Tom Crowther KC to chair Oldham child sexual exploitation inquiry
Tom Crowther KC, renowned for his work on child sexual exploitation (CSE) inquiries, has been appointed to chair an independent inquiry in Oldham. The inquiry aims to address past failures and improve future practices, with strong emphasis on survivor involvement and community confidence.
Tom Crowther KC, the barrister who led the acclaimed independent inquiry into child sexual exploitation in Telford, will chair Oldham’s own investigation into historical abuse failures, the council announced today.
The appointment comes after months of pressure from survivors who demanded a thorough examination of how authorities handled CSE cases in the Greater Manchester borough. Crowther, whose Telford inquiry earned widespread praise for its survivor-centered approach, pledged to replicate that model in Oldham.
“I’m very pleased to have been asked to chair an independent inquiry into CSE for Oldham Council,” Crowther said. “I know from my work in Telford that an inquiry of this sort can bring the answers the community deserves about what has gone wrong in the past and can ensure best practice is in place for the future. That this inquiry begins with the confidence of Oldham’s CSE survivors is hugely important and I am determined that they, and the community as a whole, will be involved as the terms of reference and working details - including mechanisms for obtaining all relevant evidence - are developed.”
The council emphasized that survivors themselves helped select Crowther for the role. An Oldham Council spokesperson said: “Tom is hugely respected by survivors given the excellent work he did in Telford and his appointment reflects the views of the survivors. We believe this is an important step in securing justice for our survivors and Oldham residents more generally. We’ve said from the outset that we will put survivors at the heart of any work we do around child sexual exploitation. Having been repeatedly let down by public bodies over the years, that is the least they expect and deserve.”
Oldham’s move follows a council motion passed last July requesting a Home Office review of abuse case handling. While the government announced a national audit in January, local councillors voted last month to establish their own inquiry, making Oldham one of several towns launching independent investigations into historical child sexual exploitation.
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