are aware of the impact of Barry Warren’s abuse on his life and the need to continue to work on protecting children from abuse.  We appreciate the difficulties for abuse survivors, and specifically male abuse survivors, to disclose their abuse. We hope this settlement will help shine a light on the justice that can be achieved for men who were sexually abused as children and the support that is available for them and all abuse survivors.”  

Anyone affected by abuse in the Scout Association can contact abuse claims partner Dino Nocivelli on dnocivelli@leighday.co.uk or direct dial 020 7650 1397.