Police chief's grooming gangs vow

A police chief has promised to go after child rapists and paedophiles “relentlessly” after decades of failures over grooming gangs.

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Greater Manchester Police Chief Constable Sir Stephen Watson also said those who failed victims in the past “should face justice like anyone else”.

Mr Watson was speaking after a press conference in response to a report by police watchdogs which was largely positive about GMP’s turnaround in tackling the gangs.

The report also said the force was now investigating more than 1,000 grooming gang suspects.

Mr Watson said: “To those who are responsible for these repugnant crimes - as is now very apparent - we will pursue you relentlessly.”

The chief constable also said the role ethnicity plays in grooming gang offending is a “legitimate question” and may be explored in a future national inquiry.