Report blasts failure to protect child-sex ring girls

Campaign of abuse . . . Shabir Ahmed is serving a 22-year sentence

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ROCHDALE Council’s chief executive has apologised for the lack of leadership and responsibility that allowed an Oldham-led child-sex gang to groom and abuse young girls.

Jim Taylor said uncomfortable lessons had been learned and children’s services overhauled — and warned other councils to tackle the issue to stop such “appalling crimes” taking place.

“It would be pointless if Rochdale put in place the measures needed to tackle the issue but other areas did not. It’s everyone’s responsibility — local councils, the police, NHS, families and the wider public — to stop these terrible acts from taking place.

“We must never forget that the sexual exploitation of children is an appalling crime carried out by the worst kind of criminals.

His message followed an independent report, published today into Rochdale Council’s response to issues of child sexual exploitation.

The report followed the conviction of Oldham-based ringleader Shabir Ahmed (60) and 26-year-old takeaway worker Kabeer Hassan jailed with seven other Asian men who passed around vulnerable white girls for sex in Rochdale between 2008-2010.

The report, commissioned by Mr Taylor, involved interviews with past and present members of staff and an examination of the authority’s children’s services.

It said former chief executive Roger Ellis didn’t investigate events that led to the exploitation cases because he was about to retire and thought it a job for the incoming chief, Mr Taylor.

Rochdale Council was also blasted for failing to learn from sexual exploitation cases dating back to 1997, including one in Oldham in June 2007, which saw two people convicted for attacks on up to 20 victims.

Mr Taylor said it was clear some children had been “let down” by Rochdale Council and said he was “deeply sorry” didn’t get the care and support they deserved.

The review, he said, painted a poor picture of the way parts of the council had been run before he took charge last June.

“Keeping children safe from harm is the most important thing a local authority does, and we accept the conclusions and recommendations in the report,” said Mr Taylor.

“Hard-working, dedicated staff were also let down by some senior managers, who appear to have shown no leadership and have taken no responsibility. I am absolutely determined to ensure these mistakes are never repeated.”

Within the report, Oldham Council is commended for retaining a specialist child sexual exploitation team even in times of austerity.

Mr Taylor said he hoped lessons would be learned by his council in the future, and added that changes had already been made.