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Manchester sex abuse: 'Fundamental flaws' left children unprotected Manchester sex abuse: 'Fundamental flaws' left children unprotected
(about 2 hours later)
Police and social workers investigating child sex exploitation in Manchester knew children were suffering "the most profound abuse... but did not protect them", a report has found.Police and social workers investigating child sex exploitation in Manchester knew children were suffering "the most profound abuse... but did not protect them", a report has found.
After a child's death in 2003, police identified at least 97 "predominantly Asian" suspects, but "very few" faced justice, the independent review found.After a child's death in 2003, police identified at least 97 "predominantly Asian" suspects, but "very few" faced justice, the independent review found.
The police operation was "prematurely closed down" after senior officers decided to "remove resources", it said.The police operation was "prematurely closed down" after senior officers decided to "remove resources", it said.
Police said "authorities fell short".Police said "authorities fell short".
Greater Manchester Police (GMP) Assistant Chief Constable Mabs Hussain said the force was now reviewing all the cases covered in the report and had made a voluntary referral to the Independent Office for Police Conduct "to determine if there are any conduct matters that should be investigated". Greater Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham, who commissioned the report as a result of the 2017 BBC documentary The Betrayed Girls, focussed on the death in 2003 of 15-year-old Victoria Agoglia and Greater Manchester Police's (GMP) subsequent Operation Augusta.
The report, commissioned by Greater Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham as a result of the 2017 BBC documentary The Betrayed Girls, focussed on the death in 2003 of 15-year-old Victoria Agoglia, who was in the care of Manchester City Council, and GMP's subsequent Operation Augusta. He said Victoria's death had "exposed a network of paedophiles brazenly abusing young people in care... [who] should have been brought to justice but, appallingly, most escaped and some were left to reoffend".
He added there was now "a zero tolerance approach to child sexual exploitation of any kind".
Victoria's grandmother Joan Agoglia said the publication of the report made her feel "wonderful as I've been fighting for this all my life, it seems".Victoria's grandmother Joan Agoglia said the publication of the report made her feel "wonderful as I've been fighting for this all my life, it seems".
'Injected with heroin' GMP is reviewing all the cases covered in the report and have made a voluntary referral to the Independent Office for Police Conduct.
The operation was set up to tackle "the sexual exploitation throughout a wide area of a significant number of children in the care system by predominantly Asian men", it said. Manchester City Council's (MCC) chief executive Joanne Roney said some social work at the time "fell far below the high standards we now expect", adding: "We want to reassure people that, more than a decade and a half of learning later, we are in a much better place."
It said despite Victoria's carers being aware of her being subjected to "multiple threats, sexual assaults and serious sexual exploitation" and revealing she was being "injected with heroin by an older Asian man... no action was taken by the police or social care". Who was Victoria Agoglia?
Victoria Agoglia was in the care of Manchester City Council following the death of her mother.
The report found her carers were aware of her being subjected to "multiple threats, sexual assaults and serious sexual exploitation" and had been told that she was being "injected with heroin by an older Asian man [but] no action was taken by the police or social care".
She subsequently died "having been administered an overdose", but the men who exploited her "have never been brought to justice", the report said, adding that its authors had been denied access to files relating to Victoria by the Manchester coroner.She subsequently died "having been administered an overdose", but the men who exploited her "have never been brought to justice", the report said, adding that its authors had been denied access to files relating to Victoria by the Manchester coroner.
It said the coroner at her inquest "recognised the multiple concerns", but described Victoria as "having a propensity 'to provide sexual favours'", which "significantly underplays the coercion and control" she was subject to.
It added that having considered "both the harrowing experience of Victoria" and that of her contemporaries, its authors "cannot understand" how the coroner at the time stated that it was "absolutely essential" that the public had confidence in "the quality of care and support afforded to children cared for within the child protection system".
At the time she died, Manchester Social Services said it had done everything possible to keep Victoria safe.At the time she died, Manchester Social Services said it had done everything possible to keep Victoria safe.
In 2004, a 50-year-old man was cleared of her manslaughter, but admitted two offences of injecting her with heroin and was jailed.In 2004, a 50-year-old man was cleared of her manslaughter, but admitted two offences of injecting her with heroin and was jailed.
'Prematurely closed down' What was Operation Augusta?
The report said Operation Augusta subsequently identified at least 57 children "as potential victims" and up to 97 "persons of interest" involved in the crimes against them. After Victoria's death, GMP launched Operation Augusta, which was set up to tackle "the sexual exploitation throughout a wide area of a significant number of children in the care system by predominantly Asian men", the report said.
However, it said while the investigation had the "intention of tackling the problems identified within the scoping phase... it soon became apparent this would not be quickly achievable given the resources". It subsequently identified at least 57 children "as potential victims" and up to 97 "persons of interest" involved in the crimes against them.
The report found the operation was ultimately "prematurely closed down... before it could complete its work", a decision that was driven by a desire to "remove the resources", rather than by having "a sound understanding that all lines of enquiry had been successfully completed or exhausted".The report found the operation was ultimately "prematurely closed down... before it could complete its work", a decision that was driven by a desire to "remove the resources", rather than by having "a sound understanding that all lines of enquiry had been successfully completed or exhausted".
"The authorities knew that many [children] were being subjected to the most profound abuse and exploitation but did not protect them from the perpetrators," it said."The authorities knew that many [children] were being subjected to the most profound abuse and exploitation but did not protect them from the perpetrators," it said.
