Category : News
Date : 10.05.2004
Printable version
Britain's
most senior police officer with responsibility for child protection
has admitted that many forces ignore complaints from parents who report
older paedophiles attempting to have sexual relationships with children
below the age of consent.
Chief Constable Terry Grange says many forces do not properly investigate
allegations or follow best practice to reduce the threat to children.
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He tells 91Èȱ¬ ONE's Real Story With Fiona Bruce that
most child protection teams are going to have to be increased regardless
of the impact on other police priorities:
"I think it's the worthy cause. I think it's far more important
than somebody's mobile phone, I think you're more likely to have a child
abused than a terrorist blow you up."
The Chief Constable's comments come ahead of the publication of the
Bichard Inquiry regarding events surrounding the Soham murder case.
Chief Constable Grange, the Association of Chief Police Officers' Child
Protection spokesman, adds: "Far too often
we've metaphorically shrugged our shoulders and said that the girl won't
make a statement, therefore there is no complaint, therefore we can't
investigate it.
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"Well, put tritely, people who are murdered don't
make statements and we investigate them, disabled children with whom
adults can't communicate don't make statements but we investigate those
offences.
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"If an offence is alleged and it's an older man
investigate it, find out everything you can about him and then decide
what to do."
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The police are criticised in the programme by Jackie
Webber, whose 15-year-old daughter Katie was involved with Huntley when
he was 23. Katie went to stay with Huntley.
"I phoned the police up, when the police came I told them what
had happened," says Jackie.
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"They interviewed Katie and Ian together and said
there's nothing they could do, she was nearly 16. If they fetched her
back home she'd only run away again."
Jackie believes the police were ignoring the age of consent law: "They
may as well make it [the age of consent] ten because they don't seem
to care, not in my case they didn't and not in a lot of others.
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"If Ian Huntley can get away with it so many times
what's the point in having the law?"
Chief Constable Grange says: "I would call that professional incompetence.
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"There was a complete failure there, we all know
that, and what we should do is ask ourselves why and look in a mirror
because the answer lies the other side of a mirror we are looking into
it. We could and should do better."
The Chief Constable, who has doubled his own child protection team in
his area, Dyfed Powis, is highly critical of his colleagues in other
forces.
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"I know of cases that I've looked at where officers
have said she won't make a statement we can't
investigate. That's not true," he says.
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"I know that sounds mucky but we're talking about
an adult raping a child, and whether or not the child knows its rape
we should investigate and we should all use all legal means at our disposal
to do so and we should actually use some enthusiasm to do so."
Advising parents to voice their discontent, Chief Constable Grange adds:
"I'd want to see they [the police] are doing
something, I'm not going to be thanked for that across the country by
my colleagues but in all honesty if I was the parent I'd insist that
something be done and pursue it.
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"I'd ask to see evidence that things are being
done. The police service depends on trust and the officers that are
saying they can't do anything in my view are breaching that trust...
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"I think the tools are there, I think the legislation
is there, I think the police service needs to take a much stronger line
in using it."
Notes to Editors
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Please credit 91Èȱ¬ ONE's Real Story With Fiona Bruce
if any of the above is used.
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The programme is broadcast on Monday 10 May at 7.30pm.
