Authorities in Telford 'ignored' child sexual exploitation over decades

New report says over 1,000 children were exploited

Author: Majid MohammedPublished 12th Jul 2022
Last updated 12th Jul 2022

More than 1,000 children were exploited in Telford over decades, an independent report confirmed today, which also says that authorities 'ignored obvious child sexual exploitation'.

It found information was not shared properly between agencies, that children were blamed rather than the people exploiting them and that the exploitation was dismissed as child prostitution.

The report found that authorities failed to act on the information they were given and that "for decades child sexual exploitation thrived in Telford unchecked" with exploitation described as "normal by perpetrators and as inevitable by victims and survivors"

The report follows seven men being jailed for their part in a grooming gang in 2013 - that investigation found a network of abusers, targeting girls as young as 12.

Key findings of the report into Telford child sexual exploitation

The key findings of the damning report are:

  • More than a thousand Telford children were exploited over decades.
  • Obvious child sexual exploitation was ignored.
  • Information was not properly shared between agencies.
  • Key agencies dismissed child exploitation as ā€œchild prostitutionā€.
  • Key agencies blamed children, not perpetrators, for exploitation.
  • Exploitation was not investigated because of nervousness about race.
  • Teachers and youth workers were discouraged from reporting child sexual exploitation.
  • Offenders were emboldened and exploitation continued for years without concerted response.
  • The CSE response came from committed individuals not from top-down directives.
  • Even after Operation Chalice, WMP and the Council scaled down their specialist CSE teams to virtual zero - to save money.

The shocking new report out today covers from 1989 onwards, although witness statements from the 1970s were taken into account

The inquiry received over 1.25 million pages of material and heard evidence from over 170 witnesses.

Children deliberately humiliated

The report highlights the failure of Telford & Wrekin council to protect the most vulnerable members of society.

Mr Crowther's report found "for decades Child sexual exploitation thrived in Telford unchecked" with exploitation described as "normal by perpetrators and as inevitable by victims and survivors" The report says for many years this was not recognised and challenged.

In addition, the report also lays bare the fact that authorities were aware this abuse was taking place, with cases flagged by police officers, youth workers and teachers. Many reported children going missing and numerous cases of adult men exploiting children, but authorities failed to react - something which "emboldened offenders".

Some positive changes did occur in the mid-2000s, with the creation of the Councilā€™s Children Abused through Exploitation (ā€œCATEā€) and WMPā€™s Operation Chalice investigation. However, Mr Crowther points out that any positive developments were due to ā€œthe determination and drive of a few individual professionalsā€.

The report states that ā€œuseful developmentsā€ in 2015/2016 improved both the Council and the WMP response to CSE.

Mr Crowther continued ā€œI do consider that today the key organisations responsible for addressing CSE in Telford ā€“ the Council and WMP ā€“ have in place properly resourced, dedicated and expert teams that are well-equipped both to identify CSE risk areas and help children who are being exploited. In my judgment, key organisations should reflect upon why it took them so long to react when the lives of children ā€“ and, consequently, the lives of the adults they would become ā€“ were being blighted by exploitationā€.

The independent report was led by the law firm Eversheds Sutherland (International) LLP to "fully investigate and establish the facts of child sexual exploitation in Telford & Wrekin, to identify if, and where, public, and other services have failed and where possible, to establish who is accountable for any failure and to make recommendations for the future."

Unequivocal apology to survivors

West Mercia Police, who came under severe criticism from the report, issued an apology to survivors.

Assistant Chief Constable Richard Cooper, of WMP, said: "Sorry to survivors and all those affected by Child Sexual Exploitation.

"We have made an unequivocal apology to survivors of Child Sexual Exploitation in Telford for past failings by the force. This evening the Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Exploitation in Telford (IITCSE) was published".

Mr Cooper added: ā€œWe want people who are, or think they are, being exploited or are concerned about child sexual exploitation to report this to us. We will listen and we will act on any information given to us.ā€

A multi-agency organisation formed to combat child exploitation.

Shropshire Council said in a statement: "Shropshire Council has voluntarily supported the Inquiry, which was commissioned by Telford & Wrekin Council. This has included providing significant documentary evidence it has requested, as well as contacting and helping put the inquiry in touch with a number of key former Shropshire County Council employees who have then given evidence to the Inquiry.

"In recent years, the approach to tackling child sexual and other forms of exploitation has changed enormously. The council set up a multi-agency Child Sexual Exploitation Panel to help prevent and respond to Child Sexual Exploitation. This Panel has now evolved to tackle all forms of exploitation".

The council added that they will take time over the coming days to read through the report in detail and consider its recommendations.

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