National Crime Agency probe into Rotherham child sexual abuse to end in 2024 after 10 years and 26 offenders convicted

In early 2024 the NCA will hand any new reports that are made back to South Yorkshire Police to investigate, while continuing to conclude work on around 50 active cases.

Operation Stovewood began in 2014 and covered allegations relating to non-family child sexual exploitation in Rotherham between 1997 and 2013.

More than 200 people were arrested and 26 convicted in court, with a large number jailed. The NCA will continue to be involved in current investigations for a further three years, but will not take on any new complaints.

Head of investigations Philip Marshall said: “During the course of the last nine years we have identified more than 1,100 victims and made contact with as many of those as possible. Some, for reasons that are entirely understandable, have decided not to engage with us. We respect their decisions.

“We are now confident that we have done all we realistically can to identify those individuals who may have been victims during the Stovewood time period. As a result, from the start of 2024, the NCA will no longer open any new investigations, and any new allegations will be investigated by South Yorkshire Police.

“This does not mean we are walking away. We will continue to investigate in the cases we have already opened, and victims should know we will continue to treat them as a priority.

“We remain determined to seek justice for as many victims as possible and we will continue to work with partners including the CPS to bring as many offenders to justice as we can.

“Both the NCA and South Yorkshire Police are determined this process should be as seamless as possible, and we’re confident that should anyone new come forward after 1 January they will still be supported in exactly the same way.”

The 26th person convicted under Stovewood was Neil Cawton, 68, from Rawmarsh, who last week was jailed for 10 years for nine offences against four victims between 2006 and 2012.