Greater Manchester Police has issued a statement following the broadcast of Channel 4’s harrowing documentary Groomed: A National Scandal.
The documentary, which exposed two decades of systematic child sexual exploitation and institutional failure in the North. Directed by award-winning filmmaker Anna Hall, aired on 30 April and featured five women who were groomed and raped as children, with authorities failing to intervene even when clear signs of abuse were present. It uncovered shocking historic case notes that appeared to blame children for the exploitation they suffered and detailed how reports and investigations were shelved, sometimes due to perceived cultural sensitivities.
Responding to the programme, Assistant Chief Constable Steph Parker, GMP’s lead for Vulnerability and Public Protection, acknowledged the force’s historic failings and reaffirmed its commitment to supporting survivors.
“We’ve fully accepted and apologised for the extent of our past failings in tackling this horrific abuse,” she said. “We badly let down vulnerable young girls when they needed us the most.”
GMP said it had learned from previous mistakes and now leads a multi-agency approach across every town and city in Greater Manchester to protect vulnerable young people. Its work includes Operation Green Jacket, which investigates non-recent cases of child sexual exploitation (CSE), and Operation Makesafe, an initiative that partners with local hospitality businesses to spot early signs of abuse.
Parker said the force now had 95 staff in its specialist CSE unit and had made 86 arrests since its creation in 2021, with 71 years' worth of convictions secured. One offender is due to be sentenced in May.
“We are recognised as modern leaders in UK policing at protecting children,” Parker said. “No abuser is immune from justice and time is no barrier. The GMP of today is absolutely committed to ensuring victims are listened to and supported.”
The documentary, produced over many years, features testimonies from victims who say their calls for help were ignored. In one case, a girl was described in official reports as "a very promiscuous girl", despite clear evidence she was being exploited. In another, police reportedly told a mother her daughter’s abuse was a "lifestyle choice", even after presenting physical evidence of rape.
The film also revisits Operation Augusta, launched after the 2003 death of 15-year-old Victoria Agoglia, who died after being injected with heroin by a known abuser. The operation identified nearly 100 suspects before being abruptly disbanded.
Whistleblowers featured in the film include former detective Maggie Oliver and youth worker Jayne Senior. Both allege they were discouraged from pursuing cases that involved men from minority communities, with one remarking she was told not to “rock the multicultural boat”.
Despite GMP’s recent reforms and improved inspection outcomes from His Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary and Fire & Rescue Services (HMICFRS), the documentary suggests that some systemic issues remain unresolved.
Assistant Chief Constable Parker said that GMP arrested 3,000 suspected sex offenders in 2024 alone, and added: “Our knowledge of this offending is lightyears ahead of where we were even a decade ago.”
If you have been affected by anything that you have watched in the programme, support is available here: https://www.channel4.com/4viewers/help-support
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