SENEDD Members rejected calls for a Wales-wide independent inquiry into child sexual exploitation by so-called grooming gangs, supporting plans for an audit instead.

The Conservatives’ Altaf Hussain backed a campaign led by Emily Vaughn, not her real name, a victim of exploitation and trafficking, for an inquiry into the scale of the issue.

Aged 11, Emily was forced into trafficking drugs for a “county lines” gang then taken from her home in south Wales to Telford where she was continually sexually assaulted.

Mr Hussain told the Senedd: “Talking about her years of abuse and torture Emily said, ‘When I first reported what happened to me to the police, they did not help me. They did not even know what it was or understand what they were doing.’

“And sadly, we know from the UK independent inquiry that Emily’s story is far from unique. Girls and boys trafficked, abused and ignored by those supposed to protect them.”

While Senedd Members voted 34-13 against the Tory motion, Plaid Cymru’s amendment – which called for an all-Wales audit – was unanimously agreed.

Mr Hussain said Emily has criticised those seeking to “shut down” debate. “The more you talk about it, the more children at risk of being groomed can be saved,” she told him.

Pointing to her petition for a Wales-wide inquiry, he quoted Emily as saying: “Look at the map of the UK – do politicians think that grooming gangs stop when it comes to Wales? People who exploit children don’t care about borders.”

Labour’s Lee Waters intervened, criticising former Tory group leader Andrew RT Davies for “focusing specifically on the role of what he calls Pakistani men in grooming gangs”.

Mr Hussain stressed that grooming gangs are not limited to any one group, saying they come from all walks of life, races and religions.

Leading a debate on February 12, the shadow social justice secretary said: “The only way we can treat victims with compassion, deliver them justice and ensure no other child suffers in silence is to listen … and victims like Emily are shouting out for a Wales-wide inquiry.”

Plaid Cymru’s Sioned Williams urged Welsh ministers to implement the recommendations of Professor Alexis Jay’s 2022 independent UK inquiry “without any further delay”.

Her party’s amendment advocated an all-Wales audit into the scale of nature of gang-based exploitation before considering whether to commission a further independent inquiry.

Ms Williams said: “Prof Jay has warned that another inquiry would delay justice for survivors and that must be the priority.”

She called for urgent action on specialist therapeutic support for child victims of sexual abuse, with long waiting lists and many parts of Wales having no services at all.

Welsh Lib Dem leader Jane Dodds, a social worker for 27 years, supported Plaid Cymru’s position, saying: “I don’t believe there should be an inquiry at this point. We’ve already had a very detailed inquiry.”

Raising concerns about language, she warned the term “grooming gangs” has been used and will continue to be used by the right to “whip up” outrage and fury.

Jane Hutt, the Welsh Government’s social justice secretary, told the Senedd: “I want to reinforce the importance of learning from and delivering on the recommendations of the comprehensive independent inquiry into child sexual abuse.”

Pledging to implement the six recommendations, Ms Hutt said ministers will soon consult on a new ten-year strategy for preventing and responding to child sexual abuse.

She raised the role of a national audit which was commissioned by the UK Government in response to similar calls for an inquiry in Westminster.

Darren Millar, leader of the Conservative opposition, said: “Child sexual exploitation is one of the most heinous crimes imaginable. It not only robs children of their innocence but it causes a lifetime of trauma for victims, particularly when perpetrators go unpunished.”

Mr Millar added that listening to Emily’s experiences convinced him of the case for an independent Wales-wide inquiry to get to grips with the issue once and for all.

He said: “We know from the work by Prof Jay, that the only place that she looked at in Wales was Swansea and she found evidence of criminal gangs exploiting children for sex.

“What would have happened if she’d have looked in Cardiff, Newport, Bangor, Colwyn Bay or Wrexham? I suspect she may have found things there but they haven’t been looked at.

“Unfortunately, that’s why we do not know the extent of these problems across our country.”