UPDATED: Essex Police investigates handling of 30 cases of alleged child abuse: 12 officers on restricted duties

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A total of 30 investigations have been referred to the Independent Police Complaints Commission.

They include rape allegations and sex abuse against “very young” children.

It is believed to be the largest investigation into failings at Essex Police in modern times.

12 officers have been reprimanded including one suspension and 11 who have been moved to other departments and put on restricted duties.

All the reports were made between March 2011 and November 2014 and fundamental errors were only picked up when a new person took over the public protection command in September.

The errors were made by the North Child Abuse Investigation Team which covers victims from Colchester, Tendring, Chelmsford, Braintree, Maldon and Uttlesford.

Deputy Chief Constable Derek Benson said there had been failings with “supervision, quality of investigation and timescale”.

The IPCC will investigate whether some children continued to be abused as a result of the failings to properly investigate the allegations by the force.

Norfolk Police has taken over the investigations.

The IPCC will investigate the failings.

A new team has been installed to investigate future allegations of child sex abuse in Essex.

UPDATE 1.45PM:

SERIOUS questions need to be asked about what has happened at Essex Police, according to the IPCC commissioner for Essex Mary Cunneen.

Allegations include child sex trafficking not being investigated and a police officer fraudulently signing a statement.

The IPCC is managing an investigation being conducted by Norfolk and Suffolk Police’s joint Professional Standards Department.

It follows an internal review by Essex Police.

Commissioner Cunneen said the investigation includes whether children were properly safeguarded, why investigations did not progress properly including not arresting suspects and why cases were not referred to the Crown Prosecution Service.

There are 28 investigations being looked at together and two others related to this which are looking into the conduct of five officers from the same child abuse investigation team.

These investigations include an allegation an Essex police officer fraudulently signed a complainant’s statement and an investigation into Essex police’s response to reports a girl was allegedly the victim of child sexual exploitation.

UPDATE 2PM:

THE head of Essex Police has apologised for its failings when investigating child sex abuse.

Chief Constable Stephen Kavanagh issued a statement after the failings were uncovered as well as a list of what was being done in the future to stop the same thing happening again.

He said: “I was very disappointed to learn of this and I am now determined we find out exactly what has happened and to rectify things quickly, not least for the victims.

“The force is working hard to put in place new systems to stop this from happening again.

“If individuals have failed in their duties then they will be held to account.”

A special telephone line has been set up for victims worried about how child abuse investigations have been handled.

The number is 01245 282103.