IPCC Deputy Chair Rachel Cerfontyne said: “The independent report into child sexual exploitation in Rotherham highlighted appalling sexual abuse of young, vulnerable children and the apparent failure of a range of public services to tackle it. The scale of alleged abuse and the suggestion that evidence about it was suppressed is shocking.

“Of particular interest to the IPCC, the report raised serious and troubling concerns about the action or inaction of South Yorkshire Police when dealing with the reported abuse over a number of years. As a result we are writing to the Chief Constable to advise him of the IPCC’s expectation that any evidence of failures or misconduct by South Yorkshire Police officers should be referred to us. It would then be for the IPCC to assess the information to determine whether an investigation is required and, if so, how it should be investigated.”