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Yvette Cooper briefed Members of Parliament regarding a potential re-examination of 287 child sexual exploitation cases that had previously been closed by local police departments. These cases have now been passed on to a national police taskforce, which will assess whether reopening them is necessary and explore any new leads that may not have been adequately pursued. In an effort to address historic gang exploitation cases that had been dismissed, Cooper had requested all police forces in England and Wales to revisit such cases earlier in the year.
As of now, about half of the police forces have responded, identifying 287 cases for further evaluation by the Police Child Sexual Exploitation Taskforce. The remaining police forces are expected to submit their reports shortly. Despite calls from the opposition for a nationwide inquiry with the power to compel witnesses, the government has decided to allocate £5 million towards funding at least five local investigations. One of these inquiries is already in progress in Oldham, Greater Manchester, according to Cooper.
In addition to these local inquiries, the Home Office has enlisted the expertise of Dame Louise Casey, a seasoned Whitehall troubleshooter, to conduct a swift review on the prevalence and scope of group-based child sexual abuse. Casey is also responsible for creating a framework that will guide the local investigations. Although her report was scheduled to be released last month, Casey has requested a brief extension to finalize her assessment. Cooper emphasized the importance of Casey’s audit in shaping future decisions and actions regarding the local inquiries.
Earlier in the year, the national taskforce disclosed that there were 127 ongoing major police investigations focusing on child sexual exploitation and gang grooming, spanning across 29 different police forces. The government’s efforts to address these cases illustrate a commitment to tackling the issue of child sexual exploitation and ensuring justice for victims
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