Professor John Robertson OBA
They, Scottish Labour and the MSM, would just love it if Scotland had one of those grooming gangs like the ones they have in England. That’s why they’re using the term for a gang that has little in common with the English ones and which, crucially, required a very different response.
Here are key differences:
- The gangsters are not Scots, not even UK citizens.
- They did not traffic children from care homes
- The victims were all adults bar one Scottish 16 year-old.
- The operation initially trafficked Romanian women, then expanded to Scottish women groomed on the streets
This case, dubbed “Scotland’s Rochdale,” stemmed from Police Scotland’s Operation Recloir, which addressed intelligence on human trafficking and exploitation in Tayside. While it highlights serious issues of grooming and trafficking vulnerable young adults, claims involving children from care homes appear unsubstantiated and may stem from misinformation or confusion with other UK cases.
Police Scotland have already made clear that this is not the same thing as in Rochdale and dozens of other locations in England:
‘No current investigations in Scotland involving offences against children which would mirror the investigations [in England] described in Baroness Casey’s audit as being perpetrated by “grooming gangs”
Readers will be aware no doubt of new Labour MP Joani Reid’s shameless u-turn on national inquiries into grooming gangs – no in England where they are many, to save her boss a red face, but yes in Scotland, where there are none, proving that as Jimmy Reid’s granddaughter, the apple can fall pretty far from the tree at times.
Reid also wrote to FM Swinney, demanding an inquiry here but his response published on 4th July 2025 has had no MSM coverage.
You can see why:
However, in order for any action to be effective, we must appropriately consider the relevance of these recommendations for our specific legislative, statutory service and regulatory landscape, and the scale of this specific form of organised gang-related sexual abuse of children and young people in Scotland.
I would firstly like to clarify that the recent case of child sexual abuse in Glasgow cited in your previous letter, which is now subject to a learning review, whilst horrendous, was of a different nature to the organised gang grooming observed in England and the cases reported in Baroness Casey’s recent National Audit.
Furthermore, Police Scotland have advised the Scottish Government that there are no current investigations in Scotland involving offences against children which would mirror the investigations described in Baroness Casey’s audit as being perpetrated by “grooming gangs”.
and:
In Scotland, all healthcare and education professionals already have a duty to report child abuse to social work or the police, including child sexual abuse and exploitation. A practitioner’s failure to report child abuse, including child sexual abuse and exploitation, could constitute a breach of their employment contract, lead to disciplinary action, or give rise to a claim for civil damages. Practitioners could also be struck off from social work, teaching, or medical registers for gross misconduct.
Not in Swinney’s response but an important factor, mentioned in the last line above – all care staff must be registered in Scotland but in the English report of the Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse October 2022:
There is no system of registration for the approximately 35,000 workers “mainly or solely providing care for children” (that is, in a care role) in England. In Wales (as well as in Scotland and Northern Ireland), children’s social care workers must register with a regulatory body. https://www.iicsa.org.uk/reports-recommendations/publications/inquiry/final-report.html
Full FM response at: https://www.gov.scot/publications/ukg-audit-on-group-based-child-sexual-exploitation-and-abuse-first-ministers-response/
Footnote – Sarah Champion MP in 2020 – One million children were sexually abused by grooming gangs? Probably not. No one really know but certainly thousands.
Talking-up Scotland 'Albatraz' 
Sadly, almost all these ‘enquiries’ are distorted by politicians and the media for petty political posturing and rarely bring about the change required to prevent future recurrences, or to provide proper recompense for those who suffered.
The failure of the enquiry into grooming in England even to get started is an example of the ‘goal displacement’ (to use the proper terminology) that often occurs. Parties such as political parties, media, charities, trade unions (such as the Police Federation in the Sheku Bayou case) – ‘vested interests’ – derail the process so that it serves their ends.
