[chuff me dizzy]

Originally Posted by Munchkins

Should be castrated with a blunt knife tbf

Too good for them

[Omah]

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england...ester-21648290

An MP is calling on police to speed up its probe into child sex grooming allegations in Greater Manchester.

Officers are carrying out criminal investigations into six cases while dealing with 42 alleged victims of sexual abuse in Rochdale.

Simon Danczuk, MP for Rochdale, said "whistle blowers" told him that there was "no urgency" in the investigation.

But Greater Manchester Police said dealing with child abuse was a priority.

The investigation was launched last May in the wake of the convictions of nine men who groomed and abused children in Rochdale and Heywood.

Mr Danczuk said: "People involved in the investigation have been coming to my office saying there is a sense that momentum is being lost.

"It is not just a case of the resources but whether the officers have the right skills.

"Some of these allegations date back to 2008, when some were ignored and it is quite understandable that they are reluctant to come forward."

He added he is writing to Greater Manchester's Chief Constable Sir Peter Fahy. He said: "I am seeking assurances there are enough officers with the right kind of skills and aptitude to interview all of the alleged victims".

As well as the 42 alleged victims, police are also examining 34 other names referred to them - but it is not clear how many of these are potential victims.

Assistant Chief Constable Steve Heywood said: "Rumours about child sexual exploitation (CSE) operations being discontinued are not only inaccurate, but also undermine the confidence of both victims and the wider community.

"CSE is now the force priority and we currently have more detectives working in this area than we do combating gun crime."

Mr Heywood also stated: "The investigation itself is at an extremely sensitive stage and it has taken many painstaking months for officers to gain the trust and understanding of potential victims and their families."

He said there had been "an initial pool of 42 girls" approached by the force, "but the vast majority did not want to pursue a criminal complaint".

Mr Heywood added: "There is now a core of six victims we are continuing to work with and the investigation is ongoing.

"However, the rest of the girls remain very much part of the investigation and the multi-agency support for them continues regardless of whether there are prosecutions or not.

Let's hope that, now that public interest has waned, that vulnerable, abused and exploited children are not being forgotten .....

[Omah]

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-21925205

Men alleged to be part of a child-grooming ring in Rochdale were never brought to justice because the evidence of teenage victims was not pursued, according a former police officer.

Last May nine members of the ring were jailed for a total of 77 years.

Tessa (not her real name) was 14 years old when men started grooming her for sex - luring her with free takeaway food and alcohol.

During a failed investigation into the abuse in 2008, she was arrested on suspicion of introducing friends to help the ring widen its network of girls - a claim she denies.

The investigation was eventually dropped and no charges were brought against her.

Three years later, after the case was resurrected, police documents seen by the the BBC's File on 4 programme said Tessa was "clearly a victim of sexual abuse and grooming".

After an initial period of mistrust, she co-operated with the new investigation, called Operation Span, identifying men, providing phone numbers and pointing out locations in flats, car parks and remote spots on the moors where she had been sexually abused.

But before the trial came to court, Tessa was dropped as a prosecution witness and she says she has never been told why.

"I thought I'd go to court and it would get the men off the street and be better for young girls out there now," she told the BBC.

Out of the 11 men who went to trial last year, nine were found guilty and two were acquitted.

But some of the men Tessa said had abused her were never arrested or charged.

She says she still sees some of them walking around Rochdale.

"There are still people out there not even arrested yet and I tried to explain that to a police officer, but they just don't listen," she said.

Former Det Con Margaret Oliver was the witness manager assigned to Tessa and another girl, Chelsea (not her real name).

She spent four months getting to know the girls, hearing their stories and encouraging them to give evidence to the police.

She was told the girls were vital for the police's investigation.

When she learned the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) had decided not to call Tessa as a witness, she says she felt ashamed of her part in a process that won the girls' trust only to betray it.

Unlike Tessa, Chelsea was used as a witness in the trial, but only in relation to one charge against one man.

However, between them the two girls had described abuse by about 20 men.

Some of them were prosecuted and convicted but others were not.

"I feel that had the full facts been heard from the girls, we would have got heavier sentences and there wouldn't be offenders still walking the streets of Rochdale," Mrs Oliver said.

Pillars of the community, no doubt .....

[Omah]

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england...ester-22645372

Former senior managers at Rochdale Borough Council did not do enough to stop the grooming and sexual abuse of children, a report has found.

The review was ordered by the council after nine men were jailed last year for grooming and abusing teenage girls in and around the town.

Jim Taylor, chief executive, said the council had let down some children.

He said the review painted a poor image of how parts of the council was run but said it had improved its procedures.

The 136-page report by independent consultants made 16 recommendations and said the council should have done more to deal with the issue of grooming sooner.

The report said even though the problem was not recognised nationally until 2008, local councils in Lancashire close to Rochdale had already started tackling the issue.

Mr Taylor said: "It is clear from this review that some children were let down by Rochdale Council.

"On behalf of the council, I am deeply sorry these young people did not get the care and support they deserved.

"This review paints a poor picture of the way elements of Rochdale Council has previously been run.

"Hard-working, dedicated staff were also let down by some senior managers who appear to have shown no leadership and taken no responsibility. I am absolutely determined to ensure these mistakes are never repeated."

Shutting the door after the horse has bolted, but nevertheless .....