Three police officers under investigation over child sex scandal

WATCHDOG ACTS AFTER DAMNING REPORT INTO GROOMING GANG

THE police watchdog has confirmed it has launched an investigation into the actions of three exGreater Manchester Police officers during a much-criticised 2004 investigation into child sexual exploitation.

The force apologised earlier this year and confirmed ‘vulnerable children were let down’ following the publication of a damning report commissioned by the mayor of Greater Manchester.

Council leaders in Manchester also apologised for the failure on the part of social services to protect youngsters in care.

Operation Augusta was a GMP and social services investigation into child sexual exploitation in south Manchester.

The report, published in January, reveals in harrowing detail how a grooming gang was allowed to operate ‘in plain sight,’ targeting vulnerable children largely in care homes. The operation was launched by GMP in 2004 after the death of 15-year-old Victoria Agoglia, who had told of her sex abuse at the hands of Asian men and was living in a home under the responsibility of Manchester city council.

She died in 2003 after she was injected with heroin by a man then aged 50 who went on to be convicted and jailed.

Up to 97 suspected offenders were identified by GMP and at least 57 children believed to be potential victims. But the suspects were not pursued and GMP dropped the investigation due to resource issues.

Eight of the men identified went on to rape or assault girls, for which they were convicted.

The Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) said the report “raised concerns about the conduct and decision-making of some of the officers involved.”

GMP voluntarily referred itself to the IOPC in February.

The watchdog said it has now launched an independent investigation into three unnamed, former GMP ‘senior’ officers.

Two have retired and the third is ‘currently working for another organisation,’ the watchdog said.

The IOPC said its probe would examine ‘their conduct in the supervision, and setting the direction of, Operation Augusta.’