Rochdale Grooming

[Delbow]

Takeaway no. 1 from the report: the police relied on the girls (these were children, remember) to make formal statements about the abuse they experienced. Where children didn't make a formal statement (because they were being coerced by the perpetrators and frightened) the police took no further action. The report states they had enough evidence to target the perpetrators and disrupt their activities (which included other organised crimes) without statements from the girls but didn't.

[Al Bundy]

2 hours ago, RJRB said:

Rochdale.

The home territory of the loathsome Cyril Smith and cronies who also escaped justice

 

He was horrible

 

Didn't the Liberal party cover it up?

[Guest]

Everyone should listen to Sara Rowbotham and Maggie Oliver at yesterday's press conference.  Absolutely monstrous institutional and individual failings.

 

And an article by lefty feminist Julie Bindel, who's been working with victims of abuse for decades, about trying to get the media to pay attention, and why they didn't.

[Delbow]

2: Although the police had been aware since 2007 of an organised ring of men sexually abusing girls, it wasn't until 2012 that they secured the first 9 convictions. At which point, both the police and the local authority congratulated themselves on resolving the issue, but this view was based on disregarding the testimony of other girls who had identified other perpetrators. There were at least some officers in GMP who wanted to do the right thing but who were knocked back by senior command.

[Mister M]

25 minutes ago, Delbow said:

Takeaway no. 1 from the report: the police relied on the girls (these were children, remember) to make formal statements about the abuse they experienced. Where children didn't make a formal statement (because they were being coerced by the perpetrators and frightened) the police took no further action. The report states they had enough evidence to target the perpetrators and disrupt their activities (which included other organised crimes) without statements from the girls but didn't.

Even when the children did make statements to the police, the police took no further action.

Newsnight covered the report last night.

[Anna B]

2 hours ago, RJRB said:

Rochdale.

The home territory of the loathsome Cyril Smith and cronies who also escaped justice

 

Not only did he escape justice, but Margaret Thatcher knighted him, knowing full well what he was. 

A paedophile ring in Westminster is still a story that refuses to go away.

[Al Bundy]

12 minutes ago, Anna B said:

Not only did he escape justice, but Margaret Thatcher knighted him, knowing full well what he was. 

A paedophile ring in Westminster is still a story that refuses to go away.

That's not true.

 

She was aware of the accusations, not of what he allegedly was.

[Guest]

10 minutes ago, Al Bundy said:

That's not true.

 

She was aware of the accusations, not of what he allegedly was.

No one should get a knighthood if there is even the slightest doubt at all.

I heard rumours about him years before all that was publicly acknowledged  -  and about others too.

 

To quote Anna :  A paedophile ring in Westminster is still a story that refuses to go away.    Why no investigation ?

This is exactly the same and things are being allowed to lie  -  Again.

 

[Delbow]

37 minutes ago, Mister M said:

Even when the children did make statements to the police, the police took no further action.

Newsnight covered the report last night.

Yeah, I think the point the report is making is that GMP's approach was all wrong - they should have used the information being given them by the girls to start their own investigation, including covert surveillance, of these men. Instead they relied on girls making statements and giving witness evidence in court, which is a ludicrous expectation of vulnerable girls.

 

3. "[Maggie Oliver] asserted that at some point in 2011 GMP became concerned that Amber's evidence was likely to expand the investigation beyond that which the dedicated resources would allow".  Christ. Worth noting that in 2015, Theresa May was reported as saying there was "no ducking the fact" that police funding will be reduced over the next parliament, but the previous five years had illustrated it was possible "to do more with less".

[Delbow]

4. Despite organised child sexual exploitation being known about by GMP and Rochdale Council since at least 2008, a multi agency CSE team was not set up until 2011, comprising one police officer and one social worker who was expected to work non-CSE cases as well.