Early review finds mistakes in grooming gang investigations
Grooming gang cases may have been dropped due to human error
- A National Crime Agency-led review, Operation Beaconport, is assessing thousands of cases involving alleged sexual abuse gangs across the UK.
- The review aims to identify failures in tackling grooming gangs, particularly where police investigations were dropped due to potential human error.
- Initial findings from 1,273 referred files indicate mistakes in some investigations, including unpursued leads and unaddressed suspects.
- Operation Beaconport will examine cases from January 2010 to March 2025, with 236 priority cases involving rape allegations already under scrutiny.
- Investigators have pledged transparency with victims, acknowledging that not all cases will result in criminal justice outcomes, while the Metropolitan Police is also reviewing 9,000 child sexual exploitation cases.