A child-grooming scandal in Telford - in which up to 1,000 children are estimated to have been abused - has prompted calls for an inquiry. The abuse is reported to have been carried out over a 40-year period.
The investigation was carried out by the Sunday Mirror who collated allegations of abuse in Telford. It is reported to include cases that involve girls as young as eleven. These girls were said to be beaten, drugged and raped. The investigation suggested that many of the perpetrators are believed to have gone unpunished and that cases have been mismanaged by public authorities. It is also claimed that such abuse is continuing within the Telford area.
Many of the perpetrators are believed to have gone unpunished, with cases being mishandled by authorities. It is claimed similar abuse is continuing in the area.
Seven men were jailed in 2013 following “Operation Chalice”, a police inquiry into child prostitution in the Telford area. The Sunday Mirror reports that authorities were told of the abuse approximately a decade before the police investigation was carried out.
Telford's Conservative MP told the newspaper, "There must now be an independent inquiry into child sexual exploitation in Telford so that our community can have absolute confidence in the authorities."
A spokesperson for Telford and Wrekin Council said: "Child sexual exploitation (CSE) is a vile, evil crime. It's an issue right across the UK and has been for a long time…..Telford will be covered by the national CSE review. We welcome this. All agencies continue to work very closely together and this remains our top priority."
At Ramsdens we represent a number of survivors who have been exposed to sexual abuse during their lifetime. We act for survivors who have come forward in both adulthood as well as receiving instructions from those who are aware of ongoing abuse in childhood.
Our team led by Natalie Marrison have extensive experience in pursuing compensation claims arising on behalf of survivors. For a completely confidential discussion please contact Ramsdens Child Abuse team on 0113 8871 834.