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  "path": "/news/grooming-gangs-inquiry-wasted-david-greenwood",
  "publishedAt": "2026-03-20T16:34:56.000Z",
  "site": "https://www.gbnews.com",
  "tags": [
    "Grooming gang survivors are struggling to access national inquiry consultations",
    "Probe launched into police officers who 'threatened Rotherham rape gang victim'",
    "Pakistan demands political dissidents in Britain in exchange for grooming gang abusers",
    "The GB News Editorial Charter"
  ],
  "textContent": "\n\n\nA top child abuse lawyer has warned that the grooming gangs inquiry risks being a waste of £65million if Sir Keir Starmer's Government meddles with the investigation.\n\nDavid Greenwood told GB News that the Labour Government and ministers must “get their hands off” the inquiry and “let it be run by the panel and its lawyers\".\n\n###\n\n\n\n\nMr Greenwood, who has represented grooming gang victims across Britain, told the People’s Channel that the inquiry team will be placed “to use their nous to work out exactly what's been going wrong or what they should investigate and what they should spend their time and taxpayers' money on\".\n\nThe top lawyer added concerns that the current draft terms of reference “include the Government having a say in which towns and cities are having a deep dive investigation into their failings\", adding: “That shouldn't happen.”\n\n###\n\n\n\n\nTRENDING\n\nStories\n\nVideos\n\nYour Say\n\n###\n\n\n\n\nMr Greenwood, who runs the child abuse compensation team at Switalskis, shared his concern as the terms of reference outline how “the criteria used to select local areas will be agreed between the Government and the inquiry\".\n\nThe inquiry’s draft terms of reference say that it will “not attempt to be exhaustive” and that \"it will not investigate every local area where grooming gangs have operated\".\n\n###\n\n\n\n\n###\n\n\n\n\n###\n\n\n\n\nIt will instead “consider areas and services where there is particular evidence of past failings\", working closely with the new police operation set up by the National Crime Agency to tackle the abuse networks.\n\nBaroness Anne Longfield was confirmed last year as the chair of the inquiry, alongside Eleanor Kelly and Zoe Billingham as panellists.\n\n### LATEST DEVELOPMENTS\n\n\n\n\n  * Grooming gang survivors are struggling to access national inquiry consultations\n  * Probe launched into police officers who 'threatened Rotherham rape gang victim'\n  * Pakistan demands political dissidents in Britain in exchange for grooming gang abusers\n\n\n\n###\n\n\n\n\n###\n\n\n\n\nAmid concerns from survivors on a panel that it risked expanding beyond a focus on abuse networks, the Government has insisted that it will be “laser-focused” on grooming gangs.\n\nOldham has been confirmed as the first location that will receive an investigation.\n\n###\n\n\n\n\n###\n\n\n\n\nGB News understands that other areas will be announced soon.\n\nA Home Office spokesman said: “The sexual exploitation and abuse of children, including by grooming gangs, are among the most horrific crimes imaginable.\n\n###\n\n\n\n\n###\n\n\n\n\n###\n\n\n\n\n“Decisions on which areas will be subject to investigations by the inquiry are solely a matter for the chair.”\n\n###\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n**Our Standards: The GB News Editorial Charter**",
  "title": "Grooming gangs inquiry risks being ‘£65million wasted', top abuse lawyer tells GB News"
}