Grooming gangs review

A review is taking place as to whether child sexual offence cases or reports in Derbyshire could be linked to the national grooming gangs inquiry.

News of the Derbyshire police-led review comes after it was warned Derby was on “tenterhooks” to know if gangs were operating in the city or county. 

Nationally, hundreds of previously closed investigations into group-based child sexual abuse and exploitation (CSAE) are being reviewed as part of Operation Beaconport. Almost 1,300 cases have so far been referred for further investigation. 

A national inquiry into the scandal was launched by the Government earlier this year.

Derbyshire police have neither confirmed nor denied whether there are any local links to the grooming gangs scandal.

Operation Beaconport will closely examine cases where police forces across England and Wales and the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) made the decision to take no further action against suspects between January 2010 and March 2025.

This includes where inquiries were not followed up or where victim and survivor accounts were not being sought or recorded when crimes were reported.

Derby has a history with grooming gangs. In 2010, nine men from the city who abused, raped and trafficked vulnerable young girls across Derbyshire and the wider region were convicted. This happened after 27 girls came forward to say they had been victims, it was reported.

Derbyshire police told the Local Democracy Reporting Service (LDRS) they were working to identify if cases should be referred as part of the inquiry.

A spokesperson for the force said: “We are currently working through the process of identifying cases which meet the criteria for referral to Operation Beaconport.

“This work is ongoing and while it is, in line with the National Crime Agency’s own stance, we will not be providing figures.

“Victims and survivors of child sexual exploitation and abuse are at the forefront of our work, and we will continue to work closely with our National Crime Agency (NCA) colleagues as the Operation Beaconport review progresses.”

Derby councillor John Wright quizzed leading councillors as to whether there were local links to the inquiry. 

Councillor Sarah Chambers, cabinet member for public safety, said in response there were no breakdown figures available to indicate if localised referrals had been made.

Mr Wright told a council meeting on November 19: “I do find it surprising we can’t find out from Derbyshire Constabulary whether there’s been any referrals for grooming gangs from Derbyshire – knowing the history of grooming gangs in Derby and Derbyshire. 

“A quick phone call to the Superintendent would tell you whether Derbyshire has made any referrals. 

“That would be an ideal opportunity to reassure our residents that there’s no further investigations in Derby. Now we are on tenterhooks. We don’t know what the position is.” 

Councillor Chambers replied: “Safe and Sound officially opened their city centre base which will be a real game-changer for the young people who are at risk of exploitation in Derby.  That reassures me [that], while we don’t have the figures, we have got proactive work out there.”