Dave Thompson, chief constable of West Midlands police, named himself as an officer accused in a report of closing Operation Augusta, but said he had not been involved RICHARD VERNALLS/PAOne of the country’s most senior police officers is under pressure after being accused of involvement in the cover-up of a grooming and sexual abuse scandal that involved dozens of children in Manchester. Dave Thompson, chief executive of West Midlands police and the vice-chairman of the National Police Chiefs’ Council, declined to be interviewed by an inquiry into Operation Augusta but said today that he “doesn’t remember it” and denied being the officer behind shutting it down. Greater Manchester police launched Operation Augusta to tackle street grooming by predominantly Asian males after the death of Victoria Agoglia, 15, who lived in residential care where her “pimp” was allowed to visit and give her drugs. Yesterday a report found that Manchester police knew of grooming gangs…

Source: The Times January 15, 2020 12:08 UTC