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16/09/2014
Police And Crime Commissioner Resigns Over Rotherham Abuse
Shaun Wright, South Yorkshire's Police and Crime Commissioner, has resigned over the Rotherham child abuse scandal.
Mr Wright had refused to step down despite growing calls for him to do so in the wake of a report on the extent of child abuse in Rotherham between 1997 and 2005.
Mr Rotherham was head of child services in the town from 2005 to 2010.
In a statement, Mr Wright said: "My role as South Yorkshire Police and Crime Commissioner has clearly become prominent in terms of public opinion and media coverage following the publication of Professor Alexis Jay's report.
"This is detracting from the important issue, which should be everybody's focus - the 1,400 victims outlined in the report - and in providing support to victims and bringing to justice the criminals responsible for the atrocious crimes committed against them.
"With this in mind, I feel that it is now right to step down... for the sake of those victims, for the sake of the public of South Yorkshire and to ensure that the important issues outlined in the report about tackling child sexual exploitation can be discussed and considered in full and without distraction."
An acting commissioner will now be selected to replace Mr Wright, ahead of a by-election to select a permanent replacement.
(MH/CD)
Mr Wright had refused to step down despite growing calls for him to do so in the wake of a report on the extent of child abuse in Rotherham between 1997 and 2005.
Mr Rotherham was head of child services in the town from 2005 to 2010.
In a statement, Mr Wright said: "My role as South Yorkshire Police and Crime Commissioner has clearly become prominent in terms of public opinion and media coverage following the publication of Professor Alexis Jay's report.
"This is detracting from the important issue, which should be everybody's focus - the 1,400 victims outlined in the report - and in providing support to victims and bringing to justice the criminals responsible for the atrocious crimes committed against them.
"With this in mind, I feel that it is now right to step down... for the sake of those victims, for the sake of the public of South Yorkshire and to ensure that the important issues outlined in the report about tackling child sexual exploitation can be discussed and considered in full and without distraction."
An acting commissioner will now be selected to replace Mr Wright, ahead of a by-election to select a permanent replacement.
(MH/CD)
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