GROOMING GANG RAN UNCHECKED

Brave rape survivor lifts the lid on harrowing abuse in capital

- BY BEN BORLAND

POLICE and council officials investigated a paedophile ring in Edinburgh which saw Asian men groom and rape teenage girls living in care, often taking them to one house to abuse them.

The grooming operated unchecked for years, claiming dozens of vulnerable young victims despite police and social workers being aware of what was going on as far back as 2004.

Ten survivors later bravely came forward to report the abuse and exploitation and a probe was launched.

But no high-profile trial has taken place mirroring Glasgow, where police carried out three large-scale investigations into ethnic minority grooming gangs at around the same time.

Although a handful of the Glasgow perpetrators were prosecuted individually, the probes did not lead to a major court case in either city.

The harrowing details from Edinburgh can be revealed thanks to the testimony of Holly Alex, who was groomed and raped while in care in the Northfield and St Katharine's children's homes, from 2003 to 2007 when aged 14 to 17.

Now 35, Holly, above, who has waived her anonymity to write a book about her life, said: "Although I don't know their names, I can still remember everything that happened.

"One of the houses was right around the corner from the children's home where I was staying. Myself and the other girls would be taken to a kebab shop and given drink and cigarettes and then taken on to flats and houses, where we would be raped.

"One time I was taken to a house in the Magdalene, a nice house, with lots of taxis and cars outside bringing other young girls there. The guys all knew each other, they picked up girls from different parts of the city.

"We were taken to addresses all over Edinburgh, in The Calders, Fort Kinnaird, Leith. Other times I would be taken out of Edinburgh to places like Livingston.

"I would say there was about 25 girls who were being abused at the same time as me.