A Women’s Aid group said it is “appalled” a Fife paedophile duped them into handing out a place at a refuge.
Katie Dolatowski, who identifies as female, gained access to the Leeds Domestic Violence Service (LDVS) earlier this year.
Dolatowski has convictions in Fife for attacking one child and filming another in supermarket toilets.
The sex offender has also admitted breaches of sexual offences notification orders.
Leeds Women’s Aid confirmed Dolatowski used a fake identity to hide those convictions to get into its LDVS.
A return to Scotland to face further charges resulted from the subsequent arrest on September 9 2022.
‘Thorough investigation’
A statement issued by Leeds Women’s Aid (LWA) said: “The individual had used an identity and related official documents in the same name to access the refuge and in doing so they concealed their previous convictions for child sex offences.
“Once the person’s true identity and crimes were revealed, we alerted the police and the individual was taken into custody.
“At no time were we aware of their previous identity or crimes.
“LWA is taking this extremely seriously and we are undertaking a thorough investigation.
“We have not found evidence of any crimes having been committed during the period when the person was resident with us.
“LWA’s priority remains victims-survivors and we want all survivors to be able to access the support they need when accessing domestic abuse services.”
Chief Executive ‘appalled’
Nik Peasgood, LWA Chief Executive said: “We are appalled that someone with such crimes could come to a women’s refuge using a different identity.
“We are aware that a criminal using authenticated identification could access any housing provider’s services and we are not unique in being manipulated in this way.
“We have informed children’s services and are working with our closest stakeholders, including Leeds City Council and Women’s Aid Federation England and will share any learning with our sector in order to improve safety of victims-survivors.”
Series of crimes
Dolatowski sexually assaulted a 10-year-old girl in the toilet of Morrisons supermarket in Kirkcaldy in March 2018.
The terrified youngster was grabbed by the face, shoved into the cubicle, and ordered to remove her trousers.
The child fought back and told her parents.
The attack came a month after Dolatowski, then 18, had filmed a 12-year-old girl on the toilet in another supermarket in Dunfermline.
There was outrage when it was discovered Dolatowski had been placed in a woman-only hostel.
The predator has since been convicted of breaching the terms of the resultant sex offender registration, including by travelling to Leeds.
On Wednesday, The Courier told how Dolatowski had been placed in Polmont Young Offenders’ Institution but lashed out at a fellow prisoner over “comments” made.
The habitual offender will be sentenced for that next month and is currently incarcerated in all-female Cornton Vale.
The court also heard Dolatowski had been forced from the family home in Kirkcaldy.
Protest
The Yorkshire Evening Post reported protesters from the Leeds ReSisters group were outside Leeds City Council headquarters on Wednesday, asking how Dolatowski was able to trick the authorities.
A letter the group handed to councillors stated: “It seems that in Leeds, Dolatowski, an imposing figure at 6’5” – used a false identity.
Today’s rally#leedsresisters#NoMenInWomensRefuges#KatieDolatowski #transawarenessweek#womenwontwheesht pic.twitter.com/5jYeIPbJ0f
— Leeds ReSisters (@LeedsReSisters) November 16, 2022
“The Katie Dolatowski incident is a scandal – but sadly, it was scandal waiting to happen.”
The group argued as Dolatowski was a trans woman, the refuge should change its rules to only accept women that were born biologically female.
