Rotherham Council admits failings after seven men jailed for abusing girls in its care

From the Examiner

Rotherham Council has “acknowledged failings” after seven men were jailed for abusing girls in its care.

The seven men were tried at Sheffield Crown Court following a five-year investigation as part of National Crime Agency’s Operation Stovewood. Following a nine-week trial, the seven men were found guilty of a string of offences on Wednesday, June 5, with sentencing due to take place on September 12 and 13.

All of the victims were aged between 11 and 16 at the time and were in care. They were groomed and often plied with alcohol or cannabis before being raped or assaulted.

The investigation found the girls would often be collected by the men from the children’s homes where they lived.

33 people have now been convicted of offences following Operation Stovewood, which is looking into allegations of abuse in Rotherham between 1997 and 2003. It is the largest investigation of its kind in the UK and more than 1,150 potential victims have been identified.

Nicola Curley, strategic director for children and young people’s services at Rotherham Council, told the Local Democracy Reporting Service the council has “acknowledged that the failings at the time in Rotherham in relation to child protection were unacceptable”.

“I would like to acknowledge the tremendous bravery and courage shown by the victims in coming forward to ensure that the convictions could be made. The children’s homes operated by the Council during the early 2000s were subsequently closed. We have acknowledged that the failings at the time in Rotherham in relation to child protection were unacceptable. The council and partners continue to do all that we can to support victims of these horrific crimes.

“Our children’s services have been graded as ‘Good’ consistently by Ofsted since 2017.”  Three years after the Jay report of August 2014 and the big EDL demonstration of September and the protest camp outside the police station.