'I was beaten up and left for dead after the council refused to house me'

27.02.2022 - 10:43 / manchestereveningnews.co.uk

A homeless teenager was beaten up and 'left for dead' after being refused housing by Manchester City Council.

The young woman had previously been the victim of criminal and sexual exploitation from a county lines drugs gang.

In 2020 she went to the council for help after she became homeless.

However she was refused, and in desperation turned to a criminal who had previously exploited her for help. He demanded cash from her before attacking her, leaving her needing hospital treatment.

READ MORE: Children killing children: Inside Greater Manchester’s teen knife crime epidemic

The council has now been criticised by a watchdog who found that the teenager wasn't properly assessed when she was refused housing.

Manchester City Council has said it 'fully accepts' the findings of the Local Government Ombudsman.

In an interview with the Local Democracy Reporting Service, the 19-year-old, from south Manchester, described how she 'slipped through the net' of social services, her school, and even her own family - before being denied help when she was at her lowest ebb, leaving her feeling 'simply worthless'.

The teenager, who cannot be named for legal reasons and is referred to in the ombudsman's report as 'Ms X', was at one stage a star pupil.

But her difficulties began when she went to a secondary school far from her area, and fell in with some older youths.

One girl, who was like a 'big sister', introduced her to some 'friends'.

"It was so subtle at first," she said. "You know, taking me for food after school.

"I used to sit in McDonald's and I would do homework with these people.

"It started from that and by the time I was 13, 14 I was being trafficked up and down the country."

The schoolgirl's new friends were criminals