Care home worker, William James, sentenced to life in prison for sexual abuse of residents

Support worker, William James, who has previously been known as Stephen Umney, has been sentenced to life in prison for sexual abuse of vulnerable residents at a care home in Bedfordshire over a period of 10 years. James recorded these acts of abuse on camera.

James was caught by Northamptonshire Police when they discovered footage of his sexual abuse of residents as part of a separate investigation into indecent images of children. As a result, James is convicted of:

• Five counts of sexual activity with a person with a mental disorder; and
• Nine counts of causing a person with a mental disorder to engage in sexual activity.

These latest convictions come after James was sentenced in 2022 to two years and ten months for possessing over 1,000 horrific videos and images of children and babies being sexually abused.

James’ abuse of vulnerable persons that he was employed to care for is appalling and the investigating Detective, Claire Long, described it as a “horrific case.” He is now a convicted paedophile and abuser of vulnerable adults.

These residents at the care home should have been protected and instead, they were subject to sexual abuse in the place where they lived. Their sense of security and safety was completely violated. Further, their abuse was filmed and digitally stored by James.

I welcome the criminal conviction and life sentence for James. His actions were illegal and cruel. I hope that survivors of his abuse are receiving support to recover from what happened to them and that they are provided with trust-worthy carers whose conduct is more rigorously monitored.

Survivors of abuse can also bring civil claims against their abusers and their employers in certain cases. Survivors, represented by their own legal team, can seek accountability and compensation for the abuse. While a criminal case focuses on the wrong things that James did, a civil claim focuses on the ways the victims have been affected. A successful civil claim can provide victims with compensation for the pain and suffering caused to them and their losses that they suffered because of the abuse.

If you or someone you know has experienced sexual abuse and would like to speak about bringing a claim for compensation, you can contact me or my colleagues in our specialist abuse team directly. I am a solicitor who acts solely on behalf of survivors of abuse, and I can offer you free, no-obligation, advice about your rights.