Have a question?
033 3772 0409

Legal News

South Yorkshire Police Force must address child sex exploitation “as a matter of urgency” (13 November 2013)

Date: 13/11/2013
Duncan Lewis, Legal News Solicitors, South Yorkshire Police Force must address child sex exploitation “as a matter of urgency”

Her Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary (HMIC) has said South Yorkshire Police Force must address its response to child sex exploitation crimes as a matter of urgency, after an investigation found that the force was still prioritising car crimes and burglary.

An HMIC report highlighted senior and middle managers at South Yorkshire Police who were more “focused” on tackling other crimes rather than child sex exploitation – as well as intelligence teams not fully supporting such investigations. Staff issues were also found to be “hampering” child sex exploitation investigations.

The report was commissioned by South Yorkshire Police and Crime Commissioner (PCC) Shaun Wright in the summer. He said that a failure in management had occurred at South Yorkshire Police.

“The current situation has to change,” said Mr Wright. “The report makes a number of recommendations – with the most urgent to be implemented immediately and others within three and six months.

“I fully support the recommendations and have instructed the chief constable that he must ensure they are in place within the time frames set out by the inspectors.”

The report found that the officers dealing with child sex exploitation were deeply committed to their work and the force itself had shown a clear commitment to improving its response to such cases.

However, the HMIC report concludes that – although staff at South Yorkshire Police Force are aware that tackling child sex exploitation is a force priority – at local level “this has not consistently been translated into operational activity on the ground”.

South Yorkshire Police Force was in the media glare when details of underage and teenage girls being groomed by men in Rotherham emerged.

After the case, The Times newspaper alleged documents accumulated over a 10-year period before the 2010 trial showed the police force had knowledge of the practice of adult men grooming underage girls for sex in the area, but the information was not acted upon.

The government’s Home Affairs Select Committee investigated the allegations.

However, there have been new allegations about historic sexual abuse of teenagers in the care of Rotherham social services – as well as allegations about a teenager currently in care, who was allowed contact with a man suspected of grooming girls and supplying them for sex.


Recently, Education Minister Michael Gove has hinted that Local Authority child protection services might face more intervention from the Secretary of State – and could be transferred from Local Authority management to trusts in the case of failing child protection services.

Speaking at a meeting of the NSPCC, Mr Gove said that in the future child protection services could follow the model established in Doncaster – which is currently managed by a private company while a trust is set up to manage child protection.

An amendment to the Children and Families Bill is currently going through the House of Lords, in order to clarify the existing powers of the Secretary of State regarding intervening when child protection services fail.


Legal advice for children in Local Authority care

Duncan Lewis’ children’s lawyers can advise on children taken into Local Authority Care, as well as child abuse cases.

Duncan Lewis’ ,a href="https://www.duncanlewis.co.uk/childcare.html">Child Care Law Department regularly represents families and carers when a child is taken into Local Authority care, including legal representation for Emergency Protection Orders, Care Orders and parental access to children in Local Authority care.

Contact Duncan Lewis’ children’s solicitors on 020 7923 4020 – or in urgent cases phone the Duncan Lewis Emergency Hotline on 020 7275 2036.

Call us now on 033 3772 0409 or click here to send online enquiry.
Duncan Lewis is the trading name of Duncan Lewis (Solicitors) Limited. Registered Office is Spencer House, 29 Grove Hill Road, Harrow, HA1 3BN. Company Reg. No. 3718422. VAT Reg. No. 718729013. A list of the company's Directors is displayed at the registered offices address. Authorised and Regulated by the Solicitors Regulation Authority . Offices all across London and in major cities in the UK. ©Duncan Lewis >>Legal Disclaimer, Copyright & Privacy Policy. Duncan Lewis do not accept service by email.