'I burst into tears when I heard about grooming gang inquiry - this was the goal'

The mother of an alleged victim of a grooming gang says she burst into tears as a public inquiry into the sexual abuse and exploitation was announced.

Taylor, which is not her real name, said she was 13 and in care when she was targeted by a “Pakistani grooming gang” operating from flats in Govanhill and Rutherglen.

The woman, who is now in her 20s, said she and her friends were sexually abused and exploited by at least ten men, who had plied the children with alcohol and drugs.

Her files revealed police and staff knew she was at heightened risk of sexual exploitation, but they failed to act.

She said it is “clear” such abuse is still ongoing, and had called for the Scottish Government to launch a national inquiry.

On Wednesday, education secretary Jenny Gilruth announced that an inquiry would be launched focusing on the prevalence of group-based child sexual abuse and exploitation now and in the recent past, whether brought forward by survivors or relating to findings from an ongoing independent review.

It will be chaired by Professor Alexis Jay, the independent expert that justice secretary Angela Constance was accused of misrepresenting in a row last year.

Gilruth said Prof Jay has “unrivalled experience” of chairing inquiries into child sexual abuse and exploitation, as well as a “vast experience” of child protection issues in more than 30 years of professional experience in social work.

As well as the public inquiry, the Scottish Government also plans to establish a “Truth Project” to allow victims and survivors of childhood sexual abuse and exploitation to tell their stories.

A review to understand the scale of the abuse was announced in December involving several public bodies, including the care and schools watchdogs.

Police Scotland is working to identify any child grooming gangs reported to the force since 2013 as part of a national audit.

‘We need to protect other children’

Speaking to STV News, Taylor’s mum said: “I burst into tears. I was so overcome with emotion when it was announced. I think it is positive.

“There are obviously still things we need to find out about and the scope of the inquiry, but I have confidence, and I’m sure that will come quickly.

“This was always the end goal to prevent this from happening to other children.”

Recalling her experience, Taylor previously explained: “Before my 14th birthday is when I became the target of a Pakistani grooming gang operating out of flats in the Govanhill and Rutherglen areas in Glasgow.

“Another girl in my unit believed that she was the girlfriend of one of them.

“It started off friendly, being picked up, taken places, given things and progressed quickly into [child sexual exploitation].

“My friends and I were plied with alcohol and drugs and sexually abused by many men.

“There were at least ten Pakistani men responsible for sexually abusing and exploiting me and my friends.”

Announcing the plans, Gilruth told Holyrood the decision to establish the inquiry had not been taken lightly, given the cost to the public purse.

But she added: “Nonetheless, I consider the establishment of a public inquiry is now an essential one.”

She said the inquiry will “consider directly Scotland’s response to group‑based child sexual abuse and exploitation”.

While the Scottish Child Abuse Inquiry, which was established by the Scottish Government in 2015, is to look at similar issues, Gilruth said this had a broader remit, and the new inquiry will “focus specifically on group-based child abuse and exploitation”.

The new inquiry is “critical” in “encouraging openness and participation from victims and survivors”, the minister added.

She said: “It will focus on the potential prevalence of group-based abuse now and in the more recent past.

“The inquiry will, therefore, have the fullest investigatory powers required.”