An investigation into suspected serious sexual offences against a number of children and young people has found that 370 girls were abused by gangs over a 15 year period.
In 2010, Thames Valley Police & Oxfordshire County Council became aware that a number of children living in Oxford were being groomed and abused. This was identified through criminal investigation, intelligence and safeguarding activity.
There was a backdrop of increasing understanding and awareness nationally of child sexual exploitation.
Operation Bullfinch commenced in May 2011 with dedicated staff from Oxfordshire County Council and Thames Valley Police to investigate the abuse. It is still ongoing.
Since its beginning, there have been:
The Old Bailey, 27 June 2013
Kamar Jamil (18/07/85) 8 convictions Life, minimum 12 years
Akhtar Dogar (05/01/81) 11 convictions Life, minimum 17 years
Anjum Dogar (17/02/82) 9 convictions Life, minimum 17years
Assad Hussain (26/10/80) 2 convictions, 7 years (release date 05/01/16)
Mohammed Karrar (08/07/74) 18 convictions Life, minimum 20 years
Bassam Karrar (18/06/79) 9 convictions Life, minimum 15 years
Zeeshan Ahmed (13/06/85) 2 convictions, 7 years
Oxfordshire Crown Court, 4 June 2014
Bilal Ahmed, 27, convicted of sexually assaulting a teenager on 17 December 2011. Had been acquitted of sexual activity with a child during first Bullfinch trial. Sentenced to 3 ½ years.
Mustafa Ahmed, 26, from London, admitted sexually assaulting the victim after she woke up on a sofa. Sentenced to 18 months.
Zeeshan Ahmed, 29, was one of the seven men convicted in the first Bullfinch trial in May last year. Found guilty of perverting the course of justice after he tried to stop the victim talking to police. Sentenced to 18months.
This report was released by Chief Constable Sara Thornton 5 September 2014.
A serious case review into the exploitation of young people in Oxford has documented a catalogue of failures by police and social services.
Oxfordshire Safeguarding Children's Board has apologised over the time it took to investigate child exploitation in the county.
New criminal sanctions for those who fail to protect children from sexual exploitation are at the heart of new measures to be introduced.