Rochdale grooming gang victim who fell pregnant makes urgent demand to top cop
A brave survivor of the horrific Rochdale grooming gangs scandal today calls for former police chief Sir Peter Fahy to be stripped of his knighthood.
Pearl Butterworth, who has waived her right to anonymity to tell her story for the first time, hit out after a damning report found hundreds of schoolgirls suffered life-changing abuse under the top cop’s watch, when he was in charge of Greater Manchester Police between 2008 and 2015.
Mum-of-four Pearl, 54, was abused even earlier, in the 1980s, and fell pregnant with her abuser’s baby when she was just 15 years old. She says Sir Peter must be punished for failing to act. Pearl said: “Sir Peter’s knighthood should be returned immediately."
Sir Peter Fahy when he was GMP chief (PA)
Maggie Oliver, who was credited with successfully bringing to justice the Pakistani grooming gangs (Julian Hamilton/Daily Mirror)"He received the award for services to policing, but he failed to protect hundreds of children whose lives were ruined as a result. It’s a disgrace.” Her call is backed by campaigner and Rochdale whistleblower Maggie Oliver.
The former GMP Detective Constable said she raised the alarm when she worked with him in the early 2000s, adding: “I warned Sir Peter Fahy in writing about the scale of the problem. “I told him we were neglecting these children... but I was fobbed off. He has always just provided empty words. He needs to be held accountable.”
Greggs, Costa & Pret coffees have 'huge differences in caffeine', says report
Pearl was among dozens of girls preyed on by paedophile gangs in Rochdale. Some were just 12 when they were plied with alcohol, cash and food in return for sex. But their abusers enjoyed free rein due to failures by the police and council officials.
Victim Pearl had her abuser’s baby when she was a teenagerPearl was 14 and living in a children’s home when she was targeted by predators. But she said her cries for help were ignored by staff.
She said: “They knew I was sexually active at 14 as I was coming back at 2am covered in love bites. But it was allowed to continue, no questions asked. I even told staff a man wanted to take naked photos of me. But nothing happened. I just wanted it to stop and the authorities could have done something – but they chose not to. Nobody would listen. If I had been listened to 40 years ago, hundreds of kids would have been spared this nightmare.”
The report, led by protection specialist Malcolm Newsam, found “compelling evidence” of widespread, organised sexual abuse of children.
Pearl wants Sir Peter Fahy stripped of his knighthood (Andy Stenning/Daily Mirror)It said police and children’s social care managers were aware of abuse between 2004 and 2013 in Rochdale but failed to give it sufficient priority. Pearl, who now lives in nearby Ramsbottom, found the courage to approach police in 2016 but says the experience left her broken.
She said: “They were horrible and made me feel as though I was lying and inventing it for the money.” In 2010 GMP launched Operation Span to investigate the abuse claims and, so far, 42 men have been convicted for molesting 13 children.
But the report, out earlier this week, found there are still 96 men, judged a potential risk to youngsters, still at large. Pearl took Rochdale Council to court in 2020 for failing to protect her – but strict rules on reporting historic abuse meant she was 30 years too late. The judge said the length of time that had passed made it difficult to ensure recollections were accurate.
She is now battling to rebuild her life, but admitted: “I find it very difficult to love, I can’t trust people and have never been able to hold down a job because of the flashbacks
“I’ve self-harmed and abused drugs and alcohol as an escape.” Despite assurances from the force that abuse cases are handled differently now, Pearl said: “I wouldn’t trust GMP as far as I could throw them.
“I think it’s happening even more now. Rochdale has always been a hotspot so why would it just stop? But I want people to know they can speak up. And they won’t be alone.” Rochdale Council leader Neil Emmott said it is deeply sorry staff had not recognised the “very serious failures” that affected children’s lives.
'I tricked my sister into giving her baby a stupid name - she had it coming'
GMP chief constable Stephen Watson said: “It remains a matter of profound regret victims were failed.”
Read more similar news:
Comments:
comments powered by Disqus
