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Kick It Out criticised over communication in alleged sexual assault case.



Kick It Out has been criticized over "failures of communication" concerning how it handled an allegation of sexual assault made by a member of staff in 2017.

The Charity Commission criticised the "slow sharing" of the information about the alleged assault - said to have been committed by someone from outside the organisation - among trustees.

The matter was only brought to the Charity Commission's attention by a Kick It Out trustee in October 2018, after it was initially reported to Kick It Out staff in the summer of 2017.

Former Kick It Out chair Lord Ouseley defended his role in the organisation's handling of the matter in a statement published in December 2018.

"Having been told that the individual did not want to involve the police, which I emphasised should have happened immediately, and wanted the matter resolved in a private manner, I assumed the task of preserving and safeguarding that privacy," he said.

"I hold my hands up as guilty if I should have told my trustees and the Charity Commissioners."

A spokesperson for the Charity Commission said: "We expect charities to report serious incidents to the Commission in line with our guidance.

"On timing, our guidance is clear that this is as soon as is reasonably possible after an incident happens, or immediately after a charity becomes aware of it."

The eventual reporting of the allegation of sexual assault to the Charity Commission came a month after the commission was contacted by individuals at Kick It Out who complained of bullying and harassment, and about the culture among the charity's leadership team.

The Charity Commission opened a regulatory compliance case to investigate both issues, while Kick It Out commissioned an independent review led by a QC which concluded in August.

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