London Mayor Faces Fury Over Grooming Gang Denials
London Mayor Sadiq Khan is under intense fire after a joint probe revealed he personally read official reports exposing grooming gang abuse in the capital — yet publicly denied such gangs even exist.
Horrific Abuse Details Hidden in Police Reports
The Daily Express and MyLondon uncovered chilling evidence of at least six victims, girls as young as 13, named in four separate police watchdog reports from 2016 to 2025. Despite these damning files, Khan remained publicly silent and dismissive.
- A 15-year-old girl raped by multiple men after going missing for days
- A 17-year-old plied with alcohol and assaulted in London hotels
- A 13-year-old drugged and threatened by organised gangs
- Other victims targeted in coordinated sexual abuse across the city
The sexual exploitation took place openly in London hotels, with victims trafficked, drugged, and menaced by ruthless gangs.
Khan’s Denials Spark Outrage
Despite the evidence, Khan has repeatedly dismissed the presence of grooming gangs like those in Rochdale and Rotherham.
“There is no indication such gangs operate here,” Khan declared during a fiery City Hall debate.
When challenged, he deflected, demanding critics “define what they mean” instead of facing up to the serious charges.
Met Police Eat Their Words
After the exposé, Met Commissioner Sir Mark Rowley conceded the force is investigating multiple ongoing cases of child sexual exploitation by gangs. He also revealed a vast backlog of cases awaiting review following a Home Office inquiry — directly contradicting years of denials from Khan and Scotland Yard.
Whistleblowers Blow the Lid on Cover-Up
Ex-Greater Manchester detective Maggie Oliver, who exposed the Rochdale scandal, warned London is following the “same damning pattern” of abuse and silence:
“I have no doubt there’s a similar pattern of abuse in London. The Met is the last bastion covering this up.”
Care worker Chris Wild called the revelations “the tip of the iceberg,” claiming abuse “happens all over London” and slammed Khan’s denials as “shocking.”
Politicians Demand Action — and Khan’s Head
Shadow Home Secretary Chris Philp blasted Khan for “facilitating a cover-up.”
“It’s shameful for the Mayor to deny grooming gangs operate in London when reports prove otherwise,” he said.
Reform UK MP Lee Anderson echoed the call for justice and warned against repeating the failures of other towns that ignored abuse.
Khan’s Office Defends Mayor but Fails to Explain Denials
Khan’s team highlighted his £15.6 million Violence and Exploitation Support Service and insisted child safety is his “top priority.” But they gave no answer on why Khan publicly dismissed the grooming gang evidence.
Historic Failures Spotlighted by Whistleblowers
- Operation Grandbye led to arrests but no charges, mirroring past botched probes.
- Ex-Met detective Jon Wedger exposed “industrial scale” trafficking but claims his investigations were blocked.
- Veteran cop Bernadette Murray accuses the Met of misleading Khan and bungling grooming data.
Inquiry Rejected — Political Battle Rages
In February 2025, a proposed £4.49 million independent inquiry into London grooming gangs was shot down by a coalition supporting Khan. Critics feared it would duplicate a national probe and stoke racial tensions. Many saw this as a missed shot at transparency.
London’s Hotels Under Spotlight
Reports show hotels as key crime scenes where abuse was allowed to happen, sparking urgent calls for better staff training and safeguarding.
Is London Repeating Rotherham and Rochdale’s Mistakes?
The scandal echoes earlier horrors where authorities ignored grooming until whistleblowers forced action — leaving thousands of children at risk.
With a national grooming gang review ongoing and calls mounting for Khan’s resignation, London faces a stark choice: confront this grim epidemic or keep burying it in plain sight.
