West Midlands top cop's vow over child sexual abuse cases
The West Midlands top cop has vowed to tackle perpetrators of child sexual abuse and exploitation ‘without fear or favour’.
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Simon Foster presented his draft Police and Crime Plan 2025 to 2029 to members of the Police and Crime Panel at a meeting on Monday (January 20).
And as part of the discussion, the issue of child sexual abuse and grooming gangs was raised with concerns police were “afraid to dabble” into alleged offences committed by members of particular communities.
Mr Foster, the region’s Police and Crime Commissioner, said he expects all reported incidents to be taken “extremely seriously” and fully investigated by West Midlands Police.
He added child sexual abuse and exploitation has been embedded in a number of different sections of his draft Police and Crime Plan.
Coventry councillor Abdul Khan said: “There is an issue surrounding the police and their desire to investigate allegations of child sexual exploitation.
“Some are saying the police are afraid to dabble into the affairs of certain communities and, on that basis, they will not investigate because of fear of backlash from the communities.
“What I’d like to hear is reassurance so far as you’re aware, no police investigation within the West Midlands has been put on hold or not completed because of a fear of any particular communities causing police any issues if they went on to investigate.”
Mr Foster said: “If child sexual abuse or exploitation is reported to West Midlands Police, I expect them to be taken extremely seriously.
“I expect them to record that alleged crime and I expect them to pursue all reasonable lines of investigation in order to bring any alleged perpetrator to justice and to ensure justice is delivered to any victim. That is fundamental.
“We have to make sure victims in those circumstances have access to justice and I expect, as Police and Crime Commissioner, West Midlands Police to investigate allegations of child sexual abuse or exploitation without fear or favour.
“Irrespective of whoever it is that is alleged to have been involved in that brutal and horrendous criminality.”
He told the panel he would provide more information in writing on West Midlands Police’s approach to investigations in child sexual exploitation cases.
