An investigation into allegations that officers from South Yorkshire Police (SYP) took part in historic sexual exploitation in Rotherham will now be led by the National Crime Agency (NCA), the police watchdog has said.
The investigation was being carried out by SYP’s major crime unit, under the direction of the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC).
So far, three former officers have been arrested.
But survivors of sexual exploitation in the town said last month they had “no faith” in the SYP investigation in relation to a series of allegations.
Five women told the BBC in July how they were exploited by grooming gangs in the town when they were children, and also sexually abused by officers.
According to the broadcaster, one girl was raped from the age of 12 in a marked police car, and the officer threatened to hand her back to the groomers if she did not do as he said.
In response to concerns and a perceived conflict of interest, the IOPC announced on Friday that a joint decision with SYP had been made to ask the NCA – a law enforcement agency that investigates and disrupts a wide range of criminal activities – to lead the investigation.
The IOPC will still direct the operation.
The police watchdog said transferring the investigation “may provide further reassurance to victim-survivors” but reiterated it remains satisfied there was no conflict of interest with the SYP investigation.
IOPC director Emily Barry said: “Victim-survivors are always at the centre of our investigations, and it’s extremely important that they have trust and confidence in the investigation.
“We recognise the concerns that have been raised by some about SYP investigating serious complaints relating to former SYP officers, and we want to ensure that any victim-survivors feel able to come forward with complaints about former SYP officers.”
‘A step in the right direction’
The NCA investigation will involve officers from Operation Stovewood, the agency’s decade-long investigation that looked into allegations of child sexual abuse in Rotherham between 1997 and 2013.
The operation has so far resulted in the conviction of 47 offenders who have so far received prison sentences totalling more than 1,300 years, when including concurrent sentences.
This is different to Operation Linden, an IOPC investigation into how police responded to child sexual abuse in the same time frame. In 2022, it concluded that SYP fundamentally failed in its duty to protect vulnerable children and young people during that period.
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Law firm Switalskis, which represents survivors of abuse in Rotherham, said it was pleased about the NCA takeover, but remained “concerned that the investigation is still being directed by the Independent Office for Police Conduct, given the concerns raised by whistleblowers in relation to Operation Linden earlier this year”.
It added: “Nevertheless, we view this as a step in the right direction and hope that more survivors will now feel able to come forward to the NCA.”
Philip Marshall, head of Operation Stovewood, said victims will remain “at the heart” of the investigation, and encouraged “any further victims, or anyone with information that might help our investigation” to contact the NCA.
