When Victims Are Treated as Offenders: What the Latest CCRC Decision Means for Safeguarding

The Criminal Cases Review Commission (CCRC) has announced that the convictions of a woman who was groomed and sexually exploited as a child have been quashed after finding compelling evidence that she had been a victim of child sexual exploitation (CSE) at the time of the offences. The Court of Appeal accepted that significant failures by public authorities meant she was unable to effectively participate in the criminal proceedings or consider potential legal defences.

While this is an important legal decision, it also serves as a stark safeguarding reminder. For many years, children and young people subjected to grooming were often viewed through the lens of criminality rather than victimhood. Behaviours such as offending, substance misuse, going missing, aggression or carrying weapons were frequently seen as choices rather than possible indicators of exploitation.

Thankfully, safeguarding practice has evolved considerably, but this case demonstrates why professionals must continue to challenge assumptions.

Looking Beyond Behaviour

Safeguarding is rarely straightforward.

Children and young people experiencing exploitation often present in ways that can feel challenging for professionals. They may appear resistant to help, become involved in criminal activity or struggle to engage with services. Without professional curiosity, these behaviours can easily become the focus instead of asking:

• What has happened to this person?

• Who may be influencing or controlling them?

• Are they making genuine choices, or are those choices being shaped through fear, coercion or manipulation?

These questions sit at the heart of trauma-informed safeguarding.

The Importance of Professional Curiosity

This case reinforces why professional curiosity remains one of the most valuable safeguarding skills.

Effective practitioners look beyond the immediate incident and consider the wider context, including:

• Patterns of missing episodes.

• Relationships with older individuals.

• Changes in behaviour or appearance.

• Fear, intimidation or coercive control.

• Online grooming and exploitation.

• Family, social and environmental factors.

No single concern may appear significant on its own, but together they can paint a very different picture.

Victims Can Also Be Suspects

One of the most significant developments in safeguarding over recent years has been recognising that individuals can simultaneously be victims of abuse and become involved in offending behaviour.

This is particularly relevant when considering:

• Child sexual exploitation (CSE)

• Child criminal exploitation (CCE)

• County lines

• Modern slavery

• Serious youth violence

• Trafficking

Safeguarding practitioners should avoid viewing these situations as either/or. Instead, they should recognise that exploitation can significantly influence a person's behaviour and decision-making.

Why Multi-Agency Working Matters

The CCRC concluded that failures by public authorities contributed to this miscarriage of justice.

Safeguarding is rarely the responsibility of one organisation alone.

Schools, colleges, police, health services, social care, youth justice, voluntary organisations and specialist services all hold different pieces of information. When those pieces are not effectively shared or connected, opportunities to identify exploitation can be missed.

Safeguarding depends upon:

• Effective information sharing.

• Professional challenge.

• Timely escalation.

• Trauma-informed practice.

• Strong safeguarding leadership.

• A culture where concerns are taken seriously.

What Organisations Should Be Asking

This case provides an opportunity for safeguarding leaders to reflect.

Ask yourself:

• Would staff recognise the signs of grooming today?

• Are policies focused on risk as well as behaviour?

• Is exploitation considered whenever someone presents with offending behaviour?

• Do professionals feel confident to challenge assumptions?

• Are safeguarding records detailed enough to identify patterns over time?

• Is contextual safeguarding embedded within organisational practice?

Final Thoughts

The quashing of these convictions cannot undo the harm experienced by the victim, however, it is another important reminder that safeguarding is about recognising exploitation before it becomes entrenched and ensuring that victims are protected rather than criminalised.

The strongest safeguarding cultures are those where professionals remain professionally curious, work collaboratively and continually ask whether behaviour may be communicating something far more significant than it first appears.

At RLB, we believe safeguarding starts with understanding the person behind the behaviour. Through training, audits, supervision and consultancy, we help organisations build the confidence and culture needed to recognise exploitation earlier, ask better questions and make safer decisions.

Resources

Read the full CCRC announcement here: Criminal Cases Review Commission announcement

First grooming gang case sent back to the courts by CCRC following Casey Report