Blake Fowler, seven, died from severe head injuries after years of abuse - but no-one has been prosecuted over his death

The grandmother of a seven-year-old boy who died from severe head injuries after years of sexual, physical and emotional abuse has demanded a criminal case review after no-one was prosecuted over his death.

Blake Fowler allegedly suffered horrific abuse before his death in December 2011, often arriving at school with bruises and once being admitted to hospital with a swollen penis.

A case review report found that the authorities missed 18 chances to save the boy, who was given vodka to drink, forced to watch pornography and even told social workers that 'daddy gives me bruises'.

Despite three arrests being made, no-one was ever charged and members of Blake's family are now calling for the Crown Prosecution Service to review their decision not to prosecute anyone responsible for his care.

Blake's grandmother Jane Extance, who told social workers of her concerns for Blake months before he died, said: 'Given what is documented in the report, some of which I had no idea of, I will be seeking legal advice and writing to ask the Crown Prosecution Service to look again at their decision in light of this review.'

The damning report, released yesterday, found that teachers, social services, the police and health workers had all missed opportunities to intervene and save Blake from the shocking abuse.

Keith Makin, from the Southampton Local Safeguarding Children Board (SLCB), said: 'The serious case review highlighted several missed opportunities to help Blake and a number of significant failures in our child protection system.

'This was not a case which required particular investigation expertise or determination. Evidence of the abuse and neglect was repeated and explicit.

'It is the mark of his resilience that he continued to present much of the time as lively and cheerful, but the failure to see that this presentation masked a lifetime of abuse is alarming.'

Blake was being cared for by his stepfather Peter Meek - whom he thought of as his father - and Mr Meek's brother Phillip when the boy was found unconscious at their home in Shirley, Southampton, an inquest heard.

Jane Extance, the grandmother of Blake, who was seven when he died, has called for the CPS to review their decision not to bring charges against anyone responsible for the boy's care

Traces of ceiling material Artex was found in his hair and lip. Blake died at Southampton General Hospital after suffering a catastrophic head injury.

Both of the Meek brothers were arrested at the time on suspicion of causing grievous bodily harm but they were released without charge.

Last April Hampshire Constabulary re-opened the case, re-arresting the two brothers and also his mother, Sarah Spacagna.

Police eventually decided in December 2014 - three years after Blake's death - that there was insufficient evidence to press charges against any of the adults.

TIMELINE OF ABUSE AND FAILINGS, ACCORDING TO THE REPORT 1) December 2007 - Police contact council over reports Blake was 'hit, turned upside down, shaken and threatened' in a supermarket. No further action was taken. 2) End of 2008 - Cafcass alerted to non-accidental injuries on Blake but took no further action. 3) October 2008 - Cafcass told about allegations of violence and shown photographs of Blake looking bruised but no action taken. 4) June 2008 - Workmen near Blake's home contact the NSPCC after allegedly seeing him with facial injuries and hearing screams from inside his home. Lack of action taken. 5) July 2008 - Health officer saw a blood blister on Blake's eye perhaps caused by blunt force injury. No action taken. 6) August 2008 - Social services receive report from close family member that Blake has a black eye. Social worker said he would follow it up 'when he had time'. 7) September 2008 - Days before starting school, Blake is admitted to hospital with facial injuries and a painful, swollen penis. He told staff he had 'walked into a door'. The review said this hospital admittance was perhaps 'the most significant missed opportunity'. 8) June 2008 -School sees that Blake has more bruising around his face. Not reported by school 9) April 2010 - Blake told teachers that his father had caused him bruising by banging his head on a bed and a bicycle. No action taken. 10) October 2010 - Blake hit another child in the face, saying that this was what 'Daddy' did to him and that he got upset when his parents swore at him and called him an idiot. The school did not take further action. 11) January 2011 - School again notes bruising to Blake's face but no action was taken. 12) February 2011 - Blake said to be mimicking sexual behaviour at school. No action taken. Behaviour repeated throughout his school career. 13) June 2011 - Blake attends school with a black eye but no action taken 14) June 2011 - Blake spoke at school about 'getting bruises off my dad' - no action taken 15) July 2011 - Blake speaks graphically about being present while the adults watched pornographic films. This was notified to social services but no action resulted 16) March 2011 - Blake told a member of staff that he and his dad played boxing and his dad tried to be gentle but the floor was slippy so he fell over a lot and got bruises. No action taken. 17) March 2011 - Ten days later Blake came to school with a black eye. His mother said that this had happened accidentally when playing on a trampoline. Blake's behaviour also gave rise to concerns that day and he had to be removed from class. No action taken. 18) 2011 - Blake arrives at school with old, torn clothes and bruising. No further action taken. Advertisement

After reading yesterday's 69-page report, Ms Extance - the mother of Sarah Spacagna - said her grandson had been fundamentally let down.

