Foster pair missing with boy, four, claimed harassment by Edlington attack brothers

FOSTER parents who have gone missing with a four-year-old boy had previously claimed they were the victims of sustained racial harassment – including from the young brothers who savagely attacked two children in Doncaster last year.

Police have launched a major search for Darren and Marcia Langton, who lived very close to the boys’ family home in Edlington, Doncaster, and raised their allegations with Doncaster Council earlier this year.

The Yorkshire Post has seen a copy of an email sent to the council by Mrs Langton, a 46-year-old black woman, which is an apparent plea for help and includes claims the family “suffered a horrendous catalogue of racism”.

At one point it specifically pinpoints the alleged role of the two brothers who went on to commit the Edlington attacks.

The council, the subject of severe criticism for failures leading up to the Edlington attacks, declined to comment on the allegations last night.

Chris Pratt, director of children and young people’s services, said: “These are confidential matters and therefore we do not comment on individual cases. However, we take all allegations of anti-social behaviour and racial abuse very seriously and investigate them thoroughly.”

A complicated picture of the Langtons’ life in Doncaster emerged yesterday, including Mr Langton’s conviction for an assault on a neighbour. The 40-year-old, who is white, was fined 200 by Doncaster magistrates on August 25, ordered to pay 100 compensation and placed under a curfew.

The Langtons moved with four-year-old Kanan, who is under the care of Newham Council in London, to Skegness within the past six weeks. He was put in their care 16 months ago and the council was considering them as potential adopters.

The couple were due to return the boy on Tuesday but failed to meet social workers.

The council said: “In recent weeks we were made aware of serious concerns which led us to take court action to return him to our care. This action by the council led to the couple’s disappearance and we alerted the police straight away.”