Greater Manchester police investigating over 1,000 grooming gang suspects
The force has made 'significant improvements' in how it investigates grooming gangs and other types of child sexual abuse offences, according to the report by His Majesty's Inspectorate of Constabulary and Fire and Rescue Services.
The report looks at the way grooming gangs and other child sex offences are handled by the police, health bodies and the 10 councils across Greater Manchester.
It said police have live investigations into 'multi-victim, multi-offender' child sexual exploitation cases involving 714 victims and survivors and 1,099 suspects.
'We found that since 2019, when Greater Manchester police started to review its non-recent child sexual exploitation investigations, the force has improved its understanding and approach to investigating allegations of child criminal and sexual exploitation,' the constabulary inspector, Michelle Skeer, said.
'It is clear that the force has, for many years, been trying to provide a better service to those who have or may have experienced sexual exploitation.
'But for some, trust and confidence in the police had been lost, and the force would not be able to rectify their experiences.
'It is vital that improvements are led by victims' experiences, and if they do come forward, they are supported, protected and taken seriously.'
At a press conference, GMP's chief constable, Sir Stephen Watson, said those who had failed victims in the past 'should face justice like anyone else'.
He continued: 'To those who are responsible for these repugnant crimes – as is now very apparent – we will pursue you relentlessly.'
The chief constable said the role ethnicity played in grooming gang offending was a 'legitimate question' and may be explored in a future national inquiry.
A recent report by Louise Casey found that Asian men were significantly over-represented as suspects in grooming gangs in Greater Manchester, saying authorities were in 'denial', and that more needed to be done to understand why this was the case.
GMP is the only force in the country to set up a dedicated team to investigate grooming gangs, which it did in 2021, now called the child sexual exploitation major investigation team (CSE MIT), with about 100 staff and a ringfenced budget.
The force approaches child sexual exploitation as it does serious and organised crime gangs, using specialist tactics.
The report identified issues where improvements could be made in order to better address the issue and progress investigations.
These included data sharing, with local councils sometimes not willing to provide detectives with information, leading to 'significant delays in investigations'.
The report said intelligence provided by Manchester city council took months to arrive and 'was so heavily redacted that some pages contained only a few words'.
So far the CSE MIT and the earlier grooming gang investigations have resulted in 42 convictions, with offenders imprisoned for a total of more than 430 years.
Other investigations are ongoing, with several more trials scheduled.
Also speaking at the press conference, Greater Manchester's mayor, Andy Burnham, said: 'I am confident in my view that the Greater Manchester system is in a demonstrably different and far stronger place today than it was when the failings happened.'
'The effect of the assurance review I commissioned has been to usher in widespread culture change across all GM bodies. Never again will any child here be labelled or dismissed when they come forward to report concerns,' Burnham added.
'Now the national inquiry is being put in place, we must allow victims the space and the right climate to have their voices heard, allow the actual truth to be established and accountability delivered.'
