Capital’s cuckooing cases quadruple in four years
HUNDREDS of vulnerable Londoners have had their homes taken over by gangs who use them to store drugs and weapons, a report warned today.
Cases of cuckooing in the capital have quadrupled from 79 in 2018 to 316 last year and are continuing to rise, the City Hall Labour investigation revealed. The practice, which involves criminals taking over a person’s home predominantly to use it to store or deal drugs or for prostitution, is likely more widespread as fewer than half of councils were able to provide data on how many cases they had dealt with over the last four years. Victims are most likely to be older men with learning disabilities, mental health needs or have had a substance misuse issue. Loneliness, low self-esteem and social isolation are also factors which affect an individual’s likelihood of being targeted.
MPs have called for cuckooing to be criminalised as part of an overhaul of the 2015 Modern Slavery Act.
Labour London Assembly member Unmesh Desai, who commissioned the investigation into the problem, warned that the number of cases are likely much higher because of inconsistent reporting both by councils and the Met Police. He said: “This report shows recorded cases of cuckooing are on the rise. But we still do not know the true scale of the problem with some councils not yet recording data. Too often cuckooing is hidden in plain sight and without knowing the true picture, we cannot put the most effective plans in place to tackle this crime and support victims.”
The report made 10 recommendations, including that the Mayor should work with Government, London Councils and the Victim’s Commissioner to develop guidance for local authorities and that the Met should ensure officers are recording cases using a “newly developed flag on the police systems”.
The CPS said cuckooing is often not covered by the Modern Slavery Act if the victim has done nothing apart from agree to their home being used for criminal activity, for example the supply of drugs. But if they were forced into labour, threatened or attacked, charges could be brought under existing laws. The Home Office has said “the Government is determined to tackle it and those who perpetrate this abuse”.
We still do not know the true scale of the problem. Too often cuckooing is hidden in plain sight