Serious Case Review (SCR) Rochdale.

It is true Poppy what you say. Could not make it up, could you.

With 45 arrested in West Yorkshire, another 10 in Coventry, those mentioned here in Rochdale, and probably others, it's a lot of men out on bail on 'grooming' charges.

These sex abuse cases are said to be difficult to prosecute. Will the court and justice system cope?

If there is one thing worse than evil minded criminals, it's evil minded criminals who believe the law can't touch them.

In many cases it can't. With reluctant or witnesses that can be easily discredited.

With reluctant police officers/public officials.

With a system bulging at the seams through far less important law breaking cases clogging up the works. Is anyone surprised.

Our court and justice system struggles, the public are often dismayed at apparently over-lenient and misleading sentences, and lack of follow up. Repeat and serial offenders, the revolving door of court and prison is demotivating for everyone.

We may expect those who commit 'grooming' type offences, (typically planned and over an extended time), lack something moral which would prevent most people from such actions / have a cultural belief that what they are doing is justified, or, both.

Much 'grooming' is done by gangs, whose character and behavior re-enforce each other. If this type of criminal also believes 'the law can't touch them', as in the past at least with men of Pakistani or similar origin who, by experience, knew police and public would be reluctant to challenge them, on this or other crimes, the behavior spirals until, as we have seen, became the major problem it now is.

It is important that those many on bail awaiting trial on grooming charges, if guilty, are either made to properly understand the error of their ways and change behaviour, to fear the law, or, be removed from society. Such people out of control are clearly too dangerous and destructive to be allowed to walk free.

Worst outcome would be for those guilty of 'grooming' to go through the court system and come out the other side with a re-enforced sense of invulnerability, to be, as described in other posts here, 'swaggering' about and associating with youngsters, as described.

The fiasco of the 'serious case review' saga here does not inspire confidence. The rape and trafficking of children, associated trade in drugs, etc., is deeply horrible and destroys the sort of place or society most of us would want to live in.

Now the police have investigated, gathered evidence and arrested, it's critical that thorough, genuine and effective work is done by the court and justice system.

Well said!

But as things stand presently purely aspirational. The resources are not in place - the society is playing catch-up. For the few that fall through the net the price is,'unfortunately' and in reality, still acceptable regardless of the obscenity of the crimes and to the disgust of most others. We have to see the hand we are dealt for what it is. 

Atlas wrote:But as things stand presently purely aspirational. The resources are not in place - the society is playing catch-up.  

Yes Atlas, but it seems reasonable to argue that protecting children from being groomed, drugged up, raped, terrorised, sold and all the rest of it, as has come to light, must be a priority.

With the retirement of the influential Lord chief justice of England and Wales, coinciding with pressure from the public and calls from organisations like Barnardo's for an improved court system for child sexual exploitation type cases, there may be a real opportunity for changes to be made.

For people in Rochdale, in social services, in the council, in politics, anyone involved in or caring about the protection of children from 'groomers', now might be a good time to make a contribution to the wider debate about it.

Logically I agree with your aspirations and sentiments and hope that you get what you are aiming for. Realistically - I doubt you will reach half of the measures you would wish to be put in place. That's life as we know it to be. Fair fortune. 

There is some national debate and concern. Whether anyone in Rochdale will make any useful contribution to that is an open question. A relevant 'serious case review' might be helpful, but, there seem to be some delays with that. The start of legal actions against authorities, councils and police forces might help re-focus attention.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-south-yorkshire-23811675

In a letter to the Justice Secretary, Chris Grayling, crime commissioner Mark Burns-Williamson says

“In West Yorkshire we are actively pursing some of the most dangerous grooming offenders* right now, and I hope and expect the Government to bring forward a fit for purpose system to try these people over their offences in the coming years. What we have now is not good enough for these victims, their families, or the integrity of British justice.”

http://www.yorkshirepost.co.uk/news/main-topics/general-news/courts-let-down-abused-children-says-tsar-1-5952177

* Swaggering- definition - To walk in an over-confident, defiant and insolent manner.

cyfrifia wrote:  

There is some national debate and concern.   Whether anyone in Rochdale will make any useful contribution to that is an open question.     A relevant 'serious case review' might be helpful, but, there seem to be some delays with that.     The start of legal actions against authorities, councils and police forces might help re-focus attention.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-south-yorkshire-23811675  

Cyfri: The legal actions that you suggest, with measures of genuine transparency for public notice, may well be the catalyst that is needed to develop fit-for-purpose systems and undeniable focus in the future.

A child placed in the care of social services was allowed extensive daily contact with a violent adult offender, who was suspected of grooming more than a dozen young teenagers to use and sell for sex, it was reported by The Times today.

Police and social services were alleged to have held 'detailed' intelligence about the activities of an Arshid Hussain, who twice made the girl pregnant, yet he had never been prosecuted for a child-sex offence .....

Council chief quits.    

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-south-yorkshire-23820054

http://www.thetimes.co.uk/tto/news/uk/crime/article3850648.ece

Relatives in high places, eh....maybe says it all !

Simon Danczuk, speaking to the House of Commons, on 14th October 2013



Quote: "It is important to note that we still await the serious case review on Rochdale. I would think that it is imminent, so it should be available in the next month or two."

After three men were jailed for the 'grooming' and rape of children in Greater Manchester, Stockport Safeguarding Children Board is considering whether to carry out serious case reviews.

http://www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/news/greater-manchester-news/victim-child-sex-grooming-gang-speaks-6250423

Are the public re-assured by the idea of serious case reviews?

I'm slightly reassured that the spate of recent court cases and jailings means that this issue is finally being taken seriously by those in a position to do something about it.

Yes, apart from these serious case reviews, which fill me with no confidence at all, the fact that the authorities are prosecuting and jailing groomers is a move in the right direction. I hope that will also affect the attitude of the general public, and make them more suspicious, less tolerant, and more confident to report suspicious grooming type activity. In the long run, the police can only pick up the pieces, sift through the debris and prosecute after the damage is done, it's the public and society that can spot it and stop it while it is happening.

The summary of today's report from the Children's commissioner ends with

"only 6% of Local Safeguarding Children Boards, the structures tasked with the coordination and oversight of child protection at local level, are complying fully with key parts of Government guidance on tackling sexual exploitation, published in 2009."

http://www.childrenscommissioner.gov.uk/content/press_release/content_527


With Rochdale's beacon status, we might hope  Rochdale is within that 6%? or somewhere near it? How are we getting on with the serious case review?

I seem to remember there was some talk of lessons being learned and Rochdale becoming a model of how to protect children, a beacon for others to learn from. Perhaps that was just a bit of chatter I took too seriously.

How are we getting on with the serious case reviews?  

 

If this was a council with a reasonably good record on child protection taking a long time, on the excuse of doing a thorough report, that might be acceptable, but, this is a case of a council found to have ignored large scale and violent child abuse associated with the sale of children into prostitution, organised crime and the drug trade for very many years. Various agencies question whether the council itself has been 'groomed' to accept the unacceptable. It's time very blunt and penetrating questions were asked.

I am gobsmacked that this utter disaster of the review and the handling is stil carrying on with the pathetic press conference on the un-veiling of the report.


We, Rochdale, are again shown as a shambles and incompetent.  


I'm lost for words.