Operation Beaconport is a national policing operation reviewing hundreds of previously closed investigations into group-based child sexual abuse and exploitation.

The operation has been set up to look again at cases where no further action was taken, to identify whether opportunities to investigate were missed and whether cases can now be reopened.

What is Operation Beaconport?

Operation Beaconport is led by the National Crime Agency (NCA) and delivered in partnership with police forces across England and Wales, the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) and the Child Sexual Exploitation (CSE) Taskforce.

It is running alongside the government’s statutory Independent Inquiry into Grooming Gangs and is focused on the criminal justice response to group-based child sexual exploitation.

Which cases are being reviewed?

The operation is reviewing cases where police or the CPS decided to take no further action against suspects between:

• 1 January 2010 and 31 March 2025

These are cases involving allegations of group-based child sexual abuse and exploitation.

Some investigations were closed despite:

• Lines of enquiry not being followed up
• Victim or survivor accounts not being fully sought or recorded
• Evidence not being explored at the time

Operation Beaconport is assessing whether these cases were closed correctly and whether they can now be reinvestigated.

How many cases are involved?

So far:

• 1,273 cases have been referred from 23 police forces
• 236 cases involve allegations of rape and are being reviewed as a priority

The number of cases may increase as further reviews take place.

How will cases be reviewed?

Each case will be assessed by a specialist panel of officers working under Operation Beaconport.

The panel will decide:

• Whether further investigation is possible
• What investigative steps should be taken
• Whether safeguarding concerns remain

Most reinvestigations will be carried out by local police forces, with close oversight from Operation Beaconport. More complex cases may be investigated directly by the National Crime Agency.

To support a consistent national approach, the NCA has issued a Crime and Courts Act tasking to all police forces in England and Wales. This sets clear standards for how reviews must be carried out and what information forces must provide.

Will victims and survivors be contacted?

At this stage, Operation Beaconport is not asking people to come forward, and officers will not contact victims or survivors until cases have been carefully reviewed.

Where a case is assessed as suitable for reinvestigation:

• The victim or survivor will be given a choice about whether they want the case reopened
• No one will be forced to take part in a reinvestigation
• Decisions will be made using a trauma‑informed approach

Specialist officers will be available to explain options and provide support before any decision is made.

What if a survivor does not want their case reopened?

If a victim or survivor chooses not to have their case reinvestigated:

• Their wishes will be fully respected
• Their allegations will not be reopened

However, police will still carry out a safeguarding assessment to consider whether the accused may pose a risk to others. Where there is credible evidence of risk, steps may be taken to protect the wider public.

What happens if a case cannot be reopened?

If a case is not suitable for reinvestigation, victims and survivors who engage with Operation Beaconport will be given an explanation of why this decision has been made.

Learnings from these reviews will be shared nationally to improve how police respond to group-based child sexual exploitation in the future.

What else will Operation Beaconport do?

Operation Beaconport’s work goes beyond reviewing past cases. Officers will also:

• Develop a new national operating model for investigating group-based child sexual abuse
• Treat these crimes as serious and organised crime, focusing on offender networks
• Improve understanding of evidence gaps, including around offender profiling and data collection
• Strengthen information sharing between police, councils and safeguarding agencies

This work is intended to improve future investigations and outcomes for victims and survivors.

Support for victims and survivors

The organisations involved have acknowledged that revisiting closed investigations may be distressing.

The operation has been developed in consultation with victim and survivor advocacy groups, with a commitment to dignity, compassion and respect throughout the process.

Further information about how individuals can engage with Operation Beaconport will be published in due course by the NCA, police forces and partner organisations.

Getting advice and support

If you are affected by these issues and want confidential advice about your legal options, or simply want to understand what Operation Beaconport may mean for you, specialist abuse support is available.

You are entitled to clear information, choice and respect at every stage.