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Met Police to Reassess 9,000 Child Exploitation Cases in Landmark Review

The force set an April 2026 target for initial assessments following disclosures that inspections flagged missed multi-offender abuse.

Overview

  • The reassessment spans roughly 2010 to 2025 and covers about 9,000 investigations under IICSA definitions, including intra-familial, peer-on-peer and institutional cases.
  • Commissioner Sir Mark Rowley acknowledged a very significant number of multi-offender investigations are being reopened after earlier statements that London had not seen such gangs.
  • Initial assessments are scheduled to conclude by April 2026, with Rowley warning the full process will cost many millions of pounds and take several years.
  • HMICFRS and local council reviews documented serious failings such as victims as young as 11, collapsed trials and delayed safeguarding, which helped trigger the review.
  • The Met cites reforms since 2022, including training for 11,000 frontline officers, expanded child-exploitation teams, a threefold rise in solved CSE cases and 134 additional suspects charged.