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96 men still pose potential risk to children in Rochdale, grooming gang report finds
The report was published today
A damning new report found girls were ‘at the mercy’ of paedophile grooming gangs, as it identified 96 men who still pose a potential risk to children.
The 173-page report into Operation Span – Greater Manchester Police’s (GMP) much-criticised investigation into the grooming allegations in Rochdale – found children were at risk of grooming gangs for years due to an ‘inadequate’ response by police and council bosses.
Findings came as a result of a six-year investigation commissioned by Greater Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham, which reviewed the cases of 111 children on police files from 2004 to 2013.
The report found evidence 74 of those children were being sexually exploited and in 48 of the cases there were ‘serious failures’ to protect them.
It also detailed numerous failed investigations by police as well as an apparent indifference by the local authorities to the plight of many children – mainly white girls from poor backgrounds, who were all identified as potential victims of abuse by Asian men.
Steve Watson, chief constable of Greater Manchester Police, described its findings as ‘shocking, stark and shameful’.
He said: “One of the primary responsibilities of the police is to protect the vulnerable from the cruel and predatory, and in this regard, we failed you.”
He said lessons had been ‘well and truly learned’ and were ‘solidly baked’ into the systems used by police and partner agencies to implement child safeguarding today.
He continued: “I would never stand here and complacently assert that we are perfect, we are certainly not, and regrettably mistakes could well similarly be made into the future.
“But what I am saying is that our current practices and working arrangements have altered dramatically and are now reflective of the highest national standards.”
He also added that officers were now ‘better trained’ in child safeguarding.
The reports states there was also ‘compelling evidence’ of widespread sexual abuse of youngsters living in Rochadale from 2004 onwards.
In 2007, Sara Rowbotham, a crisis team leader, alerted GMP and Rochdale Council to the involvement of an organised crime group. Ms Rowbotham would go on to become the whistleblower in the scandal.
GMP identified the ringleaders of the gang but due to the children being too frightened to assist them, they did not proceed to investigate any further.
The report said this was a ‘serious failure’ to protect the children because it ignored the coercion and control the groomers had over the victims and their families.
It found a police investigation into two takeaways in the area, involving three adult male suspects, was aborted early because police bosses failed to resource it and the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) deemed the main child victim an unreliable witness.
Following the launch of a specialist team in Rochdale in 2010, a child told a social worker of wide-scale abuse of children by up to 60 men.
A detective inspector requested for more staff to help investigate but it was denied by police bosses, according to the report.
“Once more children were left at the mercy of their abusers because of an inadequate response by GMP and children’s social care to the serious exploitation of vulnerable children,” the report said.
But it wasn’t until December, more than two years after police were told of the abuse centred around the two takeaway restaurants, that the force finally acted and launched Operation Span.
The operation led to the conviction of nine men in 2012 in a high-profile court case, where it was heard that girls as young as 12 were plied with alcohol and drugs before being gang raped in rooms above the takeaways.
Greater Manchester Police hailed it as a ‘fantastic result of British justice’ at the time.
However, the report found the police operation had failed to address numerous other crimes and ignored children’s allegations, which let their abusers off the hook.
The report concludes, the problem was not given ‘sufficient priority’ despite there being an awareness by police and children’s social care bosses of the scale of abuse involved.
Malcolm Newsam CBE, a childcare expert who co-authored the report along with Gary Ridgeway, said: “Successive police operations were launched, but these were insufficiently resourced to match the scale of the widespread organised exploitation within the area.
“Consequently, children were left at risk and many of their abusers to this day have not been apprehended.”
The report found Ms Rowbotham and Maggie Oliver, a former GMP detective who resigned from the force in disgust, were ’lone voices’ who had flagged clear evidence of ‘prolific serial rape of countless children in Rochdale’.
Ms Oliver has gone on to found The Maggie Oliver Foundation, a charity supporting adult survivors of childhood sexual abuse.
Speaking at a press conference about the report, Ms Oliver disagreed with the chief constable’s claim that the situation had improved. She said she would ‘say categorically’ that ‘the failures that happened then are still happening now’.
“We have more communication, for sure, but we do not have a system that supports victims, that listens to their voices, and when they do challenge the system, unfortunately, the organisation closes ranks,” she added.
Meanwhile, Mr Burnham praised both Ms Rowbotham and Ms Oliver for their ‘determination and courage’ in coming forward.
He said: “It is only by facing up fully and unflinchingly to what happened in all of its horrifying detail, we can be sure of bringing about the whole system culture change that is necessary on this critically important issue.”
Rochdale Council leader Neil Emmott said the council ‘are deeply sorry’ that Rochdale Council during the period 2004 to 2013 ‘did not recognise nor acknowledge the very serious failures that affected the lives of children in our borough and failed to take the necessary action’.
Going forward he said: “We will be ever vigilant in our efforts to ensure these awful failures don’t happen again and that children will be protected.”
Deputy Mayor for Police, Crime, Fire and Criminal Justice, Kate Green, said: “These reviews have been crucial for giving us a full and objective picture of non-recent child sexual exploitation in various parts of Greater Manchester.
“While this would have been difficult reading for GMP and Rochdale Council, I know they have taken it very seriously. I also know that attitudes and safeguarding practice have moved on.”
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Stagecoach hiring over 100 new bus drivers for Bee Network with £31k salaries
Fancy a career change?