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The Guardian
26 minutes ago
- The Guardian
The Guardian view on proscribing Palestine Action: blurring civil disobedience and terrorism is a dangerous step
When the Labour government introduced anti-terrorism legislation 25 years ago, it stressed that it was targeting extreme crimes. 'Terrorism involves the threat or use of serious violence for political, religious or ideological ends. It … aims to create a climate of extreme fear,' said Jack Straw, the then home secretary. Some MPs still feared that a group like Greenpeace, which had destroyed genetically modified crops and temporarily halted nuclear weapons production at Aldermaston, might be proscribed. Mr Straw reassured them that such bans would be used only when absolutely necessary; he knew of 'no evidence whatever' that the actions of the environmental group 'would fall remotely under [its] scope'. UN experts warned this week that 'acts of protest that damage property, but are not intended to kill or injure people, should not be treated as terrorism'. Yet on Wednesday, MPs voted – by 385 to 26 – to proscribe Palestine Action under the 2000 legislation. The Lords were expected to approve the order on Thursday. Unless a high court judge orders its suspension at a hearing on Friday, from Saturday, being a member of or simply expressing support for the group will carry a maximum penalty of 14 years. The ban was announced days after Palestine Action claimed responsibility for breaking into an RAF base and spraying paint on to planes that it claimed were supporting the Israeli military campaign. Four people have been charged. Hundreds of lawyers, cultural figures and groups such as Amnesty International have condemned the ban. It is lamentable that MPs backed it. But cynically listing two white-supremacist organisations on the same order – Maniacs Murder Cult, whose members have claimed violent attacks globally, and Russian Imperial Movement, which seeks to create a new Russian imperial state – made it harder for legislators to vote it down. The British state has plenty of legislation to deal with direct action. Palestine Action activists have been arrested and charged with criminal damage, violent disorder and burglary. The suspicion is that frequent acquittals have led to this order. Pouring paint over military aircraft and buildings, and tossing smoke bombs, does not sound like the kind of extreme act that the public rightly reviles as terrorism. Rather, the ban appears designed not only to silence supporters but to reduce public sympathy by placing the group on a par with Islamic State and the extreme-right group National Action. Yvette Cooper, the home secretary, alleges that Palestine Action's methods 'have become more aggressive, with its members demonstrating a willingness to use violence'. The public will need to see evidence of this – rather than take such claims on trust – if their faith in the state is not to be undermined. Palestine Action has targeted property to challenge a war in which tens of thousands of civilians have been killed. The group's protests embarrass the government: the UK continues to supply equipment to Israel's military as it slaughters Palestinians. Despite overwhelming evidence that war crime is piling on war crime in Gaza, and reportedly contrary to the advice of its own lawyers, the British government will not say that Israel has broken international law. The government should be doing all it can to end this conflict, not to criminalise protests against it. But you do not need to sympathise with Palestine Action's aims to believe that its proscription sets a chilling precedent and undermines democracy.
The Independent
29 minutes ago
- The Independent
Home Secretary: Government accepts court ruling on ‘serious failing' by MI5
The Home Secretary has said she is 'deeply concerned' that MI5 gave false evidence to the High Court and that the Government accepts a further investigation should take place. Yvette Cooper told MPs that 'internal processes at MI5 must improve' after three judges ruled on Wednesday that a further investigation should be carried out into how it came to give incorrect evidence to the High Court in a bid to secure an injunction against the BBC. Then-attorney general Suella Braverman asked the court for the injunction in 2022, which prevented the BBC from disclosing information likely to identify a man who allegedly abused two women and is a covert human intelligence source. But at a hearing earlier this year, the court was told that part of the written evidence provided by MI5 was false. The Lady Chief Justice Baroness Carr, Dame Victoria Sharp and Mr Justice Chamberlain ruled on Wednesday that, while it was 'premature' for contempt of court proceedings to be launched against the organisation, a further investigation should be carried out as probes conducted by MI5 into the matter 'suffer from serious procedural deficiencies'. In a statement on Thursday, Ms Cooper told MPs that MI5 must 'always maintain the highest of standards and rigour'. She said: 'I remain deeply concerned that inaccurate evidence was provided to the High Court and Investigatory Powers Tribunal. This was a serious failing by MI5. 'The Government accepts the High Court's conclusion that a 'further, robust and independent investigation' should take place. I will provide further details to the House in due course. 'I have also asked the attorney general to conduct an internal review of how evidence from MI5 should be prepared and presented in future, to respond to the court's specific findings on witness statements in this regard. 'Alongside this I have asked my officials to review the wider issues raised by this case. 'The vital work MI5 does every day keeps our country safe and saves lives in the face of myriad threats. 'We owe them a debt of gratitude for the work they do. 'But that is also why it is essential that they always maintain the highest of standards and rigour, including in responding to the courts.' Following the ruling, MI5 director-general Sir Ken McCallum offered a 'full and unreserved apology for the errors made in these proceedings'.
