Shabana Mahmood has pledged that members of grooming gangs deemed “evil” will finally face justice, as she revealed that a former children’s commissioner, Baroness Anne Longfield, will lead the national inquiry. The Home Secretary confirmed the appointment of Baroness Longfield to oversee the £65 million inquiry following significant delays. Mahmood emphasized the importance of the probe, which is mandated to produce results within three years, stating that it will expose a dark chapter in history.
She criticized the state for failing to protect young and vulnerable individuals, pointing out that some individuals in power chose to ignore the atrocities. Mahmood outlined that the inquiry will consist of local investigations managed by a national panel with full statutory powers. In addition, she announced a support package for victims and survivors, along with increased funding for law enforcement to target offenders.
Emphasizing accountability, Mahmood stated, “The perpetrators of these crimes will face consequences, as there will be no safe haven for them.” She informed Parliament that over 1,200 cases have been earmarked for reexamination, including 200 prioritized cases of rape. The inquiry will specifically focus on child sexual abuse perpetrated by grooming gangs, examining the backgrounds of offenders, including their ethnicity and religion, while assessing whether authorities neglected investigations to maintain community harmony.
The national inquiry was launched in June following a damning report by Baroness Louise Casey at the request of Keir Starmer. Baroness Longfield, who will resign as a Labour peer due to her elevation to the House of Lords, expressed her commitment to uncovering the truth and rectifying past mistakes to safeguard current and future generations from harm.
Mahmood assured that the inquiry will confront challenging truths without hesitation. Referring to Baroness Casey’s report, which highlighted the ethnicity of abusers, Mahmood acknowledged that individuals from South Asian backgrounds were disproportionately involved in grooming incidents in certain regions. She clarified that the actions of the perpetrators were not representative of the Muslim or Islamic communities, urging for the eradication of such evil behavior.
In October, the final two candidates for leading the inquiry withdrew from the process, while five women resigned from the victim liaison panel due to disputes over the inquiry’s scope potentially expanding. The Home Office noted substantial progress in implementing Baroness Casey’s recommendations, including plans to annul convictions and cautions related to “child prostitution” and allocating additional funds for law enforcement, survivor support, and research on combating grooming gangs.