Update on independent investigations into police handling of non-recent reports of child sexual exploitation in Rotherham

The Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) continues to progress investigations into South Yorkshire Police’s (SYP) past handling of non-recent reports of child sexual abuse and exploitation (CSAE) in Rotherham.

Operation Netton, our operation looking into the matter, has more than doubled to 24 investigations since we first began investigating in August 2025.

We began the independent investigations following complaint referrals from the force between July and September 2025. The complaints were submitted by a solicitors' firm on behalf of victim-survivors and contain reports SYP failed to take action to protect them from abuse when they were children and failed to investigate the abuse sufficiently.

We have a dedicated team of over a dozen investigators and support staff in place who are reviewing the available evidence that in some cases dates back to the 1980s.

The increase in the number of investigations is due to new referrals being received from the force and the solicitor’s firm.

The recorded complaints centre around survivors being abused by members of the public who may have been known by the police and that SYP failed to carry out sufficient investigative actions and adequately safeguard survivors or act upon information that was provided.

IOPC Director of Engagement Emily Barry said: “Victim-survivors are always at the centre of our investigations and it’s extremely important that they have trust and confidence in the investigation”.

“Every complaint put to us is treated sensitively and the welfare of victim-survivors is always paramount. We would like to thank the victim-survivors and everyone affected by our investigations for their patience and co-operation while we continue with this very important work.

“We have informed all parties of our decision to independently investigate these matters and we will ensure complainants are kept informed as the investigations progress. We are determined that every investigation is carried out thoroughly and that every available line of enquiry is looked at in detail.”

The independent investigations are separate to the IOPC’s directed investigation into non-recent child sex abuse complaints from survivors against former South Yorkshire Police (SYP) officers which is being carried out by the National Crime Agency (NCA), under our direction and control.