Two young women who claim to have been repeatedly raped as part of an organised child sexual abuse ring have complained to Humberside Police after being told officers from their investigation have been diverted to deal with cases from the summer riots.
‘Anna’ and ‘Sarah’ – not their real names – were teenagers when Sky News first interviewed them in the summer of 2021.
Now young women they are still waiting for justice and say sometimes, when in town, they still see the men who abused them as children.
The investigation into their allegations was originally wound down in 2021 but was reopened after a Sky News investigation revealed evidence the police seemed to have overlooked.
After submitting the investigation to be reviewed by an independent body, Humberside Police promised to put fresh eyes on the case.
Victims ‘Sarah’ and ‘Anna’ are still waiting for justice two years after police reopened their case
That was two years ago, but in a meeting last month Anna and Sarah were told that officers were only just starting.
“They said they’ve just finished reading through all the evidence from the previous investigation and now they are starting at the beginning, which I think two years is a long time for it to be only at the beginning of the investigation,” Sarah says.
Anna adds: “I was really angry because it made us think ‘how long is it going to go on for?’ This all started in 2016/2017, so it’s been going on long enough already.”
Adding to their frustration is that they’ve been told some officers have been taken off their case to deal with the riots as well as the investigation into a funeral parlour in Hull over the treatment of bodies.
“It’s frustrating because obviously it is serious what they’re looking into, but I do believe that men going around raping and abusing young girls is more important than the riots,” Anna says.
“Why are they so concerned that a couple of people have set a bin on fire in the middle of the town centre, but young girls are out there being raped and forced to do things that they should never, ever have to do,” adds Sarah.
‘Sarah’ and ‘Anna’ often still see the men who abused them as children
“It’s not like it ends with us. It carries on with all the other people after us, after we left the grooming gangs. It’s still going on with the next generation of young girls that they’ll find and it’s never going to stop.”
In a letter to the interim chief constable of Humberside Police, Judi Heaton, the two women say they feel like their case “is neither a priority nor being taken very seriously”.
They add: “It was reopened two years ago after the initial investigation was found to be inadequate. We therefore assumed this error would be rectified with a full and thorough investigation second time around. This hasn’t happened.”
Sarah says she sometimes still sees the men who abused her, one of them very recently.
“He was so close to me, and I felt so sick I that he’d been anywhere near me. It’s a horrible, horrible feeling that comes over you.
“I can see them sometimes in my local Tesco. I can be doing a food shop, and I’ll see them, and they just ruined your day because all day you think is – ‘they’ve seen me’. So are they going to tell their friends that they’ve seen me and is there going to be someone waiting outside for me – all these emotions and thoughts run through your head.”
Anna says one of her abusers has since been convicted of raping a teenager.
She says: “He’s been put in prison for that now. If they’d have listened when I first reported it, then that probably wouldn’t have happened.”
Humberside police told Sky News that this is a complex investigation with victims at the heart of it
Humberside police told Sky News that this is a complex investigation with victims at the heart of it, and some aspects of the investigation are “well advanced”.
Deputy Chief Constable Dave Marshall said: “Child sexual abuse and exploitation is a deplorable and condemnable crime.
“I can offer my utmost assurance that regardless of any other investigation or incident which occurs, Operation Conference remains a priority for Humberside Police.
“We are determined to thoroughly examine every piece of information and evidence available, to ensure we are in a position where we can hold those responsible to account.
“Over the last two years, an untold amount of work has taken place. We are unable to share specific details in order to protect the integrity of the investigation and to not jeopardise any future criminal or judicial proceedings.
Some officers have been taken off the case to deal others including the summer riots
“There is still a way to go, but we are determined that we do the right thing by our victims and seek the justice they deserve, they are survivors of truly horrific experiences. We will continue to do all we can to support and help them in any way we can.”
The government also says combating violence against women and girls is a priority, but for Anna and Sarah – it doesn’t feel like it.
Sarah says they both need to see an end point.
“It’s been nearly six years, and we’ve stopped and started and stopped and started. We are trying to move on with our lives – trying to better ourselves and this is just holding us back.
“We want to be able to live our lives and be able to walk down the street without looking over our shoulders, thinking somebody is going to hurt us.”