Coventry council used Airbnbs to house ‘vulnerable’ teenage boy accused of rape

The family judge, Mrs Justice Lieven, said she found it ‘absolutely astonishing’ that Coventry council had seen fit to place the vulnerable 16-year-old in a series of unregulated placements. Photograph: Edward George/Alamy

A teenage boy who has been accused of multiple rapes was housed in Airbnbs by a local authority after regulated accommodation providers said it would be too risky for them to house him.

Airbnbs and other temporary accommodation have been deployed because no secure placement can be found anywhere in England that is prepared to accommodate the child, who self-harms, makes weapons, assaults staff members, damages property and has been taken to hospital after expressing suicidal thoughts. He has been arrested on numerous occasions.