Founder of anti-grooming group calls for childrens' services review

The founder of a Rochdale anti-grooming group has called for a review into Rochdale Borough Council’s childrens' services after four teenagers were imprisoned following a crime rampage – despite raising concerns about the teens months ago.

The youths – who cannot be legally named – a 17-year-old girl, a 16-year-old boy, a 15-year-old boy and a 14-year-old girl, all pleaded guilty to conspiracy to rob after appearing at Minshull St Crown Court on 3 October.

https://www.rochdaleonline.co.uk/news-features/2/news-headlines/122667/teenagers-who-went-on-violent-crime-spree-across-rochdale-sentenced

William Howarth, who founded Parents Against Grooming UK (PAG UK) four years ago, says he first raised concerns about the youths with both Greater Manchester Police and Rochdale Borough Council back in May, after repeatedly witnessing disruption on the group’s ‘parent patrols.’

He said: “As a team, we do not get involved with these groups, but we do monitor their behaviour and safeguard from a distance. It was operating in this vein that we spotted something that alarmed us to the behaviour of a 17-year-old girl over and over again.

“This concerned our team for many reasons, mainly her safety and wellbeing. We were also worried about the children who were hanging around with her. We expressed our concerns to GMP and Rochdale’s children’s services, who replied with a robust ‘we are onto it’ sentiment.

“Now we read that these teenagers have been sentenced.”

Mr Howarth continued: “This failure by both GMP and Rochdale’s children’s services is there for all to see: they could and should have prevented this from happening had they acted swiftly.

“As a result, an elderly gentleman is now scarred, both physically and emotionally and three children are saddled with a criminal record for the rest of their lives.

“We assume when the word grooming is used that it refers to only sexual activities. This however, is not the case as anyone can be groomed: groomed to sell drugs, groomed to steal, groomed to do many things.

“I believe Rochdale children’s services needs to hold a review on the way this was handled as concerns about this group were raised well before the crime spree.”

The 17-year-old girl received three years in custody, the 16-year-old boy was sentenced to the same, while the 15-year-old boy was handed two years and eight months in custody.

The 14-year-old girl was given an 18-month rehabilitation order.

The foursome began their 10-hour spate on Wednesday 2 May 2018 on Claremont Road in Rochdale.

https://www.rochdaleonline.co.uk/news-features/2/news-headlines/118537/five-arrests-made-after-teenagers-hit-elderly-man-with-a-brick

Chief Inspector Nick Hill, from GMP’s Rochdale borough, said: “Over the past 18 months we have been working solidly to try and prevent anti-social behaviour in Rochdale. This includes schemes with Metrolink, youth services, sports clubs and more to try and engage young people and prevent them from committing crimes or further offences.

“In this case we did all we could within our powers and for a period of time we felt like we were reaching them and making progress. Sadly, despite all our efforts, a small number became disengaged and began being disruptive and abusive in the community again.

“I understand that people can feel like their reports to police go unnoticed, but I want to stress that this in fact not the case. All reports help to build a case for appropriate action or are used in court as evidence of repeat offending.

“When working with children, we aim to do everything possible to try and prevent them from going into the criminal justice system. However, in this instance, there was no other alternative because we exhausted all other avenues and I think the custodial sentences handed down to them reflect all of this.”

A spokesperson for Rochdale Council said: “People can be reassured that we work with many members of the community in addressing concerns and we are proactive in trying to get them engaged with our services.

“Whilst we are not able to share confidential information about those we work with, we want to assure the public that the references made on social media that suggests the council and partner agencies did not respond to concerns are wholly inaccurate and not based on any real understanding of the situation.”