It added its authors had considered a "sample" of cases from the time and in each case had found that they "cannot offer any assurance" that alleged offences were "appropriately addressed by either GMP or Manchester City Council". What did the report find?
The report also found eight men identified in Operation Augusta had gone on to commit serious sexual offences, including rapes of girls aged both under and over 16, after the operation was ended and that one suspect vehicle uncovered in the initial investigation was linked to a GMP officer, who was later dismissed from the force. The report's authors, childcare expert Malcolm Newsam and former Det Supt Gary Ridgeway, considered a "sample" of cases from Operation Augusta and in each, found that they "cannot offer any assurance" that alleged offences were "appropriately addressed by either GMP or MCC".
In conclusion, it said the family of Victoria and the children exploited must "be given the opportunity to ask that the crimes committed against them now be fully investigated". They also found eight men identified in the investigation had gone on to commit serious sexual offences, including rapes of girls aged both under and over 16, after the operation was ended and that one suspect vehicle uncovered in the initial investigation was linked to a GMP officer, who was later dismissed from the force.
The mayor, GMP and Manchester City Council must also look at "how the people who appeared to present a risk to children in 2004 can now be brought to justice". It said Victoria's family and the other exploited children must have their allegations "fully investigated" and the mayor, GMP and MCC must look at "how the people who appeared to present a risk to children in 2004 can now be brought to justice".
It concluded that "any future approach" needed to "address the exploitation of a significant number of children as recognised by Operation Augusta".It concluded that "any future approach" needed to "address the exploitation of a significant number of children as recognised by Operation Augusta".
"Anything less would risk repeating the mistakes of the past and not give the survivors the justice they deserve," it added."Anything less would risk repeating the mistakes of the past and not give the survivors the justice they deserve," it added.
'Absolute priority' What has been the response?
ACC Mabs Hussain said the force "accept that authorities fell short of doing all they could to protect and support the child victims of sexual exploitation identified". Mrs Agoglia said she was lied to by the police and social workers at the time of her granddaughter's death, adding: "Where were they when Victoria was being abused?"
"Children should be able to expect those responsible for their care will do all they can to keep them safe and I want to apologise to all those vulnerable children who were let down."
A major incident team has been established and is "reviewing all the information available", he said, which has led to two men being arrested in connection with Victoria Agoglia's death in September 2019.
The men have since been released while inquiries continue.
Speaking after the publication of the report, Mrs Agoglia said she was lied to by the police and social workers at the time of her granddaughter's death, adding: "Where were they when Victoria was being abused?"
"I told them and I told them, Vicky came down time and time again to me... and she told me herself what these men had done to her.""I told them and I told them, Vicky came down time and time again to me... and she told me herself what these men had done to her."
The report, by childcare expert Malcolm Newsam and former Det Supt Gary Ridgeway, forms the first half of a larger investigation launched after the broadcast of the BBC documentary about child sex exploitation in Greater Manchester. Apologising to "all those vulnerable children", Assistant Chief Constable Mabs Hussain said GMP "accept that authorities fell short of doing all they could to protect and support the child victims of sexual exploitation identified".
It said the second half had been delayed due to the need for a "data processing agreement", which had "recently been signed", allowing work to now progress. "Children should be able to expect those responsible for their care will do all they can to keep them safe."
Apologising for the multi-agency failings, Mr Burnham said the report made "extremely difficult reading" but it was "only by fully facing up to past failures that we will be able to correct them". Mr Burnham said the report made "extremely difficult reading" but it was "only by fully facing up to past failures that we will be able to correct them".
He said Victoria's death "should have been a wake-up call" as it "exposed a network of paedophiles brazenly abusing young people in care".He said Victoria's death "should have been a wake-up call" as it "exposed a network of paedophiles brazenly abusing young people in care".
"Each and every one of those abusers should have been brought to justice but, appallingly, most escaped and some were left to reoffend.""Each and every one of those abusers should have been brought to justice but, appallingly, most escaped and some were left to reoffend."
He added the system was "guilty of appalling failings" and that going forward, "we will have a zero tolerance approach to child sexual exploitation of any kind". Ms Roney said MCC "cannot change the past [but] we have learned from it and will continue to do so to ensure that no stone is left unturned in tackling this abhorrent crime".
"We recognise that some of the social work practice and management oversight around 15 years ago fell far below the high standards we now expect [and] we are deeply sorry that not enough was done to protect our children at the time," she added.
What happens now?
ACC Hussain said a major incident team has been established and was "reviewing all the information available", which had led to one man being arrested and another interviewed under caution in connection with Victoria Agoglia's death in September 2019.
The men have since been released while inquiries continue.
Mr Burnham, who said the system had been "guilty of appalling failings", added that going forward, "we will have a zero tolerance approach to child sexual exploitation of any kind".
He added that due to concerns about the original narrative verdict, he would also ask the attorney general to consider ordering a new inquest into Victoria Agoglia's death.
Ms Roney said MCC and GMP were now working together "much more closely and effectively to identify young people at risk of exploitation, put safeguarding measures in place to protect them and pursue perpetrators".
The report forms the first half of a larger investigation launched after the broadcast of the BBC documentary about child sex exploitation in Greater Manchester.
It said the second half had been delayed due to the need for a "data processing agreement", which had "recently been signed", allowing work to now progress.