Thames Valley Police Commissioner speaks on grooming gangs and previous 20-man investigation
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Thames Valley Police Commissioner Matthew Barber has referenced the vital information the force learned disrupting a child abuse gang in Oxford a decade ago.
Speaking at the Better Together Conference, the police boss delivered a lengthy speech on the best ways to protect children from sinister crimes.
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Hide AdThames Valley Police oversaw an extensive investigation into grooming gangs called Operation Bullfinch.


This police investigation was crucial in securing the arrest of individuals involved in a grooming organisation said to have abused hundreds of children in the Oxfordshire area.
Commissioner Barber said: “In the years that led up to Operation Bullfinch, Thames Valley Police, Oxfordshire County Council and other agencies failed hundreds of young girls in Oxford. You will find no-one in Oxfordshire who can defend the inaction of previous years to address the vile abuse that ruined so many lives.
“Thames Valley Police led the investigation that resulted in six criminal trials and over 20 convictions for men – mainly of Pakistani heritage – who had taken part in sadistic and organised grooming and sexual abuse of girls.
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Hide Ad“Thames Valley Police conducted their own review which was followed by the multi-agency Serious Case Review that was led by Maggie Blyth and published in 2015, Thames Valley Police dramatically changed the way it worked, including the introduction of the Multi Agency Safeguarding Hubs (MASH) with Oxfordshire County Council to co-ordinate concerns for children between agencies. The recommendations from that review have been implemented by the police and are now business as usual.
“Simon Morton, the former Senior Investigating Officer for the Bullfinch cases, is quite right to point out that criminal gangs and the abuse of children still continues. The difference is that no-one is turning a blind eye to it. All agencies, including the police are now working much more closely to actively identify abuse. Thames Valley Police has a dedicated Public Protection and Safeguarding department with more than 450 staff covering a wide number of roles."
The commissioner was referencing an interview the former senior investigator took with the BBC last week. He said: "We've done the public inquiry. Every single investigation has been thoroughly reinvestigated and checked. We've had seven years worth of Prof Jay and her team looking at child sex exploitation and made the recommendations. Let's get it going. Don't waste your money on more pointless inquiries."
Commissioner Barber came to a different conclusion today, he added: “A review was conducted locally a decade ago. Lessons have been learnt and whilst we will sadly never prevent every case of abuse, children are better protected now as a result. Even if a national inquiry adds nothing new to how the police and councils operate in Thames Valley, we should not be fearful of one. In that same spirit of openness, there is nothing to hide, and potentially something to be gained.
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Hide Ad“I believe we often jump to inquiries too quickly in this country, and it is for others to defend their records nationally for either calling for or rejecting particular investigations. If, however, any subject is worthy of scrutiny, surely it is the safety of children in our society.”