THEY buried their heads in the sand, they didn’t listen and as a result more young girls were abused.

That was the damning accusation levelled at social services and police chiefs in Hampshire today by the very people they were there to protect.

The victims of depraved foster carer Rex Case are demanding answers as to why nobody intervened – despite disturbing allegations by a child aged just five claiming she had been raped.

The sickening information was passed to the authorities by the girls’ new foster mum. But instead of taking action they simply asked her to keep a written record of the claims.

Now, 15 years later, those damning records were produced in evidence against Case.

In one of dozens of instalments she described a “disobedient, frightened and scared” child.

The entries went on to describe in detail how the youngster was sad and withdrawn, worried and had revealed she had been “sexed”

by Case and told of the grotesque acts he committed.

The foster carer, who went on to adopt the girl, told how police were called in and vulnerable witness interviews were carried out on several occasions – but nothing came of it.

Meanwhile Case, a father and grandfather, was continuing to foster children.

The girl, who is now aged 19, was first made aware of the legal proceedings against Case in September 2010.

Speaking to the Daily Echo she said: “It was very frustrating because I had already said everything and they didn’t listen. I have had it on my conscience that if only I had done something different, made them listen to me all those years ago, then I could have stopped all those other children being abused.

“I want to know why nothing was done when I was first interviewed at the age of five, who was responsible and they need to give me answers. I long to know why the police chose not to take this any further and why social services have not held their hands up and admitted they got it wrong. I want justice to be done properly.”

Her demands were echoed by the mother of a girl known as “R”, who was abused by Case when she stayed with him in 2000.

She told the Daily Echo from her Southampton home: “If I thought I could turn up at the door of social services and get some answers then that is where I would be now. Someone needs to answer these questions and be held accountable.”

Her daughter, who was Case’s last victim, added: “I blame social services entirely. If they had only done their job properly and looked in to what was being claimed then I would never have gone there and what happened to me would not have happened.”