A series of claims have been shared about a 2008 communication sent by the Home Office to police across the country. One social media post claimed the Home Office guidance said about victims of “rape gangs”: “We believe they have made an informed choice about their sexual behaviour and therefore it is not for your police officers to get involved.”

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This quote does not appear in the 2008 Home Office guidance. The document, which does not deal directly with grooming gangs, instead guides police officers on how to use their powers under the Children Act 1989. The quote comes from a 2018 interview with a former senior prosecutor – not Sir Keir – who was discussing the Home Office guidance. That prosecutor has since said this was the incorrect way to interpret the guidance.

Reviewed by PA Media ↗ · January 7, 2025