No hiding place

It is impossible not to be moved by stories of children being used in the most brutal fashion. And it raises the question of why are the authorities still struggling to tackle the crime?

It is one that has for some time been particularly, and shamefully, prevalent in parts of our region and yet in the majority of cases few prosecutions have been brought.

Clearly there are community sensitivities in certain areas, but, while these must be respected, they must not be allowed to compromise justice.

The Government Action Plan will hopefully go some way towards addressing these issues and help both the police and community groups bring down the criminal gangs behind such abhorrent crimes.

One of the key issues facing detectives is the apparent unwillingness of certain communities to work them, with even the victims and their families reluctant to support investigations.

It is a barrier that must be overcome to protect future generations from this menace.