An investigation into allegations police officers took part in historical sexual abuse in Rotherham is to be taken over by the National Crime Agency (NCA), the police watchdog has announced.
Last month, survivors of sexual exploitation in the town said they had “no faith” in the South Yorkshire Police (SYP) investigation into its former officers in relation to a series of allegations.
On Friday, the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) announced its “directed investigation into non-recent child sex abuse complaints from victim-survivors against former South Yorkshire Police (SYP) officers” will now be carried out by the NCA, under the IOPC’s direction and control.
The investigation was being carried out by SYP’s major crime unit, under the IOPC’s direction, and three former officers have been arrested.
But the IOPC said it was responding to “concerns about SYP’s involvement and a perception of a conflict of interest”.
It said it was a joint decision with SYP to ask the NCA to take over.
The IOPC said that “while we remain satisfied there was no conflict of interest with SYP” it believes that “transferring the investigation to the NCA may provide further reassurance to victim-survivors”.
Lawyers representing survivors welcomed the move as a “step in the right direction” but said their clients remained concerned over the continued involvement of the IOPC.
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.”
Five women told the BBC how they were exploited by grooming gangs in the town when they were children and also sexually abused by officers.
According to a special report by the BBC, 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.
The NCA said the investigation will be carried out by officers from Operation Stovewood – the agency’s huge, decade-long investigation into child sexual exploitation in Rotherham between 1997 and 2013.
Operation Stovewood identified more than 1,100 children involved in the exploitation in Rotherham.
Philip Marshall, head of Operation Stovewood, said: “The National Crime Agency will ensure that victims remain at the heart of this investigation, as we continue the extensive work that South Yorkshire Police has begun.
“Though our investigation will be independent of South Yorkshire Police, we will work closely with the force and the Independent Office for Police Conduct to ensure that victims receive the best service and support as the investigation is transferred to us.
“I encourage any further victims, or anyone with information that might help our investigation, to please contact the National Crime Agency by calling our 24-hour phone line or emailing the investigation team. Alternatively they can contact the Independent Office for Police Conduct.”
Last month, the law firm Switalskis, which represents survivors of abuse in Rotherham, said it had hoped that alleged abuse by officers would have been unearthed following Operation Linden – a long-running, IOPC investigation into how police responded to child sexual abuse in Rotherham between 1997 and 2013.
The firm said in a statement in July: “That never came. For years SYP resisted our requests for an investigation into the alleged criminality of police officers, despite us providing them with the accounts of survivors.
“Those that have suffered abuse in Rotherham have no faith that SYP will do a thorough job of investigating alleged abuse by their own officers.”
In 2022, Operation Linden concluded that SYP fundamentally failed in its duty to protect vulnerable children and young people during the period under investigation.
In a fresh statement on Friday, Switalskis said: “We are pleased that South Yorkshire Police (SYP) has decided to hand the investigation into allegations of child sexual abuse, corruption, and the facilitation of abuse by former SYP officers to the National Crime Agency (NCA).
“However, we remain concerned that the investigation is still being directed by the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC), given the concerns raised by whistleblowers in relation to Operation Linden earlier this year.
“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.”
Conservative shadow home secretary Chris Philp said: “It is right that the National Crime Agency are taking over this case.
“It would be completely inappropriate for the same force accused of abuse to now be investigating itself.
“That is why I wrote to the Home Secretary (Yvette Cooper) to make sure any investigation into South Yorkshire Police was independent.
“The Labour Government must urgently appoint an independent chair to the national statutory inquiry into rape gangs and release the terms of reference.”
South Yorkshire’s Mayor Oliver Coppard said: “Victims and survivors should always be our priority.
“They deserve to feel heard, believed, and supported, and they must have confidence in the people and systems that are there to make sure justice is done.
“That’s why it was right that who leads the investigation into these allegations was kept under review, and why I’m pleased that SYP, the IOPC and the NCA have listened to the concerns of those young women who have come forward to talk about their experiences.”
