The chief constable of South Yorkshire Police has promised to “root out” sexual abusers from the power after assembly a girl who claimed in a Sky News interview she was raped by a police officer as a baby.
Chief Constable Lauren Poultney recommended Leona Whitworth’s bravery for talking out and stated her counter-corruption officers would now work privately with Leona to pursue the case.
Leona waived her anonymity to inform her story and says she’s now assured the police will examine what occurred to her over a decade in the past.
Aged 13, she was preyed on by a girl known as Amanda Spencer, who was later jailed in 2014 for grooming weak youngsters after which promoting them to a gang of kid abusers. One of Leona’s abusers was additionally jailed.
However, Leona stated lately in a Sky News interview, one of many males she was offered to was a police officer who, at a later date, picked her up in his patrol automobile when she’d gone lacking.
She hadn’t reported this on the time, considering she would not be believed.
Read Leona’s story:
“I tried to pretend it wasn’t real… nobody would have believed me”
At a impartial location, Leona spoke to the chief constable after which privately gave particulars to a counter corruption officer.
Afterwards, Leona informed Sky News: “The police constable looks like fairly a pleasant woman, and she or he appears to be pushed. Which is one thing I’ve not seen earlier than – perhaps as a result of she’s a girl.
“For them to actually believe and want to help, that’s weird. It’s new and a little bit overwhelming.”
‘No place in policing’
Chief Constable Lauren Poultney informed Sky News, combating violence towards girls was a neighborhood and nationwide precedence and with sexual predators inside the police power the problem was to “identify the early warning signs and take a more robust approach”.
She added: “I chair the national counter corruption advisory group, and one of our key work streams is sexual misconduct and sexual offending by police officers.
“There is a gaggle that’s dedicated to bringing this into sharp focus throughout the nation to determine these police who’re perpetrating sexual offences whereas cops and making certain that they’re rooted out of policing.
“There is no place in policing for people who commit sexual offences.”
Lost, afraid, scared, alone
Earlier this month, a police inspectorate report discovered senior officers in forces throughout the UK had didn’t deal with predatory officers and wanted to enhance their vetting procedures for these coming into the power
Leona does not wish to revive the reminiscences of her abuse, however says she’s doing it for these youngsters on the market someplace who’re nonetheless struggling.
She stated: “Right now there will be kids that are lost, afraid, scared, alone. They will not see any way out.
“These conditions make you’re feeling like you’re the loneliest individual on the planet – and also you should not. You aren’t by yourself, I promise you.”
Source: information.sky.com”