Over £1m secured for investigations into West Yorkshire grooming cases

Police in West Yorkshire have been given £1.2m in special grant funding to assist investigations into historic child sexual exploitation cases.
Batley and Spen MP Tracy Brabin has worked alongside police chiefs including Mark Burns-Williamson in securing the funding.Batley and Spen MP Tracy Brabin has worked alongside police chiefs including Mark Burns-Williamson in securing the funding.
Batley and Spen MP Tracy Brabin has worked alongside police chiefs including Mark Burns-Williamson in securing the funding.

The cash has been secured after an effort by Batley and Spen MP Tracy Brabin, who has worked closely with West Yorkshire Police & Crime Commissioner (PCC) Mark Burns-Williamson and West Yorkshire Police to secure the Home Office funding.

It comes after Ms Brabin asked Home Secretary Sajid Javid for a “cast iron guarantee” in the House of Commons that West Yorkshire Police will be given the resources it needs to protect CSE victims and deliver justice for survivors.

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Batley and Spen MP Tracy Brabin said: “It is incredibly important that our over-stretched police force has the resources it needs to seek justice for the brave survivors who have come forward, and to protect those at risk of exploitation.

“We have a responsibility to the survivors to do all we can to ensure they are given the justice they deserve so I am pleased the Home Office has listened to our case and awarded the funding to support these vital investigations.”

Mark Burns-Williamson, the Police & Crime Commissioner (PCC) said: “I am grateful that our work with Tracy Brabin MP has resulted in this money being awarded that will help with the considerable investigation costs into historic CSE cases.

“The success of being awarded these vital funds demonstrates the importance of coming together in partnership to ensure we are helping some of the most vulnerable people in our communities and would like to thank Tracy for raising this in Parliament on our behalf.”

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The £1.2 million in special grant funding has been awarded to assist with exceptional costs in the 2019 – 19 financial year for dealing with historic CSE cases.

Assistant Chief Constable Catherine Hankinson, said: “This funding has meant the Force has been able to invest money to fund additional temporary staff to increase our capability to investigate CSE across West Yorkshire and particularly in the West of the County (in Kirklees, Calderdale and Bradford Districts).”