Rochdale Abuse Victims To Sue Police
Two victims of abuse are taking legal action against Greater Manchester Police after the force failed to properly investigate child sexual exploitation in Rochdale.
A lawyer representing the pair told Sky News proceedings had been initiated.
It comes as a report by the force's Professional Standards Branch said officers failed to recognise the extent and gravity of crimes being committed.
Despite the damning findings, no officers will be formally disciplined for their part in the failures.
In total, the conduct of 13 officers was examined. Of those, seven officers were formally investigated.
The force concluded that only one, an inspector, had a case to answer for misconduct.
The officer retired last year before the findings of the long-awaited report were made public, and hence no action was taken against him.
Rochdale MP Simon Danczuk told Sky News: "Whilst there were lots of failures there hasn't been any action taken against those responsible for those failures.
"This report shows that Greater Manchester Police are good at protecting the careers and pensions of senior officers but they aren't any good at protecting vulnerable young girls across Rochdale."
The report looked at the conduct of officers when victims first told police about the abuse in 2008.
It found that appropriate resources were not given to looking into the claims.
There were not enough officers and there was a lack of specialist training and experience among those tasked with carrying out the investigation.
When the CPS dropped the case due to concerns about the credibility of a witness, the police did not challenge the decision.
One victim recalls how she and other girls were made to feel by officers.
"I got called a prostitute by a uniformed copper," she told Sky News.
"It's like they were calling everyone liars because when you went and told them about something then they weren't listening to you."
It wasn't until 2010, when more resources were put into investigating child sexual exploitation in Rochdale, that the earlier reports from victims were reinvestigated.
Further girls came forward and in 2012 nine men who ran a child exploitation ring were jailed for offences including rape and conspiracy to engage in sexual activity with a child.
Their trial heard in detail how they preyed on vulnerable girls and plied them with drugs and alcohol before passing them around for sex.
The report recommends that in future Greater Manchester Police needs to "focus more professionally on investigating the crime rather than investigating the victim".
It added that "there has been too great an emphasis on examining the credibility of the victim".
Assistant Chief Constable Dawn Copley said: "I want to start by saying we openly acknowledge that mistakes were made and victims were let down.
"For our part in that we apologise to the victims and we give them our assurance that lessons have been learned, changes have been made and we are determined to use this to continue making improvements.
"This matter was referred to the IPCC in December 2010. They decided to supervise the investigation which was then conducted by our Professional Standards Branch.
"It is clear that mistakes were made in this investigation. We have, and continue to make significant improvements because of the lessons we have learned.
"We urge victims to come forward knowing that we will take them seriously and thoroughly investigate what has happened to them. People who abuse children will be traced and brought to justice."