Stagecoach Manchester is hiring over 100 new bus drivers to work from its Oldham depot, following the second phase of the Bee Network launch in March.
You can apply for a range of roles, from positions with no experience required to fully qualified bus drivers.
Successful applicants will receive full training as part of the job, and trainees will get paid to train. Then after only 12 months’ service at Stagecoach, drivers can expect to earn up to £16 per hour, which equates to £31.6K per year, before overtime.
As well as that, drivers that already hold a PCV licence may be eligible to receive a £1,200 joining bonus.
Stagecoach
There’s also a host of other benefits available to all Stagecoach employees, like 28 days paid holiday, generous pension and free Stagecoach bus travel for successful applicants and a companion.
Rob Jones, Managing Director at Stagecoach Manchester said: “Expanding our offering in Oldham means we’ll be investing more in the economy and supporting our local community, as well as strengthening our workforce.
“Whether you’re looking for a career change or you’re a fully qualified, experienced bus driver, there’s a role for everyone here in Oldham.
“We’re looking for personable and dedicated drivers who are ready to help us build on the success of the Bee Network and connect the people of Oldham and Greater Manchester with the places and people that are important to them.”
Stagecoach
Phil Cornwall, bus driver at Stagecoach Manchester, said: “I’ve been a driver at Stagecoach for 25 years and I couldn’t recommend it more.
“From the perks to the people to the passengers, it really is a great place to work.”
To apply, head to the Stagecoach website HERE.
Two men have now been charged with murder, following the discovery of a human torso in Kersal Dale.
As well as that, more suspected human remains were also discovered this morning, Monday April 29th, in an alleyway close to the railway lines off Worsley Road, Eccles.
This follows earlier discoveries of human remains over the past three weeks, at Kersal Dale, Blackleach Reservoir and Colliery Wood, all in Salford.
Greater Manchester Police
Michal Jaroslaw Polchowski (25/04/1956) and Marcin Majerkiewicz (10/04/1982) both of Worsley Road, Eccles, have been charged with murder.
They are set to appear at Tameside Magistrates Court this afternoon.
While formal identification is still ongoing, the remains found at Kersal Dale are believed to be of a local man in his 60s. The remains found at the other three locations are still to be tested, but police are confident they belong to the same victim.
ACC Sarah Jackson said: “We have had large numbers of officers, staff and specialists working diligently on this investigation over the last three weeks. It has been very much a large, collective effort, with the victim and family at the heart of it from the outset.
“We have specially trained officers deployed to support the family as they come to terms with this tragic news. They are aware of this morning’s further discovery and will continue to be kept up to date with how we are progressing.
“Despite the charges brought today, our work is far from over.
“The scenes we already have established in Bury and Salford will remain in place for much of this week whilst our searches and enquiries continue. Local officers will continue to patrol the impacted areas to provide reassurance.
“We will continue following every line of enquiry to recover and reunite the victim with his family, bringing a dignified end to this terrible scenario.
“I’d like to thank the communities of Salford and beyond for their cooperation throughout this investigation. I know this incident has come as a shock, and the support we’ve had from those in the area is very much appreciated.”
News
More human remains discovered in Greater Manchester as police identify victim
All the latest updates
Detectives investigating the discovery of a torso in Kersal Dale have found more human remains around Greater Manchester.
GMP released a statement on the weekend, revealing they had opened four scenes for extensive searches – one of them at a warehouse in Bury, and three in Salford.
Searches took place at Blackleach reservoir, where human remains were found, and a dog walker found a package containing human remains at Colliery Wood.
Officers believe they have now identified the man, who they believe to be a man in his 60s that lived in Salford, and his family have been informed.
Two suspects have already been arrested in connection with the murder probe, with officers saying they are thought to have lived with the victim.
Greater Manchester Police / Facebook
Detective Superintendent Lewis Hughes, Senior Investigating Officer for this investigation, said in a statement at Blackleach reservoir yesterday, Sunday April 28th: “We have continued to make significant progress in our investigation into human remains being found in Kersal earlier this month.
“From day one, our priority has been to identify the man and his family so that we can give them the support and the answers that they need.
“Thanks to meticulous forensic work, we are now confident we have identified the man. Formal identification hasn’t yet taken place, but we believe he is a man in his 60s and lived in Salford.
“Specially-trained family liaison officers have met with his family this afternoon to give them the devastating news, and we will do all that we can to support them at this awful time.
“We believe he is known to the two suspects we have in custody. They have remained in custody for questioning over the weekend, as we work to establish how the victim met this tragic outcome.”
He continued: “We have painstakingly worked to follow up every line of inquiry in this investigation. Over the last couple of days, we have acted on information and had four scenes in place for extensive searches – one of them is at a warehouse in Bury, and three of them are in Salford, including here at Blackleach reservoir.
“Today, we have found some human remains at the reservoir here, and last night a dog walker found a package containing human remains at Colliery Wood. Forensic tests will continue to establish whose remains these are, but we are very confident that this is also the victim in our investigation.
“We have also been searching a house in Winton where we believe the victim and the two suspects lived. We have found evidence that the victim is likely to have died there – most likely in late March.
“While this is significant progress, we know there is still some way to go to complete this investigation. I also recognise details of this case will have been distressing for the people of Salford and beyond – including the officers that are diligently working on this investigation, and most importantly the man’s heartbroken family.
“Local officers will continue to patrol the affected areas, and we will provide updates when we have more information.”
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