PM meets Rotherham victims as he threatens public officials with jail

David Cameron discussed privately with the girls his plans to toughen up abuse laws after bringing together a Downing Street summit aimed at forcing different agencies to prioritise the crime.

The PM’s actions come after a lengthy lobbying campaign from Rotherham MP Sarah Champion, who has seen most of her five point plan for tougher abuse reporting adopted by the Government.

Mr Cameron said he had heard “absolutely horrific” stories of abuse from victims of the Rotherham scandal “that are going to stay with me forever”

Summing up the situation facing the victims, Mr Cameron said: “I think it’s very important we take a step back and just recognise the horrific nature of what has happened in our country.

“Young girls - and they are young girls - being abused over and over again on an industrial scale, being raped, being passed from one bunch of perpetrators to another bunch of perpetrators.

“And all the while this has happened with too many organisations and too many people walking on by.”

Ms Champion said she welcomed a Government pledge to prosecute officials who wilfully neglect vulnerable children.

“I think this could have come after the Jay report last year, but at least now there is action on this.

“I met with the Prime Minister in February to get action on this and three weeks later he has delivered, so there is a lot to be grateful for.

“With an election coming the challenge will be making sure whoever forms the next government continues with this work.”

The summit came as a report on abuse in Oxford revealed hundreds of girls may have been sexually exploited after authorities repeatedly failed to tackle grooming gangs responsible for “indescribably awful” attacks.

As many as 373 children have been identified as potential victims in Oxfordshire over 16 years.

A highly-critical serious case review published reveals a catalogue of failings by authorities meant the scale of the problem was not recognised and opportunities to tackle it were missed.

Accounts of abuse were not taken seriously, under-age girls were seen as having “consented” and described in terms that suggested they were partly to blame for their ordeal, the report said.

The Serious Case Review said in many cases the girls were abused by many who travelled from across England, including Leeds and Bradford, to take part in the offences.

Home Secretary Theresa May said in a statement to MPs that the situation in Rotherham “is only the tip of the iceberg” and “we need to confront these failures at a national level”.

She warned that the “culture of complete denial” uncovered by Prof Jay “persists today”.

Under the proposals unveiled by Mr Cameron and subject to consultation, the crime of “wilful neglect” will be extended to cover children’s social care and education, with unlimited fines for individuals and organisations shown to have let children down.

A new national helpline will be established to help professionals blow the whistle on failings in care for children. And senior staff who leave councils after abuse scandals could see their pay-offs clawed back if it is shown they failed to protect children under their responsibility.

Child sex abuse has also been prioritised as a “national threat”.