Greenwich Council has paid damages to a former resident of one of its care homes who was raped and physically assaulted by staff.

The payment was made to a former resident of Frant Court Children’s Home, which was owned and managed by Greenwich Council.

The home was based in East Sussex and cared for teenage girls from vulnerable backgrounds.

The resident claimed they were raped and physically assaulted by staff at the home.

A care worker at the home, James Cruickshank Boyes, was sentenced in 2011 for two counts of rape and 13 indecent assaults on female residents at the home.

However, solicitors from Andrew Grove and Co have claimed that their investigations have found other members of staff were also abusing residents.

The firm has reportedly interviewed witnesses regarding allegations of sexual and physical abuse at the home.

The former resident who made the claim, given the pseudonym Rebecca in the firm’s report, was said to have had ‘painful’ memories of her time there, with Andrew Grove and Co settling her claim against the council at the end of May this year after a legal process that took nearly two years.

The solicitors claimed that the council had prolonged the suffering of Rebecca by delaying the payment of damages.

They said the authority had breached the agreement contract by making the payment that was outlined after the specified 21 days.

Katherine Yates, from Andrew Grove & Co Solicitors, said that while she was pleased some closure had been achieved for her client, she was unhappy about the delay.

She said in a statement: “This is unacceptable and displays a contempt not just for basic contract law but also for my client who suffered a great deal of abuse while at Frant Court and feels that she is still being abused as a result of this delay.”

Rebecca said she was very disappointed by the council’s inaction.

She said she had wanted to put the abuse and memories from while she was at the home behind her and the money from the settlement would be used for a mobility scooter.

She said in a statement: “I feel that I still don’t count for anything in the eyes of the council just as I did not count for anything when I was at Frant Court.”

A Greenwich Council spokesperson told the Local Democracy Reporting Service: “We take our responsibilities to children in our care past and present extremely seriously.

"The damages have been paid and we apologise for the delay and any further suffering and distress caused to the survivor as a result.”

Andrew Grove & Co Solicitors said the firm was still encouraging survivors from Frant Court who have yet to come forward to get in touch by telephone on 01223 367133 or 07810 224545.

Individuals can also get in contact by email at katherine@andrewgroveandco.com or charlotte@andrewgroveandco.com. They added that all claims are funded on a ‘no win, no fee’ basis.