Protest demands accountability following damning CSE report

A protest demanding accountability following a damning report into child abuse and grooming took place in Rochdale town centre on Saturday (25 January).

The protest, led by the Parents Against Grooming UK group, saw over 100 people, largely made up of abused survivors and their families, gathered outside Rochdale Town Hall before marching to the police station.

The movement comes on the back of a review into Operation Augusta, a police investigation into child sexual exploitation in south Manchester, which found police and social workers "did not protect" children who were suffering abuse.

• www.rochdaleonline.co.uk/news-features/2/news-headlines/132314/a-review-has-found-that-authorities-let-down-victims-of-child-grooming-rings

The review, commissioned by the Mayor of Greater Manchester, Andy Burnham, looked at the way authorities dealt with child sexual exploitation and the historic failures in the protection of children in Manchester.

The independent review found some victims told police and carers about assaults, but no action was taken.

Operation Augusta was set up by GMP in 2004 and identified almost 100 potential suspects and over 50 potential victims of child sexual exploitation in south Manchester.

The report concluded that there were 'very few criminal justice outcomes' resulting from Operation Augusta, and that the operation had 'failed' to meet the original objective of tackling the 'widespread and serious sexual exploitation of looked after children'.

Speaking about Saturday’s protest, William Howarth, founder of Parents Against Grooming UK, said: “PAGUK has held this protest of parents and survivors from Rochdale and across Greater Manchester over the release of this review to ask for accountability of those who knowingly failed children and knowingly failed to protect them.

“Accountability for us means criminal charges brought against those who failed these children whilst in public office.

“As a movement, we want all those involved in covering up child abuse, failing to act and protect those they were able to, to be brought to book for criminal negligence.”

Following publication of the review, Ian Hopkins, the chief constable of Greater Manchester Police, denied claims the force tried to stop the critical report on Operation Augusta, saying that “any suggestion [of attempting to prevent the publication] is categorically untrue.”

• www,rochdaleonline.co.uk/news-features/2/news-headlines/132345/police-chief-denies-gmp-tried-to-stop-publication-of-operation-augusta-report

Chief Constable Hopkins also issued an apology to the victims who were let down in 2004 by GMP, saying: “I would like to once again apologise on behalf of Greater Manchester Police to all those victims who were let down in 2004 by police not thoroughly investigating the offences that had been committed against them.”

If you have been affected by this case and would like to seek support from specialist agencies but do not wish to speak to police, then Victim Support can be contacted on 0808 168 9024.

Children can contact Childline on 0800 1111. Adults with concerns about the wellbeing of children, or who wish to report abuse, can phone the NSPCC Helpline on 0808 800 5000.

You can also speak to police on 101.