“‘My reports were wiped’: Rotherham survivor says grooming reports she made to the police were wiped in error

For many survivors the NCA revelations have reopened old wounds - and for one woman, who cannot be named for legal reasons, they tear them wide open.

She said the mistakes described by the NCA echo what happened to her decades ago, when the statements she made about her abuser were wiped from police systems.

“My statements were wiped from the system”

She first reported her abuse to South Yorkshire Police in 2003, believing officers would act on her statement about her abuser.

“I was told my statement would be kept on the system and I’d be contacted if anyone else came forward, so I went home thinking someone would reach out about him,” she said.

But she was never contacted by police again.

It was only in 2020, when Operation Stovewood - the National Crime Agency’s investigation into historic child sexual exploitation - was underway, that she decided to contact police herself.

“I was never contacted by police - I had to reach out myself, only to find my statements had been wiped from the system,” she said.

“This was a big mistake, and a major failing.”

She was then forced to relive her experiences in detail, undergoing a video interview and revisiting locations tied to the abuse.

“It was very traumatising, I had to walk around, point out all the areas - relive it all,” she said.

“It makes me angry - I’m sure you can hear the anger in my voice now.”

After giving her new statement, she said the trauma returned in full force.

“It set off my nightmares again - I couldn’t sleep and I was on constant alert,” she explained.

“Knowing that he would have been notified about my statement was terrifying. I had to protect and safeguard myself all over again and my work life, home life, mental health, all struggled.”

Psychologists say that trauma can trigger dissociative amnesia, a coping mechanism that blocks out distressing memories.

“It’s almost lucky I can remember it, because many people might have blocked out such awful memories. Even 20 years later, it never left me,” she said.

“He died before he could face trial”

The man accused of abusing her, Hemenderjit “Sonny” Singh-Bal, died in August 2023 before his trial could take place.

He had been charged in 2022 with abusing four teenage girls, including her, between 1996 and 1999.

Singh-Bal faced 17 charges - including rape, indecent assault, false imprisonment, and assault.

“This was my chance to speak,” she said at the time.

“But now I can never get justice because he is dead.”

Her first reports to South Yorkshire Police in 2000 and 2003 were both marked “no further action.”

She believes that if her statements hadn’t been wiped, she might have seen her abuser brought to justice and gained the closure of knowing he was guilty in the eyes of the law.

The woman said that her main concern is for others who may miss out on the justice she hoped for.

“I’m worried other people have missed out on justice - or could miss out, the way I have,” she said.

“Something needs to change - if it weren’t for reaching out myself, I’d still be waiting now. That is unacceptable.”

“Measures need to be taken to punish any man, woman, or child that does such a thing.”

The survivor is also determined to challenge the racist narratives that have surrounded discussions of grooming gangs.

“It’s not about race,” she said.

“Measures need to be taken to punish any man, woman, or child that does such a thing. It is not always a person with a specific skin colour, like some people like to say.”

She said she wanted people to understand that these crimes could happen to anyone and that the focus should be on holding offenders accountable, not on stereotypes.

More than anything, she wants change.

“Something like this should never happen again,” she said.

“If it weren’t for me speaking up, nothing would have been done. That’s not justice.”

What Jess Phillips says

She has recently reached out to MP Jess Phillips, calling for parliamentary attention to systemic police failures in handling sexual abuse and grooming cases.

“I’m very passionate about having my say because it is so important, policing needs to change in general, something needs to be done,” she said.

Jess Phillips responded to her experience, saying: “The grooming gangs scandal was one of the darkest moments in this country’s history.

“This Government initiated this national policing operation to track down the evil child rapists that perpetrated these crimes and put them behind bars where they belong.

“There will be no hiding place for those who abused the most vulnerable in our society.”

The road to reform

South Yorkshire Police and Rotherham Council were heavily criticised in the aftermath of the Jay Report (2014), which exposed widespread child sexual exploitation and institutional failures that allowed abuse to continue unchecked for years.

The survivor told The Star said: “It was a major failing, and every day it’s in my face in the news and media. How can I move on when I know the police failed in that way?”

“I want people to be angry at the system, not sorry,” she said.

South Yorkshire Police was contacted for comment.

A spokesperson said: “We recognise our handling of CSE fell considerably short of the required standard during this period and for that we are deeply sorry.

“We have worked tirelessly since the publication of the Jay Report to listen to victims and survivors, to learn and to improve our approach and understanding.

“Of course, this will not right the wrongs of the past or change the outcome in this case, but we commit to learn from it and provide the highest standard of care to ensure we support victims effectively in the future.”

If you have concerns about child exploitation, or think you are being exploited, report it to South Yorkshire Police by calling 101, using live chat, or their online portal.

Confidential support is also available through independent agencies listed at southyorkshire.police.uk/find-out/stop-exploitation.