Former Tavistock employee convicted of child ‘grooming’ but allowed to continue practice

(LifeSiteNews) — Dr. Ross Canade, a child psychologist who worked at the U.K. National Health Service’s Tavistock, pleaded guilty on July 29 to “attempting to meet a child following sexual grooming.” 

On September 30, he was given a mere 12-month suspended sentence by a judge at Wood Green Crown Court. On October 1, the Daily Mail reported that, despite being convicted for child sexual offences, “Dr. Canade has not been suspended by the regulator which oversees his profession” and that thus, “according to the website of the Health and Care Professions Council, he remains registered to practice without conditions.” 

Canade – who was fired by Tavistock after revelations about his behaviour emerged – was busted by a group of “paedophile hunters” who caught Canade in an online sting. On July 1, Canade connected with the someone posing as a teenager on Grindr, a gay dating site. According to the Mail, Canade “sent sexually explicit messages to a youngster who told him he was aged 15.” The two exchanged phone numbers, and Canade sent him sexual messages on WhatsApp, as well. 

READ: Algerian child rapist granted asylum in France after claiming to be transgender 

Canade then met the young man at Nando’s restaurant in Southgate, north London, where he arranged with him “to go to a local park to have sex.” At the park, Canade found himself surrounded by the “paedophile hunter” group who were posing as the would-be victim’s friends and held until the police arrived. 

During the trial, prosecutor Paul Fairley made it clear that the Tavistock child psychologist thought he was sexting with and propositioning a 15-year-old and did not know that he was actually in contact with a “decoy profile” being operated by an older person.  

During sentencing, Canade was told that it had been “made clear in the first conversation that he was 15 years old.” The judge stated: “You established he was inexperienced, and there was a discussion of having sex in a local park. You agreed to meet with the intention of having sexual relations afterwards.” Canade’s defence attorney Archie Manby insisted that Canade’s role as a psychologist at Tavistock had him working in “an incredibly high pressure environment” and that some of his patients had submitted testimonials testifying to his good character.  

Predictably, Manby also said Canade was taking therapy and had struggled with mental health.  

This likely contributed to his suspended sentence, although Canade was also mandated to complete a 35-session sex offenders rehabilitation course and 150 days unpaid work. Tavistock affirmed that Canade, who had worked with minors and adolescents at a clinic that has since become infamous for assisting youngsters in sex changes, had been fired, but said that none of his patients were among the victims. 

READ: Georgian prime minister signs pro-family bill banning LGBT propaganda 

According to Tavistock: “We can confirm that a former Trust employee has been convicted of offences involving a minor. As soon as we were alerted to the police investigation, we suspended the individual and subsequently he was dismissed.” Canade did not work in Tavistock’s gender program itself, but the Mail reported that he “specialized in treating children and adolescents with mental health issues.”  

To summarize: a child psychologist who worked at Tavistock, with particularly vulnerable youngsters, was convicted of having sexual conversations with a child and subsequently attempting to meet the minor for sex. While he received suspended sentences, at the time of writing, he is still free to practice.