TWO victims resigned from the grooming gangs inquiry yesterday over “concerns about its ability to get to the truth”.
Fiona Goddard, who was groomed while living in a care home in Bradford, said the “treatment of survivors” had prompted her decision.
And Ellie-Ann Reynolds also resigned, saying that the inquiry process had become a “cover up” and that she was being “kept in the dark” by the Home Office.
Potential candidates to chair the inquiry, ex-chief constable Jim Gamble and the chair of the child safeguarding practice review panel Annie Hudson, were due to meet the panel today.
Terms of the statutory investigation are still being discussed four months after the Prime Minister bowed to pressure and set it up.
Ms Goddard said: “I have concerns around certain members of the panel and their affiliations with the Labour government that presents a potential conflict of interest.
“I’m further concerned by the condescending and controlling language used towards survivors throughout this process.”
Ms Reynolds said: “I cannot take part in a process that manipulates survivors, censors our voices, and tries to dilute what happened.”
A Home Office spokesperson said: “The abuse of children by grooming gangs is one of the most horrific crimes imaginable.
“Any suggestion that this inquiry is being watered down is completely wrong – we are committed to delivering a robust, thorough inquiry that will get to the truth and provide the answers that survivors have so long campaigned for.
“We are working urgently to appoint the best chair to take forward this work and deliver justice, putting victims and survivors at the heart of the process.”
The inquiry had stalled over whether to include cases of child sexual exploitation and abuse committed by those other than street-based grooming gangs, sources said.
There have also been rows over suggestions to expand the inquiry to include other types of sexual abuse such as child sexual exploitation, and widen the remit to examine sexual abuse across whole regions, it is understood.
