Yorkshire grooming gang victim claims police officer abused her

Leona Whitworth, now 28, was groomed by Amanda Spencer – who was jailed for 12 years in 2014 after being found guilty of 16 charges relating to child prostitution.

Ms Whitworth, who waived her right to anonymity in an interview with Sky News, told how she was drugged, raped and beaten, so she could be sold to men for sex.

She said she recognised one of the men who abused her as a police officer when he picked her up after she went missing.

“He just spoke to me like the police officers do,” she told the broadcaster.

“(He said) ‘You know everybody’s been worried about you, don’t you? You can’t keep putting your family through this.

“You’ve got a lot of people out there looking for you, and you’re wasting our resources by doing this’.”

The allegation comes after a damning report found serious failures in vetting police officers and staff.

South Yorkshire Police Chief Constable Lauren Poultney told Sky: “What happened to Leona at the hands of her abusers is simply unforgivable, and I am extremely concerned to hear today that the trauma she faced may have involved an officer who was serving with the force.

“There is no place in policing for individuals who abuse their position for criminal behaviour, and we proactively root out those who do so.

“I want to say to Leona directly that I would welcome the opportunity to meet with you to obtain as much detail as you can provide in relation to this officer.”