Police appeared to punish victims of Newcastle grooming gangs, review finds

Report into work of Operation Sanctuary in north-east England finds that 700 girls and women were victims of gangs

Grooming gangs who preyed on 700 woman and girls in north-east England acted with “an arrogant persistence” after police were seen to be punishing victims for their situation, a serious case review has found.

The report from the retired barrister David Spicer into the response by authorities in Newcastle to child sexual exploitation concluded that victims received “effective protection” following the launch of a Northumbria police investigation in January 2014. However, it said that prior to that the force’s action’s “lacked consistency” and had “little impact”.

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from Children | The Guardian http://ift.tt/2FqjlEZ