Oldham abuse: Any professional negligence must be punished - MP

Jim McMahon, MP for Oldham West and Royton, said the victims had been let down

Social workers and officers found to be negligent in protecting children in Oldham from grooming gangs must face disciplinary action, MPs have urged.

A recent review found children in the town were failed by the agencies responsible for protecting them.

Oldham West MP Jim McMahon said any evidence of failings by those examining the cases should be "reviewed".

The Home Office said it had ordered an inspection into how police handle group-based child sexual exploitation.

The report revealed investigators had found structural flaws in Greater Manchester Police and Oldham Council's safeguarding systems.

A related independent inquiry, set up after allegations circulated on social media that the council was covering up what it knew about grooming gangs in the town, found no evidence of collusion.

However, at a stormy council meeting on Monday, which saw boos and heckles from the public gallery, Oldham Council's leader Amanda Chadderton said while it had not alleged "any misconduct in public office by council staff", the authority would work with police so that "should any misconduct be uncovered", it would take action.

'Let down'

Addressing the House of Commons in response to a question from Labour colleague and Oldham East MP Debbie Abrahams, Mr McMahon said any evidence of failings by professionals examining the cases should be "reviewed and revisited", regardless of whether they were still in their jobs.

Ms Abrahams had asked Mr McMahon, who was Oldham Council leader from 2011 to 2016, if he wanted, "as I do, to be reassured that if there has been any negligence [by staff] in protecting these vulnerable children, then they should go through a disciplinary process?"

Mr McMahon said it was "quite clear" that victims had been "let down".

"Even with the passage of time, we need to make sure the perpetrators who carried out those disgraceful acts of abuse... feel the full weight of the law," he said.

"But, frankly, as leaders, we put our trust and confidence in professionals... to do the right thing and always step up to make sure nobody falls through the gap.

"And if there is any evidence that any professional reviewing those cases did not take the action that we'd all demand and expect then that absolutely has to be reviewed and revisited, whether they're currently in post or whether they have left post."

Safeguarding Minister Rachel Maclean said the government had commissioned an inspection into "how police across England and Wales handle group-based child sexual exploitation".

"We expect findings from the inspection by the end of this year and I trust it will give us some much-needed assurance that the policing of these crimes has improved," she said.

"But make no mistake, should deficiencies be uncovered, we will do whatever it takes to address them."

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