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| Rotherham abuse scandal: MPs ask Met to investigate claim PCC lied under oath | |
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| MPs have asked police to investigate whether a former South Yorkshire officer and crime commissioner lied under oath during a hearing about the Rotherham child sexual exploitation scandal. | MPs have asked police to investigate whether a former South Yorkshire officer and crime commissioner lied under oath during a hearing about the Rotherham child sexual exploitation scandal. |
| The home affairs select committee announced on Tuesday evening that it had referred complaints about Shaun Wright to the Metropolitan police for investigation. The complaints allege Wright lied when he gave evidence to MPs in September 2014, but the exact nature of the allegations is not known. | The home affairs select committee announced on Tuesday evening that it had referred complaints about Shaun Wright to the Metropolitan police for investigation. The complaints allege Wright lied when he gave evidence to MPs in September 2014, but the exact nature of the allegations is not known. |
| In a statement, the committee said: “The home affairs select committee has received two complaints alleging that a witness who was examined on oath by the former committee in the last parliament deliberately misled the committee. | In a statement, the committee said: “The home affairs select committee has received two complaints alleging that a witness who was examined on oath by the former committee in the last parliament deliberately misled the committee. |
| “Since lying to a committee of the house when under oath would constitute the criminal offence of perjury, the committee has resolved today to refer the complaints to the commissioner of police for the metropolis for investigation. Any further action is for the police and the prosecuting authorities to consider. | “Since lying to a committee of the house when under oath would constitute the criminal offence of perjury, the committee has resolved today to refer the complaints to the commissioner of police for the metropolis for investigation. Any further action is for the police and the prosecuting authorities to consider. |
| “Since a criminal offence is alleged, it would not be appropriate for the committee to make any further comment.” | “Since a criminal offence is alleged, it would not be appropriate for the committee to make any further comment.” |
| An investigation by the Times in 2012 found that gang rape and trafficking were widespread in Rotherham. A report in 2014 by Prof Alexis Jay, a former chief inspector of social work, concluded that failures of political and police leadership contributed to the sexual exploitation of 1,400 children by groups of Asian men in the town over 16 years. | An investigation by the Times in 2012 found that gang rape and trafficking were widespread in Rotherham. A report in 2014 by Prof Alexis Jay, a former chief inspector of social work, concluded that failures of political and police leadership contributed to the sexual exploitation of 1,400 children by groups of Asian men in the town over 16 years. |
| Wright, the first person to hold the position of South Yorkshire PCC, resigned shortly after giving evidence to the committee, following criticism that he should be held accountable for his role as head of children’s services on Rotherham council’s cabinet for five years from 2005. | Wright, the first person to hold the position of South Yorkshire PCC, resigned shortly after giving evidence to the committee, following criticism that he should be held accountable for his role as head of children’s services on Rotherham council’s cabinet for five years from 2005. |
| When Wright gave evidence to the home affairs select committee in September 2014, he was asked to do so under oath and the committee’s chairman at the time, Keith Vaz, told him he would be committing perjury if he gave false evidence. | When Wright gave evidence to the home affairs select committee in September 2014, he was asked to do so under oath and the committee’s chairman at the time, Keith Vaz, told him he would be committing perjury if he gave false evidence. |
| Wright told MPs he had not been aware that child sexual exploitation was a significant problem during the time he was responsible for Rotherham’s children’s services and that he did not remember a reported face-to-face meeting with a victim of sexual exploitation. | Wright told MPs he had not been aware that child sexual exploitation was a significant problem during the time he was responsible for Rotherham’s children’s services and that he did not remember a reported face-to-face meeting with a victim of sexual exploitation. |