Two former South Yorkshire Police officers arrested on suspicion of historical child exploitation and abuse have had their bail lifted due to “insufficient evidence,” GB News can exclusively reveal.
The pair are among three former officers arrested between late 2023 and early 2024 over allegations of abuse in Rotherham.
GB News has obtained exclusive sight of a letter from a senior South Yorkshire Police officer to one of the complainants stating: “I have made the decision to release the suspect without charge due to insufficient evidence.”
Despite the bail being lifted, the investigation directed by the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) remains active.
An IOPC spokesperson confirmed: “Our criminal investigation remains ongoing into complaints from survivors of child sexual abuse and exploitation in Rotherham regarding the conduct of South Yorkshire Police (SYP) officers.
The watchdog added: “One former officer remains on bail, two former SYP officers have had their bail lifted recently.
The IOPC will decide whether to refer a file of evidence to the Crown Prosecution Service for potential criminal charges.
We will also make decisions on whether any former officers would have had a disciplinary case to answer – had they still been serving – for potential misconduct or gross misconduct,” the spokesperson said.
The parties involved, including complainants, are receiving regular updates on the investigation’s progress.
The allegations came to the IOPC’s attention after South Yorkshire Police notified the watchdog in October.
A second woman’s complaints were referred to the IOPC by South Yorkshire Police in November.
Two separate women made complaints in December, which were also referred to the watchdog by the force.
It is alleged the two officers arrested in December conducted abuse in Rotherham between 1995 and 2002.
The alleged offences reportedly occurred while the officers were both on and off duty.
The third former officer was arrested earlier this year on suspicion of raping a teenage girl in Rotherham in 2004.
The Rotherham child sexual exploitation scandal involved the systematic abuse of at least 1,400 children between 1997 and 2013.
Professor Alexis Jay’s 2014 independent inquiry revealed the shocking extent of abuse and institutional failures.
The scandal has been described as the “biggest child protection scandal in UK history” by researcher Angie Heal.
Operation Stovewood, the National Crime Agency’s investigation into the abuse, is the UK’s largest inquiry into non-familial child sexual exploitation.
The operation has identified around 1,150 potential victims and made more than 150 arrests since 2014.
To date, 39 people have been convicted as part of Operation Stovewood, with sentences totaling hundreds of years.
In September 2024, seven men received a combined 106 years’ imprisonment for abusing two girls.
The Jay Report found that Rotherham Council, South Yorkshire Police, and other agencies had ignored or minimized the abuse.
Many officials failed to act due to fears of being perceived as racist, as many perpetrators were of Pakistani heritage.
The scandal led to resignations of senior officials including Rotherham’s chief executive and South Yorkshire’s Police and Crime Commissioner.
The IOPC previously conducted Operation Linden, investigating 265 allegations from 51 complainants about police handling of abuse reports.
Operation Linden, completed in 2022, was the IOPC’s second-largest investigation in its history.
The watchdog investigated how South Yorkshire Police responded to child sexual abuse allegations between 1997 and 2013.
Five officers received sanctions ranging from management action to final written warnings following Operation Linden.
A sixth officer faced a misconduct hearing in 2024, but the case was found not proven by an independent panel.
IOPC Director Emily Barry previously stated: “Clearly these are very serious complaints and we will ensure they are thoroughly and robustly investigated.”
South Yorkshire Police Assistant Chief Constable Hayley Barnett said the force is “working closely” with the IOPC.
“Together, we are committed to following wherever the evidence takes us and we will take any action necessary, as these arrests demonstrate,” Barnett stated.
She added: “It is never too late to report if you are a victim or survivor of child sexual abuse and exploitation.
The investigation is being carried out by South Yorkshire Police’s major crime unit under IOPC direction and control.
Criminal proceedings related to the wider Rotherham abuse scandal are expected to continue until 2027.
The Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse warned in 2022 that children continue to face exploitation across England and Wales.
Survivors of the Rotherham scandal have consistently called for accountability and meaningful changes to protect children.
The current investigation represents ongoing efforts to address historical failures in child protection.
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Police in Leicester. Photo by David Hallam-Jones, via Wikimedia Commons, licensed under CC BY-SA 2.0.
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