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National Crime Agency to launch operation targeting grooming gangs Grooming gang review findings set to be announced
(about 3 hours later)
A nationwide policing operation to find and jail grooming gang members who sexually exploited children will be led by the National Crime Agency (NCA), according to the Home Office. The findings of a review into the sexual exploitation and abuse of children by grooming gangs in England and Wales will be announced later.
It said the NCA would work with police forces to give victims whose cases had not progressed through the criminal justice system "long-awaited justice" and prevent more children from being hurt by such crimes. Baroness Casey has led a national audit into the scale and nature of grooming and considered data on the gangs and their victims, including ethnicity.
It comes ahead of a report by Baroness Louise Casey being published later on Monday on the nature and scale of group-based child sexual abuse. Ahead of its publication the prime minister announced at the weekend that, having read the report, there would now be a national statutory inquiry into the issue.
Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer announced on Saturday there would be a full national statutory inquiry into grooming gangs covering England and Wales. The Home Office has also said a nationwide policing operation to bring to justice grooming gang members will be led by the National Crime Agency (NCA).
Sarah Champion, Labour MP for Rotherham told the BBC there was an "intense frustration that there were still victims and survivors who haven't seen justice."
She said there were people who, "if not held to a criminal standard, should be held to a professional standard for their negligence in protecting these children".
Speaking on BBC Breakfast, shadow home secretary Chris Philp claimed there had been a "deliberate cover-up" by police, local authorities and the Crown Prosecution Service and he wanted the national inquiry to result in misconduct in public office prosecutions.
Home Secretary Yvette Cooper will address the Commons later as the Casey review is published.
In January, Cooper announced the three-month audit into ethnicity data and the demographics of grooming gangs and their victims, as well as the cultural and societal drivers for this offending.
'Please speak up': Survivor of child grooming speaks to BBC'Please speak up': Survivor of child grooming speaks to BBC
After Baroness Casey's report is published, Home Secretary Yvette Cooper is set to address her findings in Parliament. Meanwhile the Home Office said police had reopened more than 800 historic cases of child sexual abuse by groups since the home secretary asked them to review cases in January.
Speaking to BBC Breakfast, shadow home secretary Chris Philp said he would hold Cooper to account for what he alleged was a "deliberate cover up" by police forces, local authorities and the Crown Prosecution Service. The NCA will work with police to give victims whose cases had not progressed and prevent future abuse.
Philp added that he wanted the national inquiry to result in misconduct in public office prosecutions for those allegedly involved.
Sarah Champion, Labour MP for Rotherham, told BBC Radio 4's Today programme there were people who, "if not held to a criminal standard, should be held to a professional standard for their negligence in protecting these children".
She said there was "overwhelming public concern" and an "intense frustration that there [were] still victims and survivors who haven't seen justice."
The Home Office said police had reopened more than 800 historic cases of child sexual abuse by groups since the home secretary had asked them in January to look again at cases that were "closed too early and victims denied justice".
"The vulnerable young girls who suffered unimaginable abuse at the hands of groups of adult men have now grown into brave women who are rightly demanding justice for what they went through when they were just children," Cooper said."The vulnerable young girls who suffered unimaginable abuse at the hands of groups of adult men have now grown into brave women who are rightly demanding justice for what they went through when they were just children," Cooper said.
"Not enough people listened to them then," the home secretary added. "That was wrong and unforgivable. We are changing that now.""Not enough people listened to them then," the home secretary added. "That was wrong and unforgivable. We are changing that now."
The NCA operation will aim to imprison more perpetrators of child sexual abuse, protect more victims and improve how local police forces investigate such crimes, the Home Office said. It will target both historic and current investigations. The NCA will look at historic and current investigations, aim to imprison more perpetrators and improve how police forces investigate crimes.
It will also aim to "put an end to the culture of denial in local services and authorities about the prevalence of this crime". It will also aim to "put an end to the culture of denial in local services and authorities about the prevalence of this crime", the Home Office said.
Baroness Casey has recommended the government follow "best practice law enforcement examples in the NCA and in West Yorkshire Police", a Home Office source told the BBC.Baroness Casey has recommended the government follow "best practice law enforcement examples in the NCA and in West Yorkshire Police", a Home Office source told the BBC.
