Charlene Downes: Mum of missing teenager backs calls for grooming gang investigation

Charlene, 14, has not been seen since November 1, 2003 and police believe she was murdered. During the inquiries into her disappearance, police discovered she was one of a number of girls who were sexually exploited in Blackpool.

Her mother, Karen Downes, told the BBC that she was "living in limbo" and wanted justice for her daughter, who has now been missing for more than 21 years.

It follows a similar call by campaigner Ronay Crompton, who has been campaigning on the issue for several years and was one of the leading figures seeking justice on behalf of the missing teenager.

WATCH: The Disappearance of Charlene Downes documentary on Shots! TV.

Ronay Crompton, of the Justice for Charlene Downes’ group, said: “An inquiry is needed to uncover the truth, hold those responsible to account, and finally bring justice to victims like Charlene Downes and many other vulnerable children who were exploited and failed by the very systems meant to protect them. Unlike other towns across the country, Blackpool has never had an inquiry. This has left the extent of the problem hidden in the shadows, denying victims the justice they so desperately deserve.”

After discovering that 14-year-old Charlene had been one of many young girls who were being abused by a group of takeaway owners, Blackpool Police joined forces with other agencies to set up the Awaken task force in 2004.

It continues to tackle the issue with two prosecutions in the past year, according to the annual report of the Blackpool MASA (Multi Agency Safeguarding Arrangements).

The 2023/34 report, which was presented to the council’s Children and Young People’s Scrutiny Committee last October, says: “The last year has seen the use of a range of policing tactics to disrupt exploitation activity within the Blackpool area. With regards to CSE (child sexual exploitation) there have been two key prosecutions, both examples of cases where adult males have been successfully prosecuted for sexual offences against children in the Blackpool area.”

Blackpool Council leader Lynn Williams said the council had been "successfully tackling the risk of child sexual exploitation in the town since 2004 when the multi-agency Awaken task force was set up".

However, Coun Paul Galley, leader of the Conservative opposition, says still more is needed and he is also calling for the town to be included in any future national inquiry into grooming gangs and child sexual exploitation.

He said: “While many people are aware of the shocking, high-profile cases that have occurred in Blackpool, fewer are aware of the broader scale of child sexual exploitation in our town. In 2016/2017, for example, the rate of cases in Blackpool was 1.3 per 1,000 of the population, including a number of our looked-after children.”

The hunt for Charlene saw thousands of people being spoken to by officers and almost 7,000 statements were taken.

As part of police inquiries, a man who ran a local takeaway was cleared of Charlene's murder in 2008 when a retrial collapsed due to a judge's "grave concerns" about the evidence.

The first trial had ended when a jury failed to reach a verdict.

Ronay Crompton added: “ This is not just about uncovering the past—it’s about protecting the future. Blackpool’s children deserve better. An inquiry would shine a light on the scale of this issue and lead to real change, ensuring no child has to endure what Charlene and so many others suffered.”

Watch our documentary

The Disappearance of Charlene Downes airs on Saturday 22nd Feb at 7pm, as part of Shots! TV's crime documentary weekend. You can watch on Freeview channel 262 and Freely channel 565. It can also be viewed online - The Disappearance of Charlene Downes documentary on Shots! TV