Sadiq Khan's 'No Indication' Grooming Gang Claim Back Under Scrutiny After Met Flags 4,000 Cases

The Metropolitan Police has identified more than 4,000 historical child sexual exploitation cases that may need to be reopened after reviewing investigations dating back to 2010, meaning thousands of previously closed cases could now be examined again.

Officers examined around 12,000 reports as part of Operation Beaconport, a nationwide programme led by the National Crime Agency (NCA) and the National Police Chiefs' Council (NPCC). The review was launched after Baroness Louise Casey's report into group-based child sexual exploitation recommended looking again at cases that may have been closed too early or where victims may have been denied justice.

The findings have again drawn attention to comments made by Sir Sadiq Khan in 2025, when he said police had found 'no indication' of the organised grooming gang model seen in towns. City Hall has rejected suggestions of any cover-up and said the Mayor supports the review. Critics argue that the Mayor's earlier remarks now appear increasingly out of step with the scale of cases identified for potential reopening.

Operation Beaconport Reviews Historical Cases

Following its assessment, the Metropolitan Police identified more than 4,000 previously closed cases that now meet the requirements for Operation Beaconport. The cases have been passed to the National Crime Agency, which will decide which investigations should be formally reopened.

Police said the cases are not limited to one type of offending. They include allegations involving organised groups, online child sexual exploitation, abuse within families and peer-on-peer exploitation. Officers said they deliberately looked at several forms of child sexual exploitation so that no potential victims or investigations would be overlooked.

Deputy Assistant Commissioner Kevin Southworth said any cases selected for further investigation would be pursued in an effort to deliver justice for victim-survivors. He also encouraged anyone experiencing child sexual exploitation or abuse to come forward, saying victims and survivors would be listened to and supported.

Sir Sadiq Khan's Earlier Comments

The review has also renewed questions about comments Khan made during meetings of the London Assembly Police and Crime Committee in early 2025. At the time, the Mayor said discussions with police had found 'no reported cases' and 'no indication' of the specific grooming gang model identified in towns including Rotherham and Rochdale.

Conservative London Assembly member Susan Hall, who questioned the Mayor during those meetings, said the number of cases identified showed why previously closed investigations should be looked at again to establish whether victims had been denied justice. A spokesperson for Khan said the Mayor welcomed the review and had consistently supported independent scrutiny, adding that 'no stone' should be left unturned in identifying offenders and securing justice for victims.

What the 4,000 Cases Include

Met Commissioner Sir Mark Rowley has warned that reopening historical investigations will require additional officers and government funding because the force already records around 2,000 sexual offences every month.

The National Crime Agency will now assess the cases referred under Operation Beaconport and decide which should be formally reopened. Any investigations that resume will be carried out by the Metropolitan Police, while the separate national inquiry into group-based child sexual exploitation continues, with London among the first areas selected for further examination.