First batch of grooming gang cases returned to police to reinvestigate

The first batch of grooming gang cases, among a national review of previously closed files, has been referred back to police forces where lines of inquiry may have been missed.

Operation Beaconport is examining cases between January 2010 and March 2025 where there are two or more suspects accused of sexual abuse and they are still alive; there is a victim of a sexual offence with physical contact; cases have not already been reviewed; and no further action had been taken.

In November, 1,273 such investigations from 23 police forces had already been referred to the National Crime Agency (NCA), 236 of which were prioritised because they involved allegations of rape.

On Tuesday, the NCA said: "At this early stage, the reviews have identified closed cases from eight force areas that may have viable lines of inquiry.

"The forces have been directed to reopen these cases, to determine the next steps in relation to any reinvestigation.

NCA director general Graeme Biggar said it was "the first step toward seeking justice for victims and survivors".

"Operation Beaconport is the most comprehensive and complex investigation into child sexual exploitation and abuse in UK history," he said.

The review of cases coincides with the one-year mark of the publication of Baroness Casey's national audit on group-based child sexual exploitation and abuse.

It made 12 recommendations which the government has accepted. Reflecting on that audit on Tuesday, the home secretary described it as "a landmark report, exposing more than a decade of inaction in the face of these appalling crimes".

Shabana Mahmood said: "Victims and survivors were, time after time, let down by the very institutions responsible for keeping them safe, despite repeated warnings and longstanding recommendations for action."

She added: "I remain determined that we confront these failings directly and decisively."

Ms Mahmood also confirmed that an independent inquiry into grooming gangs, chaired by Baroness Anne Longfield, will soon announce which local areas will face specific local investigations.

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The question of historical investigations into grooming gangs has also attracted the attention of Elon Musk, who accused Sir Keir Starmer of being "complicit" in the scandal.

The prime minister responded, accusing people of "spreading lies".

The home secretary also confirmed how the government was tackling cases where children, who were victims of exploitation, were treated as offenders and prosecuted.

Convictions and cautions for loitering or soliciting, for the purpose of prostitution, would be 'disregarded', with records of offences being deleted.

Acting chief constable Becky Riggs, the National Police Chiefs' Council (NPCC) lead for child protection and abuse investigation, said in a statement: "We know that for many victims and survivors, the harm they experienced was compounded by not being listened to or believed. That has had a lasting impact on trust and confidence.

"One year on from Baroness Casey's audit, our focus remains firmly on improving how we respond, ensuring victims and survivors are at the centre of every decision we make."

Restore Britain report

Meanwhile, the Rape Gang Inquiry, established and chaired by Restore Britain MP Rupert Lowe, published its full report on Tuesday.

The executive summary said the study set out to examine what it called "the systematic targeting of vulnerable girls, overwhelmingly White British, by predominantly Muslim Pakistani gangs" in the UK.

Among the key recommendations to tackle group-based child sexual exploitation are:

• Better support for victims of grooming gangs, their parents, and child witnesses providing evidence;

• Families placed at the centre of safeguarding; tougher sentences for perpetrators (and their deportation if they are a foreign national);

• Dedicated national units for prosecuting cases and repatriating victims who are trafficked abroad;

• A national compensation scheme for survivors;

• Legal reforms to improve child protection, restrict the activities of offenders and prohibit sharia marriages;

• Criminal penalties for officials, in certain circumstances, who fail to act against suspects.

(c) Sky News 2026: First batch of grooming gang cases returned to police to reinvestigate