Five women who were abused as children by Rotherham grooming gangs have come forward with claims that they were also raped by police officers when they were as young as 12.
One woman told the BBC that after reporting abuse—under pressure from the gang to have an illegal abortion—she was left devastated when the officer who had allegedly raped her showed up to interview her.
South Yorkshire Police (SYP) confirmed that three former officers have been arrested as part of an investigation into these alleged assaults, while a fourth accused officer has since died.
Another woman said she was raped in a marked police car by an officer who threatened to hand her back to the gang for “multiple rapes” if she refused.
The women allege that corrupt officers either ignored or participated in the grooming between the mid-1990s and early 2000s. The wider scandal involved at least 1,400 girls in Rotherham and continued until at least 2013.
SYP is now investigating its own officers, with oversight from the police watchdog.
Professor Alexis Jay, who led the independent inquiry into grooming gangs, told the BBC she was “shocked” by the allegations. She said there were “many, many legitimate reasons for victims and survivors at the time to feel a total lack of trust in SYP.”
Jay criticized institutions for prioritizing their reputations over protecting children and called for an outside force, such as His Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary, to lead the investigation instead of SYP.
The law firm Switalskis, representing 30 women abused by Rotherham grooming gangs in a civil case against SYP, described the allegations as “beyond belief.” The firm expressed concern that evidence might be suppressed due to loyalty within the police force.
Amy Clowrey from Switalskis said, “There has been no accountability in the town—and without accountability, there will continue to be distrust of South Yorkshire Police.”
None of the former officers arrested since December 2024 have been charged yet. One of the accused, PC Hassan Ali, died in 2015 after being placed on restricted duties due to misconduct allegations linked to the grooming scandal.
A woman who accused Ali told the BBC, “The first time, he literally said: ‘You do it for the other officer. So you’re gonna do it for me.'”
SYP stated that a “dedicated team of detectives” is working on the case, leading to the three arrests.
Assistant Chief Constable Hayley Barnett acknowledged the difficulty for survivors to trust SYP again but assured that the force now treats such cases with “the utmost respect and care.”
For confidential reporting, the Guardian provides secure messaging options in its app or through other methods listed at theguardian.com/tips.“Our investigation remains focused on their well-being, and every decision we make prioritizes their best interests,” she said. The police are also collaborating with the National Crime Agency, whose Operation Stovewood team brings valuable expertise to ensure we thoroughly examine every aspect of this case.
