MP 'utterly appalled' by child sexual exploitation in county but he 'has no answers'

Ludlow MP Philip Dunne told a television politics programme on Sunday morning that he does "not have any answers" to the "really difficult problem" of CSE but says he was "utterly appalled" by the seemingly continuing issue.

Mr Dunne, who will be stepping down as an MP at the next General Election, told the Politics Midlands programme on BBC One that: "I had no idea it was taking place in plain sight. I am utterly appalled."

Update reports are being given to Telford & Wrekin Council every year. The latest report said that from 2020/21 to 2022/23 some 181 crimes were investigated, with 120 suspects identified. Fifteen suspects were identified in more than one criminal investigation relating to sex offences. To date, four (two per cent) of the suspects have been charged or summonsed.”

The report adds that the reason for charges not being brought was that the victim no longer felt able to proceed in 62 (34 per cent) of cases and 41 cases (23 per cent) were ‘halted’ because of evidential ‘difficulties’.

Mr Dunne said that the council "did not behave well in the first stages" of the investigation that included some 'looked after children."

But he added; "It is shocking and has got to be addressed. I do not have any answers, it is a really difficult problem."

Last week Telford & Wrekin Council said it has taken action over the night-time economy and licensed taxis in response to the Independent Inquiry into Telford Child Sexual Exploitation. It has completed half of the actions (42) which it is solely responsible for (82), with another 13 actions ‘on track’ to be assessed by the independent chair later this month.

The report states that the council’s Children Abused Through Exploitation (CATE) team and ‘CATE pathway’ are a ‘core part’ of the Safeguarding Children Board’s response to child sexual exploitation (CSE) and child exploitation (CE) more widely.

In 2022/23 there were 180 contacts relating to 126 children into Family Connect with indicators of CSE. “Following this process, 29 children or young people were opened to CATE and/or statutory safeguarding services as an open CSE,” the report found.

“An additional three cases were already open to CATE and receiving support; that is, a contact had come in for a child or young person who was already receiving support from CATE or statutory safeguarding services. One case was opened solely to statutory safeguarding.”

Across the 2020/21 to 2022/23 period there were 129 CSE cases open to either CATE and/or statutory safeguarding with 91 of those now closed.

The report added: “West Mercia Police confirmed that all cases were known to their Child Exploitation Team and that 96 per cent made a disclosure of sexual abuse, sexual exploitation and/or sexual assault to the police.

“From this, 181 crimes were investigated with 120 suspects identified. Fifteen suspects were identified in more than one criminal investigation relating to sex offences. To date, four (two per cent) of the suspects have been charged or summonsed.”

The report adds that the reason for charges not being brought was that the victim no longer felt able to proceed in 62 (34 per cent) of cases and 41 cases (23 per cent) were ‘halted’ because of evidential ‘difficulties’.

To improve the outcomes of rape and serious sexual offence investigations, West Mercia Police have recruited seven new detective sergeants.

Of the 181 crimes reported, West Mercia Police said that 35 per cent of these happened at a private property and 20 per cent online.