‘If his concerns had been listened to a lot of abuse would have stopped’

I was not surprised. Until four years ago I was CEO of Victim Support Oxon & Bucks, and prior to that I was manager of Victim Support Oxford & District. I had regular contact with Dermot Norridge – who was then a Detective Sergeant in the Family Protection Unit at St Aldate’s.

I found Dermot one of the most dedicated and caring police officers and the feedback from victims was always extremely positive and glowing.

Former police officer Dermot Norridge tried to raise concerns about one of the Bullfinch victims being in contact with older man but his warnings to Oxfordshire County Council went unheeded years before the grooming scandal was uncovered. 

He fully understood their needs, never apportioned victim blame or patronised them and was tenacious in seeing that perpetrators were brought to justice.

What saddens me is that if his concerns had been listened to a lot of the abuse would have stopped.

That really is shameful.

So have will lessons be learned? I wonder.

We can only wait and see.

It does beggar the question that political correctness must have played some part.

The report concluded that there was no evidence of agencies failing to act due to racial sensitivities.

I find that staggering. Given that the girls were white and the perpetrators black or Asian, not just in Oxford but in other towns and cities across the country, does this not tell us something?

Everyone is entitled to the same level of support, regardless of ethnicity or social background and these poor victims certainly did not get that.

I have been impressed with the coverage in the Oxford Mail although I found one picture very telling.

That of four middle-aged male community spokesmen.

I think that picture says a lot.

Are these truly representative of the community they speak for?

Where are the young men and the women?

JOANNA FENSTERMACHER

Martin Close

Langford Village

Bicester