Child sex abuse trial: "Verdicts are not a cause for authorities to celebrate"

While sharing the victims’ pleasure in seeing the criminals finally brought to justice after more than 20 years, detectives, police and council officials stressed that there was still work to do to ensure more abusers are punished.

Cllr Read said after the verdicts were read out on Wednesday: “It’s not a celebration but it is some justice finally being done that a lot of people have waited a long time for and that victims and survivors have waited longest of all for.

“The positive from this is that we are seeing justice done. We knew when the Jay Report was published there were really serious failings over a long period of time.

“Now we have got to get those services right. We can’t change the past but we can help secure justice and this is day one of that.

“It's been an emotional rollercoaster, I have choked back the tears more times than I would like to admit. We've waited such a long time for this. 

“The survivors have been to hell and back. They have been through the most awful experiences but it has touched all of us in Rotherham. We've all been on some of that journey with them.”

Cllr Reed said he was working towards changing the “culture” of the council.

He said: "The most important thing to me is to get the culture of the council right. All those things that Louise Casey touched on in her report - people being frightened to come forward, people being disbelieved, staff being intimidated - all those things are the kind of things I can deal with day-to-day.

“I have also got to make sure the service is right and we are preventing people from becoming victims. We've got really strong links with the police now and when people do become victims we need to make sure we have the support in place.”

Ian Thomas, strategic director for children and young people’s services at Rotherham Council, said Wednesday had been an “emotional day” for him.

He said: “Today signals a change. It’s a reflection of how well we are working together as a council, with the police and the voluntary sector.

“I have been in the post for just over a year and today has been a very emotional day but it is a day for the victims and survivors of CSE.

“I think people in Rotherham should be proud of the girls involved today that they have got justice. 

“When I have been speaking to the good people of Rotherham they have told me this is what they wanted.”

Mr Thomas said the trial was “just the beginning” of the work being done to clamp down on CSE in Rotherham and he urged anyone who feels they may be a victim to get in touch.

He said: “My message to anyone who believes they were, are or might be a victim of CSE in the future would be step forward and talk to us. We will listen to you and we won't just listen we will act as well.

“If you feel that you have been abided or exploited in the past or today or may be in the future get in touch. Call 101, 999 in an emergency or our multi-agency safeguarding hub on 01709 336080.

“CSE is still happening in our town today and it has been going on for centuries. We have always had people who exploit children for their own sexual gratification. But it's not just Rotherham. 

“The Prime Minister called it a national problem. It is happening in every hamlet, village, town, city and county and we must  continue to work hard to protect our young people.”