Lucy Allan MP committed to Telford child sex exploitation review
Telford's MP says she remains committed to a review into child sexual exploitation in the borough as she welcomed a move by the Government to look into the issue.
The Home Secretary will be sending officials to Telford, which Lucy Allan says is a step in the right direction.
It comes after the English Defence League staged a march in Telford, saying it brought members from across the country to the borough after the town was identified by the MP as having the highest rate of child sex offences in the country.
Ms Allan has called for a Rotherham-style inquiry into the handling of crimes, which was also supported by EDL members who attended the march.
She called for the inquiry after Operation Chalice saw seven men jailed for sex offences in the town in 2012 and the issue was then linked to gangs within the Asian community.
Moving forwards, she says she would like to see an independent review into CSE in Telford and a shift towards a more open approach to what happened.
Speaking today, Ms Allan said: "There is a reluctance for a proper independent review into what went on.
"Victims do not feel as though their voices have been heard.
"Only by holding our own independent review can we hope to fully learn the lessons.
"The Home Secretary is sending officials to Telford which I welcome as a step in the right direction.
"By facing up to CSE, talking about it and breaking down the taboo we can offer the support needed by existing victims and prevent more young people becoming victims."
She also praised police who watched over Saturday's march outside Malinsgate Police Station, which as accompanied by a counter-march at the Arena in Telford Town Park, organised by the Shropshire and Telford Trades Union Council, who said they wanted to show unity among people in Telford.
They described the EDL's march as a "cynical exploitation of a serious issue".
In total, three arrests were made following the protests, a man in his 20s was arrested for breach of the peace and being drunk and disorderly; a man in his 40s was arrested for breach of the peace and another man in his 20s was arrested for failing to comply with a dispersal order.
Ms Allan said: "West Mercia Police did an excellent job on Saturday policing the EDL march and I thank them.
"Policing these sorts of events is never easy but West Mercia Police rose to the challenge and kept disruption to a minimum."
