Cleverly: Work as one and we can vanquish evil gangs grooming our children

550 suspected child predators arrested in major crackdown's first year

- Michael Knowles

JAMES Cleverly has warned paedophile gangs that "we are coming for you" as he condemned their evil crimes.

The Home Secretary said the horrific grooming of children was a "national scandal" as he applauded the results of a specialist task force.

It has led to the arrest of more than 550 suspected child predators in its first 12 months.

Mr Cleverly has vowed more grooming gangs will be smashed but warned the whole criminal justice system "needs to work as one to vanquish this evil".

Writing in today's Daily Express, he says: "Some of the most vulnerable young people were treated with a contempt that defies words.

Harmed

"Raped and brutalised by gangs, they were left to fend for themselves by people whose job it was to look out for their wellbeing and intervene when they were being harmed.