CSE investigation detective praises father’s battle for justice

Det Chief Insp Martin Tate said the father of central complainant Amy (not her real name) was “very vocal” and said he had “assisted hugely” by keeping many documents about his daughter’s case.

Mr Tate said the investigation started in 2013 after being prompted by Andrew Norfolk’s article in The Times a year earlier and had evolved into a massive operation which scoured tens of thousands of documents and involved multiple agencies.

He said: “The victims have waited a long time for closure and in many respects will never get closure, but I hope this verdict will start them on that next stage of life.”

The senior officer said he could not comment on the police failures heard about in the trial, like losing evidence, because they were being investigated by the IPCC.

He added: “We have a very different way of approaching sexual abuse now and we have systems in place that would ensure the same mistakes would not happen again.”

Asked why Masoued Malik was not charged in 2003 after admitting to police he had had sex with a 14-year-old girl when he was 19, Mr Tate said: “I can’t explain that.

“But we picked it up again in 2013 and looked at it with a fresh pair of eyes.”

He added the force accepted its past approach to child abuse was “inadequate” but had evolved over the past two years.

Rotherham Borough Council leader Cllr Chris Read said the convictions had been a “long time coming”.

He added: “My thoughts are with the survivors and families — they have been to hell and back and I can’t comprehend what it’s been like for them.”

The leader said it made him angry to hear about the defendants running amok in Rotherham 13 years ago while threatening and abusing young girls.

“In some ways it’s bewildering to think of these men, who we saw today slumped, small, defeated, and on their way finally to seeing justice, that they were allowed to have such power in people’s lives and carry out horrific actions in Rotherham – it’s deeply upsetting.

“I wish we could go back and change it but all we can do now is focus on all the things we can to put things right.”

Cllr Read said the central complainant and her family having been forced to flee their hometown of Rotherham to escape the defendants clutches was “unspeakable” but praised her for returning to work with fellow abuse survivors, calling her an “inspiration” and a “remarkable and incredible individual”.

He added: “I am always blown away by her and her family as well.”