The NCA "will encompass existing specialist capability such as the CSE Taskforce, Operation Hydrant and the Tackling Organised Exploitation Programme", the source said.
The government will also develop a "National Operating Model" for investigating these types of crimes, as part of Police Reform plans, they added.
Cooper is set to address the findings of the review by Baroness Casey in Parliament on MondayCooper is set to address the findings of the review by Baroness Casey in Parliament on Monday
The Home Office said the national inquiry announced by the prime minister on Saturday would be able to "compel" investigations into "historic cases of grooming gang crimes". The Home Office said the national inquiry would be able to "compel" investigations into "historic cases of grooming gang crimes" and it will have the power to call witnesses.
That would ensure complaints and allegations of "mishandling, wrongdoing and cover-ups by police, agencies and other professionals and elected officials are brought to light and those responsible held accountable", the Home Office added.That would ensure complaints and allegations of "mishandling, wrongdoing and cover-ups by police, agencies and other professionals and elected officials are brought to light and those responsible held accountable", the Home Office added.
It said the inquiry would report to a single chairperson and its panel would have the power to call witnesses to hearings. But former chief prosecutor for North West England, Nazir Afzal, said he had doubts about a national inquiry as they "take forever and don't deliver accountability".
Former chief prosecutor for North West England, Nazir Afzal, said he had "pragmatic doubts" about a new national inquiry as they "take forever and don't deliver accountability". "Only criminal investigations can bring real accountability," he told BBC Radio 4's Today programme. "That's what needs to happen. Not just for those who offended, but also those who stood by and didn't do what they were meant to do."
"Only criminal investigations can bring real accountability," he told the Today programme. "That's what needs to happen. Not just for those who offended, but also those who stood by and didn't do what they were meant to do." On Saturday, Sir Keir said he would accept Baroness Casey's recommendation for the inquiry covering England and Wales.
The grooming gangs issue was thrust into the spotlight at the start of 2025, fuelled partly by tech billionaire Elon Musk, who had criticised Sir Keir for not calling a national inquiry. The prime minister had faced criticism for not being willing to set up a national inquiry, with the Conservatives claiming they had forced him into a U-turn.
Tech billionaire Elon Musk, was also among those who criticised Sir Keir for not earlier calling a national inquiry.
A row between the two centred on high-profile cases where groups of men, mainly of Pakistani descent, were convicted of sexually abusing and raping predominantly young white girls in towns such as Rotherham and Rochdale.A row between the two centred on high-profile cases where groups of men, mainly of Pakistani descent, were convicted of sexually abusing and raping predominantly young white girls in towns such as Rotherham and Rochdale.
On Saturday, Sir Keir said he had read an independent report into child sexual exploitation by Baroness Casey and would accept her recommendation for an inquiry covering England and Wales. In January the government argued the grooming gangs issue had already been examined in a seven-year inquiry by Prof Alexis Jay.
For months, the prime minister has faced criticism for not being willing to set up a national inquiry, with the Conservatives claiming they had forced him into a U-turn. Cooper unveiled plans for five government-backed local inquiries - in Oldham and four other areas yet to be named - as well as Baroness Casey's review.
In January, the government stopped short of launching a statutory national inquiry into grooming gangs despite the idea receiving support from some Labour MPs. It argued the issue had already been examined in a seven-year inquiry led by Prof Alexis Jay. Previous government reports, reviews, inquiries and investigations over the past 15 years have already warned about group-based child sexual exploitation.
Instead, Cooper unveiled plans for five government-backed local inquiries - to be held in Oldham and four other areas yet to be named. Prof Jay's report, finished in October 2022 under the previous government, made 20 recommendations for change but none have been implemented.
She also announced a "rapid" three-month audit, led by Baroness Casey, into the data and evidence on the nature and scale of group-based child sexual abuse.
Baroness Casey's report is expected to make clear that many of its findings are not new.
Previous government reports, reviews, inquiries and investigations over the past 15 years had already warned about group-based child sexual exploitation,
Prof Jay's report, finished in October 2022 under the previous government, made 20 recommendations for change but none were implemented.