AN ISLEWORTH youth club this week insisted parents have nothing to fear after it emerged two ex-employees have been sentenced for child sex offences within six months of each other.
The Chronicle reported last month how Alan Jenkins, a former youth development worker and special needs coordinator at Isleworth Explorers Club, was jailed for nearly two years after he admitted attempting to 'groom' a schoolgirl online for sex.
We can now reveal a second ex-worker, Marc Stomboli, was jailed for two years and six months only last October after admitting a string of underage sex offences.
According to the club, based in Twickenham Road, Isleworth, Stomboli was sacked from his position as part-time club assistant in March 2008 for gross misconduct.
His dismissal followed an allegation of improper conduct with one of the club's members and attending work while under the influence of alcohol.
The 29-year-old, of Summerwood Road, Isleworth, was sentenced at Isleworth Crown Court on October 15 last year after admitting four counts of sexual activity with an under-16-year-old and one of sexual assault on a child under 13. All five charges related to the period between August 30, 2004, and February 29, 2008.
Although none of Jenkins' offences were related to his work at the club, the fact two ex-workers were sentenced so close together has prompted concerns about child safety from a number of former volunteers at the centre, some of whom have contacted the Chronicle anonymously.
However, leaders of the club claim it has always followed proper procedures and an independent review has been carried out to strengthen child protection even further.
Chair of trustees Richard Collins said: "The police confirmed the club followed proper procedures and acted in the correct manner throughout. As a result of this (Stomboli's sentencing) we instigated an independent review of our procedures and have commenced implementation of the recommendations contained in this report.
"These include changes to our staff selection process, clarification of our management structure and strengthening of child protection training for our staff.
"Clearly we have experienced a very difficult period recently but we would reiterate that the safety and security of all the club's users remains our principal concern and we are confident the measures outlined above will avoid a recurrence of these issues in the future."
Jenkins, formerly of Mill Plat, Isleworth, admitted attempting to groom a 14-year-old girl for sex and four counts of possessing indecent images of children after being caught in a police sting operation. He was sentenced at Kingston Crown Court on March 19.
The 35-year-old was fired by the club as soon as it was made aware of the police investigation.
