Police will investigate all allegations of sexual abuse thoroughly and proportionately

National Policing Lead for Child Protection and Abuse Investigation, Chief Constable Simon Bailey said:

“It is vital that the police investigate allegations of sexual abuse thoroughly and proportionately, whether the alleged crimes took place last week or many years ago.  Victims who report abuse by someone who is now dead have the same expectation that their allegations will be taken seriously and that they will have recourse to justice.  Police also need to determine whether the alleged offender may have worked with others who are still alive and could pose a risk today. For these reasons, I have been clear that we will investigate non-recent abuse allegations, including those made against people who are now dead.

“Police are expecting to investigate 70,000 cases of child sexual abuse this year as well as responding to many other crimes and demands on our service.  Police will prioritise all investigations based on threat and harm, and proportionate resources will be used when investigating someone who has died.”