A former police chief warns that some grooming gang members remain at large, influencing others in Oxford and beyond
Oxford: A former top cop, Simon Morton, who led a major grooming investigation, has issued a serious warning. He believes there are still guys out there who managed to evade capture.
Morton, who was in charge of Operation Bullfinch back in 2011, said some offenders are hiding in plain sight. They’re still around, influencing others to continue these terrible acts.
He pointed out that grooming is a widespread issue, affecting cities all over the UK. It’s not just an Oxford problem; it’s happening everywhere.
Interestingly, he thinks calls for a new public inquiry are a waste of time and money. The government has already committed to acting on recommendations from a previous inquiry led by Professor Alexis Jay.
Morton emphasized that they’ve already done the work. He mentioned that every investigation has been thoroughly reviewed, and there’s no need for more inquiries that won’t lead to new findings.
His comments come after a recent proposal for a national inquiry into grooming gangs was shot down in Parliament. He expressed concern that survivors of abuse often don’t trust the police or social services.
He shared that during the original investigation, they spoke to many girls, but there were even more offenders they couldn’t identify. The scale of the problem was much larger than what they could address at the time.
Thames Valley Police noted that the findings from Operation Bullfinch led to 24 convictions, with sentences totaling over 250 years. They also mentioned that they now have more officers dedicated to tackling child abuse and monitoring sexual offenders.
Child exploitation remains a top priority for them, and they’re working hard to ensure that these issues are addressed effectively.