She said: 'If I had known half the things in that report, I would have taken him out of there myself.

'What I did know caused me concern enough to write to a social worker, but they did nothing.

'Nothing can bring Blake back, nothing can make it better for him and what happened to him.'

The hearing had been told how traces of the ceiling material Artex had been found in Blake's hair and on his lip.

He died later at Southampton General Hospital from a catastrophic head injury.

At the time of his death, the Meek brothers were arrested on suspicion of causing grievous bodily harm, but no charges were brought against them.

Years later, Hampshire Constabulary re-opened the case, re-arresting the two brothers and also Blake's mother, Sarah Spacagna.

Police eventually decided in December 2014 - three years after Blake's death - that there was insufficient evidence to press charges against any of the adults.

Yesterday's report outlined several episodes of violence to which Blake was exposed but which were never properly investigated.

One of the most violent accounts in the report revealed how, in 2007, Blake's mother was allegedly witnessed having 'hit, turned upside down, shaken and threatened' her son.

The review found that Blake had also told social workers that Peter Meek allegedly bit him while putting him to bed.

Then, in 2008, Blake was admitted to hospital with a swollen penis and facial injuries. He told staff he had 'walked into a door', the report said.

Despite the consultant specifically saying that they believed some of the injuries were deliberately inflicted, no further action was taken by police.

The report said this was perhaps 'the most significant missed opportunity'.

By March 2010, Blake's attendance at school was poor and he continued to show signs of injury.

The following month, he told teachers that bruising on his head was the result of his dad banging his head on a bike and bed, the report found.

Six months later, he hit another child at school and told staff that 'it was what his daddy did to him'. On another occasion, he apparently said: 'My daddy gives me bruises, but I don't care', the report said.

The review also found that, towards the end of his life, Blake was displaying what was described as 'sexualised behaviour'.

When questioned about this, he told a social worker he could not go to sleep before the adults did and often lay on the sofa watching pornographic films that were on the television, it found.

It said that, according to legal papers, a former partner of his mother was also said to have blown smoke into the boy's face before giving him vodka to drink - before he was even old enough to start school.

On another occasion, workmen contacted the NSPCC after seeing an injured-looking Blake with his mother after hearing screaming from the property.

The NSPCC report revealed how Blake had been reported to have two black eyes, bruising to his back and legs, a 'nasty cut' on his forehead, a bite mark on his leg and finger marks around the neck and jaw.

The report also revealed how Blake's grandmother Jane Extance had contacted social services with her concerns for Blake's welfare - including reports of what she thought was a cigarette burn on his throat - but her calls went unreturned.

Meanwhile, the report found that Blake's mother was allegedly a victim of domestic violence and well-known to authorities for that reason.

In November 2011, Peter Meek had been arrested over a domestic violence incident that was subsequently dropped as Ms Spacagna would not support the prosecution.

On one occasion, workmen reported to the NSPCC how they had seen the injured child with his mother and had heard screaming from inside the property in Cromarty Road, Shirley, Southampton (pictured)

The review said there were reports of her being strangled, an act of violence allegedly carried out in front of children.

Mr Meek was again arrested in September 2011 and was released on bail. A statement from Ms Fowler at the time said that he had threatened to kill her and that he enjoyed beating her up, the report found.

Two months later, Blake had died.

The first meeting between the authorities to discuss problems with the family took place in April 2011, the report found.

Although some child protection arrangements were put in place, the report said these were subsequently withdrawn.

In the following months, Blake again appeared with injuries. He was described as wearing torn and old clothes by the school nurse.

It is the mark of his resilience that Blake continued to present much of the time as lively and cheerful - but the failure to see that this presentation masked a lifetime of abuse is alarming Keith Makin, safeguarding board

The report also revealed how the overstretched social worker in charge of Blake's care at the time passed it on to a student social worker.

The report adds: 'When they did take action their responses fell well below expected standards of practice.

'The reasons for this specific to this agency, lie in the instability of the local authority and its management arrangements, and in poor practice by individual social workers and their managers.'

In concluding whether the death was preventable the report says of all the agencies involved: 'There were many opportunities to intervene in this family.

'There was little evidence of the needs and safety of children being prioritised by those caring for them.

'Evidence strongly indicating the physical abuse of (Blake) was repeatedly set aside.'

Keith Makin, chairman of the LSCB who commissioned the report, said: 'On behalf of the Southampton Local Children's Board, along with colleagues from the council, police and health services in the city, I would like to say how sorry we are that Blake did not get the help he needed.'

'Our local safeguarding services in Southampton have significantly improved since Blake's tragic death.

'Over the past two years we have been working to transform child protection services but we are not complacent.

'Progress has been made but our work is not yet finished, we are committed to doing everything possible to ensure that children in Southampton today are safe from abuse and harm.'



