Party leader says allegations involving children in care underline the need for a Wales-wide investigation into institutional failings

THE WELSH CONSERVATIVES have renewed calls for a Wales-wide inquiry into group-based child sexual exploitation following the charging of eight people in Gwent.

Gwent Police said eight British nationals had been charged with more than 30 offences as part of an investigation into alleged group-based child sexual exploitation.

Responding to the development, Welsh Conservative leader Darren Millar MS said the allegations represented a serious betrayal of children who should have been protected by the care system.

“These are horrific allegations representing an unforgivable betrayal of children who should have been protected by the care system,” he said.

“We now have reports of abuse in Gwent, Swansea, Rhyl and rural Wales. It is essential that the Welsh Government commissions a Wales-wide inquiry to ensure that no stone is left unturned in exposing the extent of these crimes.”

Mr Millar said any inquiry should examine the conduct of schools, councils, health services and other public bodies, including whether opportunities to protect vulnerable children had been missed.

He added: “We need to understand why opportunities to intervene were missed and whether institutional failings allowed abuse to continue unchecked.

“We must ensure justice for victims, hold perpetrators to account and get to grips with any systemic failings that allowed such abuse to take place.”

Peter Fox MS, the party’s Shadow Minister for Local Government and Communities, said he had been deeply shocked by the allegations, particularly reports that the alleged victims had been in care.

“Our hearts go out to the victims who have bravely come forward during this investigation,” he said.

“They have suffered so much and for too long. Justice must now prevail.”

The Welsh Conservatives have repeatedly pressed the Welsh Government to establish a national inquiry examining the scale of group-based child sexual exploitation in Wales and the response of public authorities.

The charges have not yet been tested in court. All defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.

Police are trying to identify a driver who ran from a damaged car following a pursuit into Haverfordwest.

The incident began at around 8.15pm on Tuesday, July 14, when Dyfed-Powys Police received reports of a vehicle being driven dangerously along Haven Road between Broad Haven and Haverfordwest.

Officers later found a blue Ford Fiesta which had significant damage to one of its tyres.

The driver did not stop when requested and continued towards Haverfordwest, with police following the vehicle to Jury Lane.

The car eventually came to a stop, but the driver left the vehicle and escaped on foot before officers could speak to them.

Police recovered the Fiesta at around 9.10pm.

Enquiries are now continuing to establish who was driving the vehicle and to locate them.

No further details have been released about how the car was damaged or whether anyone else was involved.

PROCEEDINGS against a man accused of assault and intentional strangulation in Pembroke Dock have been discontinued.

Michal Rakowski, 42, had been due to stand trial at Haverfordwest Magistrates’ Court on Thursday (July 16).

He had faced allegations of assaulting a woman and causing her actual bodily harm, and of intentionally strangling her, in Pembroke Dock on June 8.

Rakowski, who was listed as being of no fixed abode, entered not-guilty pleas to both charges on Tuesday (July 14).

The court register confirms that both proceedings have now been discontinued.

No findings were made against Rakowski and he was not convicted of either offence.