Although she is not my favourite politician, I think that Jess Phillips record of tackling physical, sexual and emotional abuse of women indicates that she is sincerely committed to her proposed enquiry being effective. But, it has been hijacked and a number of the young women who suffered appalling abuse have been manipulated into attacking Ms Phillips and others who have good track records in dealing with abuse.
Ms Joani Reid’s cynical action are an example of this political opportunism.
There does not appear to be evidence of significant levels of grooming in Scotland, although any level of suspected grooming should be investigated. In the Dundee case, it was investigated and the perpetrators have been convicted. If Ms Reid has good evidence to indicate there is more, she should inform us of what it is.
There is evidence of ‘County Lines’ activity in Scottish towns and Police Scotland are active and are cooperating with English forces. But BBC Scotland and the ‘Scottish’ Labour Party are not agitating for an enquiry.
Do they think it will give grist to the ‘nationalist’ mill? Or, do they want to be able to continue to shout ‘Scotland is the worst for drug deaths in the known world’?
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Back in the late 1990’s/early 2000’s I was working for a Charity in Scotland providing a specific type of care in the community. Criminal record checks for all staff who might come into contact with children, even indirectly, while working in someone’s home were introduced then, and as a manager of the local branch it was my job to ensure all our staff (including myself) were checked and trained and we were warned then that if we did not report any suspicions we might have of possible abuse to the appropriate bodies, we would be in serious trouble individually and as a provider of services. The results of the criminal record checks were kept in the staffs’ personnel files.
These rules applied to everyone in Scotland from teachers to social workers, health care staff, volunteers and so forth.
We were also expected to provide training and advice to staff who may suspect the possible abuse of vulnerable adults by family members and others.
J & J
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Aye, not unexpected… I’d read the sentencing report earlier, oddly enough from HMS James Cook…
On this occasion however, James farmed the spinoff to the usual suspects without support, Andrew Quinn for the Wrecker, Richard Ellas and Connor Gordon at the Depress etc. presumably lest it tarnish his ‘gong’ chances…
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I’m listening to a discussion on grooming gangs & county lines gangs in London on LBC this morning. They are hinting that this will be the next big scandal to come out, despite various contributors pointing out how long this has been going on. One professional working in the field compared the fight against county lines as to a firefighter with half a hose, stating that what is needed is for more public and professional awareness to recognise, report and address the issues. Thankfully in Scotland there is already a duty to report concerns and better regulation of staff & organisations working with children but the lack of reporting on the main media channels is a major problem. If there is no understanding of what is going on how can we the public understand the risks to young and vulnerable people, or understand the importance to report suspicious activity in empty properties? Highland Cops is doing a great job but we need much much more info no matter how embarrassing or inconvenient it might be to criticise what has originated in England
I think we also need to take a closer look at the origins of county lines and any international involvement – the chaos and misery they cause are maybe at the root of the Reform, anti-migrant appeal for those not necessarily racist but aware of the involvement of different ethnic groups, illegal work options etc. If we could highlight the problems caused by the slow vetting process, the lack of legal routes, the lack of care & dignity in our treatment of migrants & asylum seekers we might find improvements in these could lead to better integration & less crime.
The decision by WM to move 400 asylum seekers to barracks in Inverness without any consultation with the Scot Gov or local council suggests that fear of Reform and a focus on money over humanity is the motivation rather than trying to solve a complex issue. There may be little Scotland can do officially to improve the living conditions, support and common decency of how they are treated but it would be good to believe civic Scotland might step up to offer a welcome, a chance to learn English, a decent meal or just someone to speak to. Don’t let these fellow human beings fall prey to the county lines gangs in Inverness and perpetuate a vicious circle of blame and mistrust
Finally, if you want a break from the endless negativity re migration there is a warm hearted film on BBC iplayer called Master Cheng about a Chinese widower and his son who ends up in rural Finland. It reminds us of the benefits immigrants can bring – see here for some Scottish examples http://www.unhcr.org/uk/news/stories/scottish-island-community-rainy-haven-refugees-who-are-giving-back.
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