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A mother, who chose to remain anonymous and is referred to as Laura, expressed shock upon learning that Campbell had taken her children swimming. “I felt physically sick knowing he had been around my children,” she said. Laura revealed her distress over Campbell being in a cubicle where he could have been observing any child, not only hers, and she found this thought difficult to shake. Her anguish deepened when a friend alerted her to a news article detailing his sentencing. She feels that all individuals who had contact with Campbell should have been informed of his charges and intends to question the council on how they can be sure that no children under their care were affected. “I’m just angry,” Laura stated. “I want answers. They need to answer the questions.”
Another mother, identified as Sarah to protect her identity, shared her anger upon discovering that Campbell had unsupervised access to her children. She recounted moments such as changing her daughter’s nappy in Campbell’s presence and recalled a seemingly innocent compliment he made, which now haunts her: “In one session, he said my daughter was beautiful. I didn’t think he was anyone to be worried about. I can’t get that comment out of my head now.” Police uncovered indecent images of children on Campbell’s mobile phone following an undercover sting operation. The 52-year-old former army veteran admitted guilt on all charges in June 2026 and was sentenced last week to 18 months in prison. Sarah voiced her concern about the wellbeing of her children, admitting her fear that images of her own children might be among those found. She criticized the council’s handling of the case, saying, “If [the council] handled it properly, it would not have caused so much upset. If they had the children’s best interests at heart, they would have told us.”
North Tyneside Council, controlled by Labour, responded by suspending Campbell immediately after being informed of his arrest by the police and subsequently dismissing him. Rebecca Wall, the director of children’s services, apologized for families learning about the case through online sources rather than directly from the council. She acknowledged the trust parents place in them and recognized that the situation was unsettling for many. Wall emphasized the council’s commitment to openness and transparency but noted that legal constraints limited what information could be shared during the court proceedings. “As soon as we became aware of the outcome, we took immediate steps to contact families and provide reassurance and support,” she said.
Conservative councillor Lewis Bartoli, representing the Tynemouth ward, criticized the council for not keeping parents informed earlier, especially once Campbell pleaded guilty. He described the process as difficult but insisted that the council should have reached out to families sooner. Bartoli highlighted the distress caused by parents discovering the news through social media, calling it “a real failure” and stating, “It leaves more questions than answers.” A council spokesperson affirmed their dedication to addressing families’ concerns and answering any questions they might have
Read the full article from The BBC here: Read More
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