A council has refused to reveal a review's findings into the care of a teenager who left a ten-year-old girl for dead - because it would cause the attacker 'further distress'.
Stockton Borough Council has been accused of a 'cover up' because of its decision, which reviewed the care of Connor Hodgson, who lured the schoolgirl away from friends before beating her repeatedly, throttling her and leaving her on a river bank.
She was left covered in blood and beaten so badly part of her head had to be shaved and she needed stitches across her scalp.
A review was carried out by Stockton Borough Council after people on the close-knit estate demanded to know why such a dangerous youth had been allowed to live in council care in their midst.
However the anticipated publication of the report has been refused because officials are concerned about the effect it might have on the teenager.
Hodgson, who was 16-years-old at the time of the attack, was jailed indefinitely last July after he admitted causing the girl grievous bodily harm with intent.
Teesside Crown Court was told he throttled her and beat her around the head so viciously he could have killed her.
The brutal assault caused such outrage that police were forced to appeal for calm in the days following the incident.
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The court heard Hodgson, who was in foster care, had a history of petty crime and had shown worrying sexual behaviour as a result of abuse he himself had suffered as a child.
He could give no explanation for why he attacked the youngster in April last year.
The council has been criticised by James Wharton, Conservative MP for Stockton South, who said their involvement in Hodgson's care should be released.
The horrific head injuries sustained by the schoolgirl after she was brutally attacked by teenager Connor Hodgson, who lured her away from her friends and viciously attacked her
He said: 'Given that if there are any details which rightly should be kept private and confidential they could be redacted as is allowed under the Freedom of Information legislation.
'I can see no justification why this information is not released and it is clearly a matter of public interest.
'Many people will see this as an attempt to cover-up what may be a failure to implement any real changes following an extremely serious and worrying case.'
The girl, now 11, has left the estate with her family to start a new life in a different country.
Her father said: 'He almost killed my daughter. Why was he allowed to be on our estate?
'He should not have been able to run the streets.
'The report should be made public so everyone knows the sort of person he is.'
The council explained its decision by saying: 'Given the passage of time and the fact that the criminal proceedings are concluded any disclosure of personal data arising from the councils audit is in my view unwarranted.'
The girl's mother said: 'That thug should never have been allowed to live on an estate full of young families.'
In refusing to release the internal report, Julie Grant, a reviewing officer for Stockton Borough Council, wrote: 'The review of procedures centred on an audit of social care intervention in respect of a living individual.
'This was not the part of the criminal investigation and as far as I can ascertain was not discussed in open court.
'Given the passage of time and the fact that the criminal proceedings are concluded any disclosure of personal data arising from the councils audit is in my view unwarranted.
'Disclosure would not cause any embarrassment for the council but it is likely to cause further harm and distress to Connor Hodgson.'
The council did release the changes it has implemented since the review, which include:
For long-term cases involving sexually harmful behaviour, or for medium to high-risk behaviour, managers undertake supervision monthly as opposed to quarterly;
Minutes of 'Team around the Child' meetings are shared with the Youth Offending Service and time scales for agreed actions are enforced;
Training on the risk assessment framework and processes is carried out;
Offending history to be detailed on a 'significant event' screen.