LONDON – A report led by the Great Manchester Police has criticized its own officers for failing to recognize the scale of child sex abuse in a northern town and putting too much emphasis on the credibility of the victims.
The report Friday looked into how officers handled the abuse scandal in Rochdale, where dozens of young girls were believed to be groomed and trafficked for sex by a network of men. Nine men were eventually jailed in 2012.
Former detective Margaret Oliver, who had resigned to protest the handling of the scandal, said similar crimes are still continuing at a nationwide level.
Greater Manchester Police admitted their force was too distracted by tackling crimes like burglary than listening to abuse victims. But the report said no police officer would be disciplined.
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