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Rochdale Abuse: Failed Victims?

New guidelines are promised for police and prosecutors investigating child grooming networks but are they too late for some victims who claim their abusers are still walking free?

The high profile child sex abuse case in Rochdale last summer - in which nine men were jailed for more than 70 years for grooming underage girls - has been defined as a watershed moment in how the authorities deal with this kind of abuse.
But were there crucial failings?
In an exclusive interview for File on 4, one of the police officers involved in the case claims that flaws in the way it was handled meant important witness evidence was dropped and some abusers were never prosecuted - leaving a new generation of girls potentially at risk and victims seriously let down.
Jane Deith also hears complaints that witnesses were left without adequate support to help them re-build their lives.
Earlier this month the Director of Public Prosecutions, Keir Starmer, published new guidelines for police and prosecutors in such cases. But have they come too late for many victims?

Producer: Sally Chesworth
Reporter: Jane Deith.

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38 minutes

Last on

Sun 31 Mar 2013 17:00

READ THE PROGRAMME TRANSCRIPT

READ THE PROGRAMME TRANSCRIPT

New guidelines are promised for police and prosecutors investigating child grooming networks but are they too late for some victims who claim their abusers are still walking free?

Police on Rochdale abuse 'failures'

The chief constable of Greater Manchester Police, Sir Peter Fahy, warns the current court system is not capable of properly dealing with cases of child sexual exploitation.

Why I resigned over 'abuse failures'

Former Detective Constable Margaret Oliver says men are still walking the streets of Rochdale who girls named as offenders.

Broadcasts

  • Tue 26 Mar 2013 20:00
  • Sun 31 Mar 2013 17:00

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