Casey Urges Calm Over Ethnicity of Grooming Gang Offenders After Release of Report

The public must "keep calm" over allegations that there is a disproportionate number of Asian grooming gang suspects, the author of a high-profile report has urged.

- Rajeev Syal

Louise Casey said limited data from Greater Manchester police showed a majority of offenders and suspects involved in grooming gangs were Asian. But examination of statistics showing the totality of child abuse offences, not just those perpetrated by gangs, closely reflected the local population, she said.

Her comments came as Kemi Badenoch, the Conservative leader, defended herself against claims of trying to politicise the scandal of the organised rape of girls by men across dozens of towns over at least 25 years.

Lady Casey's report on Monday found evidence of "over-representation" of Asian and Pakistani heritage men among suspects of "group sexual exploitation" of children, according to data from three police forces.

GMP's figures showed 52% of suspects involved in multi-victim and multi-offender cases of child sexual exploitation over a three-year period were Asian, compared with 38% who were white, according to the report.