The Metropolitan Police is preparing to reinvestigate approximately 4,000 historical cases of group-based sexual abuse in London, following a significant audit of incidents dating back to 2010. This potential expansion of policing efforts comes amid ongoing scrutiny of statements made by London Mayor Sadiq Khan regarding the prevalence of grooming gangs in the capital.
Scotland Yard's audit reviewed over 12,000 alleged incidents reported to the force. The review found that a third of these cases, totaling more than 4,000, may need to be reopened. This development follows a period of criticism directed at Mayor Khan, who has previously stated there was "no indication" grooming gangs were operating in London. Critics have accused him of downplaying the issue, with a video clip from January 2025 showing him repeatedly questioning the definition of "rape gangs" when asked by Conservative assembly member Susan Hall.
Baroness Casey's review in June last year offered a scathing assessment of the justice system's response to grooming gangs, concluding that victims had been let down for decades. Her report highlighted that these gangs were more widespread and organized than previously acknowledged, and noted that some official bodies had avoided examining "ethnicity or cultural factors" for fear of appearing racist. These findings spurred Prime Minister Keir Starmer to commission a national inquiry, with Baroness Anne Longfield appointed as its chair.
The National Crime Agency (NCA) established Operation Beaconport to identify criminal cases that may have been prematurely closed. Police forces nationwide were asked to re-examine reports involving multiple alleged perpetrators of sexual abuse. The Met's initial audit identified around 12,000 reports, with the more detailed review focusing on over 4,000 instances where the Crown Prosecution Service or police decided not to pursue further action.
Metropolitan Police Commissioner Sir Mark Rowley has indicated that additional resources and officers will be necessary to manage the caseload. While grooming gang perpetrators in other parts of the country have often been predominantly Pakistani Muslim men, the issue in London is described as more complex. The identified cases include a mix of intrafamilial abuse, online exploitation, and in-person assaults, involving perpetrators and victims from a wide range of ethnic backgrounds.
A BBC investigation in February reported on ongoing exploitation in London, where women and girls as young as 14 are allegedly being subjected to rape and forced sex work by organized groups. These groups reportedly groom young individuals into criminal activities such as weapon trading, phone theft, and drug dealing. Some victims are reportedly raped to settle drug debts accumulated by the gangs controlling them.
A spokesperson for Mayor Sadiq Khan stated that the mayor "welcomed" the reinvestigation of cases and was clear that "no stone must be left unturned." The statement emphasized that victims had been let down by authorities and highlighted the mayor's investments in specialist services for survivors of child sexual exploitation. A 2023 inspection of the Met's child protection work found that the force "isn't doing enough" to protect children.
The Metropolitan Police's Assistant Commissioner Kevin Southworth affirmed the force's commitment to cooperating with the national inquiry and the NCA's review, urging anyone with information to come forward. The issue of industrial-scale sexual exploitation has been a challenging topic nationally for the Labour Party, with initial resistance to a national inquiry later reversed.
The national inquiry, set to conclude by March 2029, will examine how grooming gangs operated and how institutions responded to abuse. It will also investigate why children were often disbelieved or blamed for their own abuse, and whether the ethnicity, culture, or religion of perpetrators or victims influenced offending patterns or institutional responses. Solicitors representing victims have expressed concerns about the inquiry's scope, particularly regarding the potential for bias in the selection of examined locations.