Campaigners seek legal action against failures to tackle grooming gangs

A police whistleblower and survivors of child sexual abuse have launched a legal campaign to investigate taking action against those who failed to tackle grooming gangs and exploitation.

Former police detective turned whistleblower Maggie Oliver said misconduct in public office could be one of the offences being looked at to hold to account senior officials who “knowingly failed in their duty to protect children” against gangs or other cases of sex abuse.

Ms Oliver told the PA news agency: “I want the message to go out very clearly to senior public servants today, whether that’s chief constables, heads of social services, heads of councils, politicians that if they fail to act or to do their duty to protect children, that they can be held legally accountable in the future.

“That’s the only way that I believe that we will see real, meaningful change.”

Ms Oliver, who set up the Maggie Oliver Foundation after leaving Greater Manchester Police in 2012, said successive governments could not be trusted to bring real change, leaving campaigners to take matters into their own hands.

The Government has faced pressure to act on grooming gangs and child sex abuse, and has made a series of announcements to tackle the issue since January.

Ms Oliver threatened in January that she would take Home Secretary Yvette Cooper to court unless she made “urgent steps to allay widespread public concern” over gangs sexually exploiting children.

The charity founder described the latest update from ministers on progress to tackle child sex abuse as “empty words” and “more empty promises”.

The Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse (IICSA) led by Professor Alexis Jay found institutional failings and tens of thousands of victims across England and Wales.

The Government has vowed to carry out recommendations, including to make it a criminal offence to obstruct someone reporting abuse, and creating a new child protection authority to improve safeguarding.

The Home Secretary has also insisted that local inquiries into grooming gangs in five towns, and possibly more, will be going ahead with a £5 million funding pot after accusations that the plans were being watered down.

An inquiry into child sexual exploitation in Rotherham, which covered the period 1997 to 2013, made a “conservative estimate” that around 1,400 children were sexually exploited over 16 years.

Safeguarding minister Jess Phillips told MPs on April 8 that all chief constables in England and Wales re-examined their investigations into gang child sexual exploitation, which resulted in no further action decisions.

She added that from April 1, victims and survivors can ask the Child Sexual Abuse Review Panel to independently review cases that took place after 2013.

The #TheyKnew fundraiser is being launched on CrowdJustice to cover evidence gathering, legal advice, investigators, experts and other associated costs.

Any remaining funds will be returned to donors or donated to charity.

Jordans Solicitors – helping victims of child abuse claim compensation

If you have been a victim of physical and/or sexual abuse and would like to speak to one of our Specialist Abuse Lawyers in confidence, please do not hesitate to contact us.

We have the knowledge and experience to advise you on the available options for pursuing a Criminal Injuries Compensation Claim and/or civil damages claim.