MP meets Safeguarding Minister to discuss possible Bradford grooming gangs inquiry

Earlier this week, three members of a grooming gang - Ibrar Hussain, 47, Imtiaz Ahmed, 62, and Fayaz Ahmed, 45 - all had their sentences increased for sexual abuse crimes from the 1990s.

Since 2016, police investigations in West Yorkshire have resulted in over 200 offenders sentenced to over 2,200 years, and there are currently 50 historic child sexual exploitation investigations ongoing.

While more than 70 defendants are currently charged and standing trial or listed to stand trial at Bradford and Leeds Crown Courts in 2025 and 2026.

Mr Moore and Mr Greenwood’s dossier includes disturbing first-hand accounts from survivors, and sets out the case for a full independent inquiry into grooming gangs across Bradford.

So far, however the council has pushed back on this - saying that it is “unlikely to provide us with any new learning that would better protect children from being abused”.

In January, the Government announced a rapid audit of grooming gangs by Baroness Louise Casey, as well as five local inquiries.

One of the locations was announced as Oldham, however the others have yet to be revealed - and Mr Moore is pushing for Bradford to be included.

“As we made clear to the minister, there is an overwhelming case for a full inquiry across the Bradford District, yet we have shockingly never had one.

“To make matters worse, senior leaders in Bradford Council and across the West Yorkshire mayoralty continue to reject these calls.

“My message to the Safeguarding Minister was simple. If Bradford’s political leadership will not act, then the Government must.

“And if the current system prevents that from happening, it is the system that must be overruled, not the victims who want this inquiry.”

Phillipa Hubbard, of the Bradford District Safeguarding Children Partnership, previously ruled out an inquiry.

“Like many local authorities up and down the country, we know that agencies in our district have made mistakes in the past,” she explained, referencing a review carried out in the area in 2021.

“But the view of our partnership remains that a public inquiry would cost a huge amount of money, use precious officer time, and is unlikely to provide us with any new learning that would better protect children from being abused,” she added.

Alison Lowe, the deputy mayor for policing in West Yorkshire, added: “Child sexual exploitation and abuse is an appalling crime and the Government’s national level ‘rapid audit’ of data on group-led child exploitation can only reinforce the significant amount of work already undertaken locally to tackle exploitation and keep children safe.

“In West Yorkshire we are already delivering for victims and survivors, bringing about the change they want to see.

“We will continue to listen to their voices, ensuring no perpetrator escapes justice, providing the much-needed support and closure for every brave woman and girl who has the courage to come forward. ”