Hundreds of Oxford grooming gang abusers roaming FREE as survivors spot them in supermarkets

From the Newshound archive · first published 22 September 2026.

Survivors of the Oxford Pakistani grooming gang say hundreds of their abusers remain free and are still living in the city, with victims recognising men who raped them as children while out shopping or driving around. Only 21 men have been convicted despite an estimated 370 children being affected, and former senior detective Simon Morton, who headed the original investigation, has acknowledged that the force made serious mistakes. A BBC Panorama documentary, 'Grooming Gangs: Why Were We Ignored?', airs tonight on BBC One, giving three survivors their first opportunity to speak out publicly about what was done to them.

One victim, abused from age 11 with heroin-laced cigarettes, says her three convicted abusers 'should stay in there forever — they've taken my life.'

A second victim, taken at age 12 to other towns where men paid to rape her, alleged that a police officer once solicited oral sex from her.

Critics are demanding Labour stop 'dodging' the scandal, saying victims 'cannot be failed again' while perpetrators walk free.