Paul O’Rourke, managing director of Next Stage Youth Development in Rochdale, said his organisation has uncovered multiple infiltration attempts from individuals linked to grooming networks.
“Once the gang found out where those young people were, they tried to infiltrate to access them, threaten them, and even re-recruit them,” O’Rourke told The Times.
Repeated Infiltration Attempts
Over the past decade, the charity which supports girls abused by Rochdale grooming gangs has detected at least five cases of people with direct ties to offenders submitting bogus job applications.
The most recent incident occurred last summer, when a relative of a known gang member applied for a role using falsified information. Their identity was discovered only because a staff member recognised them from a television documentary.
“They didn’t appear on our safeguarding list, which was worrying,” O’Rourke said. “Even when we flagged it, the authorities already knew about him but somehow his name wasn’t shared with us.”
Recruitment Crisis Creating Opportunities
O’Rourke warned that a nationwide recruitment shortage in the care and youth sector has made organisations more vulnerable to infiltration.
“When teams are desperate to fill roles, vetting can slip and that creates opportunities for organised offenders,” he said. “You can be careful for 20 years, but one mistake could undo everything.”
Some associates of grooming gangs have also been reported to call, email, or visit charities to gather intelligence or threaten victims directly. O’Rourke described cases where men turned up at children’s homes, confronting staff and victims.
“They had no fear. They’d swear at us, threaten us even with police around,” he recalled.
Recent Convictions in Rochdale
Earlier this month, seven men were sentenced at Manchester Minshull Street Crown Court for committing over 50 sexual offences against teenage girls between 2001 and 2006.
One survivor, now 25, has spoken publicly for the first time about her experience. Abused from the age of 13, she described how predatory men turned her home into a “party house”, plying her with alcohol and drugs.
“I felt trapped in something I didn’t understand and couldn’t escape,” she said. “I lost all sense of who I was.”
Ongoing Intimidation and Resilience
After years of support from Next Stage Youth Development, the survivor said she has rebuilt her life but still faces harassment from people connected to her abusers.
“They’ve tried to find out where I live, or contact me online as if nothing happened,” she said. “It’s frightening, but I always report it and focus on staying safe.”
Despite ongoing fears, she remains determined:
“That fear never completely goes away. But I’m stronger now and I know where to turn for help.”