The Sun
30 minutes ago
- The Sun
I hired a PI after Tattle Life trolls outed my pregnancy – it left me heartbroken, says Jeremy Clarkson's daughter Emily
THE Tattle Life website has been used for years to spread nasty gossip about celebrities and influencers alike. But since its anonymous owner was outed in a Northern Irish court last month, victims of the forums have finally spoken out against the abuse they've endured, including Emily Clarkson. 3 Speaking on her podcast Should I Delete That? with co-host Alex Light, Jeremy Clarkson 's eldest daughter has shared the lengths she went to in an attempt to uncover the trolls targeting her and her family. Englishman, Sebastian Bond, lost his right to anonymity in the courts after he was successfully sued for defamation as the website's founder. The site which attracted 12 million visitors a month was launched seven years ago and supposedly aimed at exposing disingenuous influencers, but has earned the name of a 'troll site; to abuse anyone they see fit.' And Emily was one of thousands of celebrities targeted by people hiding under anonymous accounts to spread hate and abuse. Speaking on the podcast, Emily said: "Tattle has been the biggest thorn in our sides. "You and I, Al, have genuinely been heartbroken by this; it's affected me to the point where I've had to block it on all devices. Emily revealed she has to get those close to her to check the site every few weeks just to ensure images of her kids and her home address wasn't leaked. "I was so broken by it, I haven't been able to check it since Arlo was born, if they say anything bad about my kids I'm gonna die" she continued. The 30-year-old also revealed that her pregnancy with her second child, Xanthe was ruined by trolls on the site who leaked details of her pregnancy. Emily revealed that the cyberbullying got so bad she ended up hiring a private investigator (PI) to find the trolls who were not just harassing her online but stalking her in real life too. 3 Ireland AM guest recalls harrowing online harassment from tattle website "I need to stress, I've found these people, I've hired a PI and I'm incredibly good at finding people on the internet," she continued. Emily's clever detective skills led her to find one Tattle Life user who referred to Emily as 'thrush' as she was 'annoying', but on Instagram would DM Emily being nice as pie. To show her she knew who she was, Emily decided to send her a picture of thrush medication on Instagram and was swiftly left alone by the troll. "She saw it and never replied," Emily chuckled. Tattle Life Timeline Creation of Tattle Life: The online forum Tattle Life was established as a platform for commentary and critiques of influencers and celebrities. Harassment of Neil and Donna Sands: A 45-page thread targeting Neil and Donna Sands appeared on Tattle Life, leading to a campaign of harassment, invasion of privacy, defamation, and breach of data rights against the couple. Legal Action by the Sands: Neil and Donna Sands filed a lawsuit against Tattle Life, seeking justice for the harm caused by the forum's content. Outcome of the Lawsuit: The Sands won £300,000 in damages, marking a significant victory in their legal battle. Unmasking of Tattle Life Owner: The legal action revealed the identity of the website's owner, Sebastian Bond, also known as the vegan cooking influencer Bastian Durward. Repercussions for Tattle Life: Following the lawsuit, many users of Tattle Life began deleting their accounts due to fears of exposure. Other individuals who have been targeted by the site are now considering legal action, including applying for Norwich Pharmacal orders to unmask anonymous trolls. After her pregnancy was leaked on the site, Emily got a PI to track down who it was. "It felt really nice to know they could be found, and if you push me too far, I know who you are," she continued. "If I read my thread, I'd think I'm the worst person in the world," she added. Emily made the point that not only did the comments hurt her but could also affect future work partnerships and relationships, and the platform never gave those targeted a chance to defend themselves. Since it was created in 2017, the founder of Tattle Life was anonymous, but it was found out after fashion brand owner Donna Sands and her husband Neil took the owner to court in Northern Ireland, Sebastian's identity was lifted. Thanks to The Sands, who were targeted by those on the site, Sebastian was found to be the anonymous founder and they have been awarded £150,000 each.
