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First grooming gang case sent back to the courts by CCRC following Casey Report

Published:

The convictions of a young teenage girl, ‘Ms AB,’ have been sent back to the courts by the Criminal Cases Review Commission (CCRC), the first such referral since the publication of Baroness Louise Casey’s report on institutional failures to protect children from grooming gangs. 

The Casey Report, the National Audit on Group-Based Child Sexual Exploitation and Abuse, was published in June last year [2025]. 

CCRC Chair Dame Vera Baird KC said: “Baroness Casey’s report called for urgent action to address systemic failures around child sexual exploitation and abuse.   

“The CCRC is actively investigating cases where victims of child sexual exploitation and abuse (CSEA) were treated as offenders instead of being protected as victims. 

“We are conscious that there will be many other victims who were in a similar position and would assure them that we will investigate their cases too. They only need to apply; I know it will be distressing to revisit a dreadful time in their lives, but we might be able to help to tackle convictions like these.  

“People can also approach us through a charity or an organisation which provides support for victims of crime.”  

The CCRC has decided there is clear evidence that Ms AB was a victim of grooming and exploitation and there was a failure by the authorities to protect her.  

Ms AB was convicted in Magistrates’ Court in December 2002, aged 14, of being carried in a stolen motor vehicle, driving with no insurance, and possession of an imitation firearm with intent to cause fear of unlawful violence and assault. 

She was sentenced to a three-month referral order, her licence was endorsed, and she was given a 12-month supervision order. 

At the time of her convictions, she was said to be “in a relationship” with a man she had met when she was 11 years old.  

During an interview with the CCRC, after her application was received in January 2024, she explained the man would bring food to her house, flatter her and make her feel special.  

Within months, the interactions with the man became sexual, and she was encouraged to have sex with his friends. She explained that he would use violence and emotional blackmail to get her to comply. At the time of her offences, she was living in a children’s home. 

Ms AB pleaded guilty to the offences at the time and so had no ordinary right to appeal.  

The CCRC has decided there is a real possibility the convictions would not be upheld on appeal to the Crown Court, as the failure to protect Ms AB and the failure to investigate left her unable to effectively participate in the proceedings and consider any defences open to her. It can be argued her prosecution was an abuse of process as it was not possible for her to receive a fair trial. 

Dame Vera said: “It is clear the victim in this case had a poor early life and was failed at every turn by multiple authorities, who should have been supporting and protecting her.   

“There is a strong argument that she was a victim of trafficking, was sexually abused and that the police and social services failed to protect her from group-based child sexual exploitation and abuse and didn’t take steps to investigate or prevent it. Ms AB seems to have been viewed as an adult, rather than as a child.” 

Anyone with a criminal conviction they believe is linked to their exploitation by a grooming gang can find more information on applying at https://ccrc.gov.uk/can-i-apply/. 

[ENDS] 

Notes to Editors:  

  1. The CCRC is an independent body set up under the Criminal Appeal Act 1995. It is responsible for independently reviewing suspected and alleged miscarriages of criminal justice in England, Wales and Northern Ireland. It is based in Birmingham and is funded by the Ministry of Justice.     
  1. There are currently 16 Commissioners who bring to the CCRC considerable experience from a wide variety of backgrounds. Commissioners are appointed by the monarch on the recommendation of the Prime Minister in accordance with the Office for the Commissioner for Public Appointments’ Code of Practice.   
  1. The CCRC usually receives around 1,600 applications for reviews (convictions and/or sentences) each year. Since starting work in 1997, the CCRC has referred around 3% of applications to the appeal courts.     
  1. The CCRC considers whether, as a result of new evidence or argument, there is a real possibility that the conviction would not be upheld were a reference to be made. New evidence or argument is argument or evidence which has not been raised during the trial or on appeal.  Applicants should usually have appealed first. A case can be referred in the absence of new evidence or argument or an earlier appeal only if there are “exceptional circumstances”.     
  1. If a conviction is referred to the Crown Court it is for the Court to decide whether to uphold the conviction. 
  1. More details about the role and work of the Criminal Cases Review Commission can be found at www.ccrc.gov.uk. The CCRC can be found on X, Facebook, Instagram (@the_ccrc) and Linkedin.