Series of blunders that let sex fiends off the hook
YESTERDAY’S report detailed many cases of astonishing police incompetence.
One teenager, who was sexually exploited for three years from 1999, was found by police halfnaked with her abuser and hiding under a bed. She was then arrested for possession of a truncheon – supposedly so she could speak freely to officers – but the incident was never followed up and the man escaped arrest for lack of evidence. The teenager, who was abused while in care from the age of 14, recalled a separate incident in which a police constable spoke to her and an abuser in a police cell after they had been arrested. He told the man they would look after her as they knew she was his ‘girl’.
She said she saw the officer later buying sterraped oids from the man. He would have faced a hearing for gross misconduct, but avoided it by resigning. Another complaint was upheld concerning the police reaction to a ‘child abduction case’. The girl ended up being handed over to officers by the perpetrator as part of a ‘deal’ not to arrest him. The man’s name and address was known to police but the incident was not properly recorded or shared with other agencies.
The girl also claimed safeguarding action wasn’t taken despite officers regularly stopping a car she was a passenger in, that was owned and occupied by a perpetrator. This complaint was upheld by the IOPC. One officer suggested to the father of a 15-year- old girl who had been in a Rotherham park that the ordeal would ‘teach’ her a ‘lesson’. She had significant internal injuries which required surgery and hospital staff suspected they were consistent with rape.
Despite attempts by police to encourage her to make a complaint, she refused and wouldn’t consent to a forensic medical examination. The IOPC said there was no evidence police made any inquiries about the suspect and missed the chance to examine clothing taken from the girl on the night of the incident.
In total, there were 21 breaches of professional standards by six officers during a two-year period when the girl was being groomed and exploited by men. Several of her complaints were upheld but three of the officers retired and avoided a potential misconduct hearing.
An abuse victim’s father said a senior officer told him that this kind of activity had been going on for 30 years and the police could do nothing because of racial tensions. The father initially described the policeman as the ‘chief constable’ and later as a ‘chief inspector’, but the complaint was upheld even though the officer remained unidentified.
In 2016, three brothers who groomed, raped and sexually assaulted 15 teenage girls in Rotherham were jailed. Arshid Hussain, 40, was jailed for 35 years while siblings Basharat, 39, and Bannaras, 36, were jailed for 25 and 19 years respectively.
Their uncle, Qurban Ali, 53, who was found guilty of conspiracy to rape, was jailed for ten years.
Associate Karen MacGregor, 59, was jailed for 13 years and Shelley Davies, 40, was given an 18-month suspended term.
‘Avoided hearing by resigning’