Hundreds of previously closed child sex abuse cases being reviewed in major police operation

Operation Beaconport will review cases where police forces across England and Wales and the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) made the decision to take no further action against suspects between January 1, 2010, and March 31, 2025. It will run alongside the national public inquiry, announced by the Government earlier this year.

The national policing operation, delivered in partnership with the Child Sexual Exploitation (CSE) Taskforce, including the Tackling Organised Exploitation Programme and police forces, has already identified investigations that were incorrectly closed with no further action taken.

These range from cases where lines of inquiry were not followed up, to occasions where victim and survivor accounts were not being sought or recorded when crimes were reported.

Operation Beaconport will review cases to assess whether they can be reinvestigated and to identify learning, which will be shared with all police forces and will support the national public inquiry into grooming gangs.

So far, 1,273 cases relating to allegations of group-based child sexual abuse and exploitation, identified by 23 police forces, have been referred to the investigation team. Of these, 236 relate to allegations of rape, which Operation Beaconport is reviewing as a priority.

For each case, a specialist panel of officers from Operation Beaconport will identify actions that should be taken to thoroughly reinvestigate any cases as required. Most reinvestigations will be carried out by local force police investigation teams under the close supervision of Operation Beaconport officers, while some more complex cases may be investigated by the NCA.

In support of Operation Beaconport, the NCA Director General has today (November 5) taken the “significant step” of issuing a Crime and Courts Act (CCA) tasking to all police forces in England and Wales.

This is designed to ensure a coordinated law enforcement approach, with the NCA setting a consistent and specific set of standards for forces to follow.

Clear guidelines on the type of data to be submitted will be set, and any reviews by forces will be conducted to an agreed national standard, drawn from the NCA and policing best practice.

The NCA said the operation will ensure all investigations into child sexual exploitation are intelligence-led, with victim and survivors having the right to choose if they want their case re-investigating.

The review of ‘no further action’ cases is the first of three pieces of activity to be undertaken by the Operation Beaconport team. Officers will also develop a new national operating model for how group-based child sexual exploitation and abuse are investigated, using serious and organised crime methodologies.

Building on published advice and learning from across policing, the operation will develop an increased understanding of child sexual abuse as serious and organised crime, particularly offender networks and profiling, to understand the evidence gap around ethnicity data, as well as gender-based violence norms that are driving group-based child sexual exploitation to assist future investigations.

Better data sharing between multi-agency teams and more coordinated efforts to track and disrupt offenders will also be developed to help law enforcement tackle these crimes more effectively and deliver better outcomes for victims and survivors.

NCA Director General Graeme Biggar said: “Baroness Casey’s audit of group-based child sexual abuse and exploitation demanded law enforcement’s collective attention and a focused, UK-wide investigation which places victims and survivors at its very heart.

“Operation Beaconport is harnessing the experience of specially trained officers from the NCA and wider policing. It’s applying the tried and tested approach of Operation Stovewood and wider best practise to ensure victim and survivors’ experiences are validated, that their allegations are investigated thoroughly and that perpetrators face justice.

“It will set out a blueprint for future group-based child sexual abuse and exploitation investigations to ensure that police forces utilise every appropriate tactic and tool available to prevent child sexual abuse, to identify and arrest perpetrators and to swiftly safeguard victims and survivors.

“I have issued a CCA tasking for policing to continue to support higher quality investigations, criminal justice outcomes, improved victim and survivor experiences, and access to actionable intelligence to support this work.

“Operation Beaconport will ensure we right the wrongs of the past and victim and survivors’ voices are heard. We must ensure that the horrors outlined in Baroness Casey’s report can never happen again.”

Chief Constable Becky Riggs, National Police Chiefs’ Council (NPCC) lead for Child Protection and Abuse Investigation, said: “The National Audit on Group-Based Child Sexual Exploitation and Abuse, led by Baroness Casey, set out several key recommendations with significant implications for policing. In the months since its publication, the CSE Taskforce has been working closely with the Home Office, the NCA, and the NPCC to ensure our response is robust, thoughtful, and shaped by the voices of victims and survivors at the heart of every decision.

“Operation Beaconport marks a vital step forward in our journey towards meaningful cultural change, greater accountability, and a truly victim-centred, trauma-informed approach across law enforcement and agencies responsible for child protection.

“In October, I welcomed the findings of the His Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary and Fire and Rescue Services inspection into child sexual exploitation and group-based offending, and it’s clear, evidence-based recommendations aimed at strengthening our collective response to group-based child sexual exploitation.

“It is encouraging to see the progress made since the last inspection, particularly in how forces are improving training, and taking steps to eradicate victim-blaming language. These developments reflect an enduring commitment across policing to protect vulnerable children and young people. I said at the time that the work does not stop, and Operation Beaconport is just one example of the progress policing has made towards building on the foundations already laid to further strengthen our approach to tackling group-based offending.

“The NPCC remains committed to working in partnership with law enforcement agencies and third sector organisations to embed improvements, share learning, and ensure that all forces are equipped to respond effectively. In the coming weeks, we will continue to develop this work and look forward to sharing further updates as they become available.”

The NCA said it recognised that revisiting previously closed investigations may be distressing for victims and survivors and could result in “difficult emotions”.

It added: “The operation is being delivered with care, compassion and a commitment to putting their needs and voices at its heart.

“In close consultation with victim and survivor advocacy groups, Operation Beaconport is developing a tailored contact process, guided by specialist advice and national best practice. A trauma-informed approach is embedded throughout the operation, with working groups established to ensure transparency, regular updates and victim and survivor-led input.”

The NCA stressed that the operation’s mission is to support victims and survivors in accessing justice, recognising that justice means different things to different people.

“For some, this may not involve revisiting past abuse,” the NCA said. “Every individual whose case is assessed as suitable for reinvestigation will be given the opportunity to choose whether they wish to proceed. Specialist officers will be available to offer support and guidance before any decisions are made.

“At this early stage, Operation Beaconport is not asking anyone to come forward, and officers will not be contacting victims and survivors until all relevant information has been carefully reviewed, to ensure we do not risk causing unnecessary distress.

“Operation Beaconport is committed to ensuring that victims and survivors are treated with dignity, compassion and respect. We recognise the importance of giving victims and survivors a voice and a choice, and access support throughout this process.”

If a victim and survivor chooses not to have their case reopened, the NCA said their wishes will be “fully respected”.

In such instances, their allegations will not be reinvestigated. However, officers will carry out a safeguarding assessment to determine whether the individual accused poses a risk to others, including whether there is evidence of harm to additional individuals.

“Where there is credible evidence of offending, steps will be taken to protect communities and working closely with the CPS, investigators will pursue prosecution in the interest of public safety,” the NCA said.

“Where cases are not in scope for reinvestigation, officers will provide victims and survivors who contact Operation Beaconport with an explanation of why.”