ARROGANCE & EVIL OF CHILD ABUSE GANGS

Predators exploited 700

CHILD grooming gangs acted with “arrogant persistence” when they abused 700 victims, according to a report.

The serious case review found sexual predators in the North East were not consistently investigated until a major police operation was launched in 2014.

It said: “This sent an unhelpful message to perpetrators – they were unlikely to be prosecuted or prevented from continuing to abuse – encouraging an arrogant persistence.”

The report looks at the authorities’ response to child sexual exploitation in Newcastle. It follows a series of trials where 22 defendants were given lengthy jail sentences.

Some 22 young women gave evidence but the inquiry team estimated there were 700 victims.

The review said the abusers came from a diverse range of backgrounds “including Pakistani, Bangladeshi, Indian, Iranian, Iraqi, Kurdish, Turkish, Albanian and Eastern European”.

CONSPIRACY

Only one person co-operated with the inquiry but claimed that he was convicted because of a “conspiracy by the Government, police and the judge”.

Northumbria Police launched Operation Sanctuary in 2014 after a vulnerable young woman told her social worker she was sexually abused.

Authorities decided to step up their response when they realised the scale of the problem.

Barrister David Spicer, who led the review, said other areas could learn from Newcastle’s response.

He added: “Newcastle agencies did not try and sweep this under the carpet but actively went looking for it.”

RISK Police failed to act