More Grooming Gangs
Earlier this year Keir Starmer’s Labour government was resolutely resisting calls for a national inquiry into the Pakistani grooming gang scandal and had fallen back into a ‘wait and see’ position on the pending Casey Report. Public pressure and negative media reports eventually forced a reluctant Labour government to shift position, but not before a lacklustre suggestion that a local grooming gang initiative would be sufficient.
Ideologically, the notion of local councils investigating themselves or the idea that Labour-led councils might develop policies that could be deemed ‘racist’ and counter to ‘diversity and inclusion’ was an obvious non-starter.
Greater Manchester Police – “Greater Manchester Police (GMP) investigating grooming cases with more than 700 victims. Inspectors who reviewed Greater Manchester Police said the force was working on child sexual exploitation investigations involving 714 victims and survivors, along with 1,099 suspects.”
This is a surprise step forward by Greater Manchester Police; however it is restricted in scope and will not cover all the regions of the North West. This will not cover investigations into Merseyside, areas of Lancashire outside the GMP area, nor Blackpool and the Fylde coast, nor Cheshire, with the exception of Stockport and certainly not Cumbria.
Cumbria is rarely included in the Pakistani grooming gang/rape gang reports even though Carlisle was included in the GB News list of 50 towns and cities affected, and Barrow-in-Furness has suffered from this poison of imported cultural enrichment. Barrow-in-Furness was of course a focus in a grooming gang trial reported earlier in 2025 in tandem with the conviction of a gang based in West Yorkshire. mostly based in Leeds.
The response of Cumberland Council back in April of this year captures this position in Labour or Liberal-run councils outside the main metropolitan areas.
“Call for grooming gang inquiry rejected by Cumberland Council”
“Members of Cumberland Council met at the Civic Centre in Carlisle on Tuesday (April 28) to consider a motion proposed by members of the Independent group.
“Councillor Stephen Stoddart (Moss Bay and Moorclose, Independent Group) proposed the motion and he was seconded by councillor Robert Betton (Botcherby, Independent Group). Their motion states that over the past 30 years the UK “has witnessed a deeply concerning and widespread scandal involving the systematic abuse of young working-class girls by grooming gangs across the country.
“Councillor Gareth Ellis (Wetheral, Conservative) requested that there should be a recorded vote and there were 31 against the motion, 11 for it and 4 abstentions so the motion fell.”
The response by Cumberland Council was surprising given the fact that Carlisle was listed on the GBNews map of 50 towns and cities of concern, plus the councillors seem to have short memories given this case from Carlisle in November 2024.
‘Grooming gang’ fears of man who abducted girl from Cumbrian care home’
“A MIDDLE-AGED man told a court he abducted a teenage girl from her Cumbrian care home because she was about to travel to Manchester to meet an adult sex grooming gang.”
So Carlisle and Cumbria are not immune from the toxic touch of the grooming/rape gangs, and as can be seen below, Cumbria Police seem to recognise the threat, especially as more and more asylum seekers and illegal immigrants are being housed across the North West, including some being housed in Carlisle.
The Pakistani grooming gangs are prepared to travel long distances to traffic their young White victims, as was demonstrated in the Leeds – Barrow-in-Furness trial and in other grooming gang trials, both regionally and nationally, with Blackpool being a focus for some girls being brought long distances.
Finally, some in authority have started to recognise the scale of the threat, highlighted in this recent news item.
Cumbria Police urge victims of grooming gangs ‘to come forward today’
“Five new inquiries will be assisted by central government with £5 million of funding to tackle the issue. Baroness Louise Casey will also lead a rapid review into the current scale of exploitation.
“Last year three brothers were convicted of dozens of child sex offences committed in Barrow and Leeds between 1996 and 2010.
Shaha Amran Miah, 48, sexually abused three children and was found guilty of 16 sexual offences, two charges of intimidation and one of kidnap.
Shaha Joman Miah, 38, was convicted of 40 child sex offences after sexually abusing three children, whilst Alman Miah, 47, was found guilty of three sexual offence charges against one girl.”
They were sentenced at Preston Crown Court on February 21, 2025, and the details of the Leeds – Barrow-in-Furness gang were reported in an article on this website. You can read the ‘Team Miah’ post here >>
“As part of the plans, the government will encourage police forces to reopen cold cases and urge victims to come forward with historical cases.”
The Home Secretary said she was writing to the National Police Chiefs’ Council to ask all chief constables to look again at previous gang exploitation cases where no further action was taken and to work with the police’s child sexual exploitation task force to pursue new lines of inquiry and reopen investigations where appropriate.
A spokesperson for Cumbria Constabulary said: “Grooming and sexual abuse can occur anywhere – including here in Cumbria. Such offending is taken extremely seriously, with officers working closely with partners to bring offenders to justice and safeguard and support victims.
“Cumbria Police would urge any victims of abuse to come forward today. Victims and survivors will be listened to, supported and offences will be investigated thoroughly, with sensitivity and professionalism.”
So the promises are being made, but as has been seen in other northern counties and regions, the words are not always followed by deeds. The reader of this article will find a long and sorry backlog of articles on the British Movement Northern region website of grooming gang trials and justice denied.
Credits:
Main Image: On the tourist trail – Ambleside town centre. Public domain.
Lower Image: Cumbria Police.
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