NOT DO MORE?
Sources tell how force could Victim’s mum gave them list not cope with number of abused of abusers but they failed to act
officers were frustrated because the CPS was treating the cases as separate when we knew they were linked.
“If we could have got four or five of the girls with the strongest cases and asked them to identify the worst offenders I believe more men could have ended up in jail.”
Yesterday, West Mercia’s Assistant Chief Constable Martin Evans said: “These civil orders were seriously considered and the decision not to pursue them was for a number of reasons.
“These included the fact that there would have been a requirement for victims to give evidence in court, furthering their ordeal. Other measures were put in place to make sure those considered a potential threat were closely monitored and reviewed and this continues to be the case.”
But one victim told the Mirror: “I was never told about these orders or asked if I would give evidence in court against my abusers. If I had been asked, I would have done.”
The latest shocking revelations come as the mother of Becky Watson, 13, told how she gave police a list of more than 10 abusers months before her daughter died in a car accident described as a “prank” gone wrong.
We identified five alleged abuse victims of men named on the list, written in red ink. Yet Becky’s mum Torron says the police handed the list back to her.
She says she repeatedly told police and social workers about her fears for Becky. Torron told us last night: “I am so angry.
“They all knew something was
together with us to share information. If you suspect a child is being exploited please call or text the national helpline Say Something on 116 000 or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.” going on but they wouldn’t investigate. When I rang social services, they weren’t interested. One staff member said: ‘Well, she’s not being battered or anything like that.’ But I knew she was being abused.” A friend of Becky’s told us they were in a car with two men just weeks before the teenager’s death. She said they were being taken to a notorious spot where many victims tell us they were abused. The girl said: “Police pulled us over. I gave my real name and date of birth but Becky gave the details of her 18-year-old sister. “It was obvious she was not 18 but they just let us go.” We told last week how Becky was among five people linked to abusers who had died. Lucy Lowe, 16, had been made pregnant at 14. She was killed in a house fire in 2000, along with her mother and 17-year-old sister. And in 2009, Becky’s friend Vicky Round, 20, died of a drugs overdose after her abusers got her hooked on drugs. geraldine.mckelvie @trinitymirror.com