Detectives reveal murder of Muslim grandfather, 75, could have been racially-motivated as CCTV showing white man running away is released
- Father-of-seven Mohammed Saleem Chaudhry stabbed in the back
- Police reveal CCTV footage showing man running from the scene
- Respected member of community was taking just short walk home
|
A 75-year-old man stabbed to death yards from his home could have been targeted in a racially motivated attack, according to police.
Father-of-seven Mohammed Saleem, who used a walking stick, was stabbed three times in the back as he returned home from prayers at his local mosque in Small Heath, Birmingham, on Monday night.
The blows were struck with such violence they penetrated to the front of his body.
Scroll down for video
CCTV still of a man running near where Small Heath pensioner Mohammed Saleem was found stabbed to death
Respected member of the community: Mohammed
Saleem Chaudhry, 75 who was stabbed to death in Small Heath, Birmingham,
and a man caught on CCTV running away from the scene
Officers released the footage of this man and are urging the public for help to identify him
Officers now want to trace a white man, aged 25 to 32, of medium height and build, spotted on CCTV footage running near the scene of the attack around the time it happened just before 10.30pm.
Police also want to trace a seven-seat people carrier captured on CCTV, driving near the mosque with the two male occupants, both white men in their 30s, who are considered 'significant witnesses'.
In an emotional family appeal today, two of Mr Saleem's daughters Shazia Khan, 45, and Nazia Maqsood, 44, called for the attacker to hand themselves in.
Wanted: CCTV still of a seven-seat people carrier (left) driving near the mosque
It is believed the two male occupants - both white men in their 30s - may be significant witnesses into the death
Shazia Khan (left) and Nazia Maqsood (right) attend a press conference at Lloyd House Police Headquarters
Grieving: Mr Chaudhry's daughters appeal for witnesses following the stabbing of their father
They tearfully described their father as a 'widely respected member of the community' and 'much-loved father'.Mr Payne said the possibility it was a racially-motivated attack was 'a significant line of inquiry' and a large number of detectives were working on the case.
'To the attacker I say we will find you and we will bring you to justice,' he said.
Racially motivated? Detectives have launched a murder inquiry after 75-year-old Mohammed
Saleem Chaudhry was stabbed to death in this lane in Small Heath,
Birmingham
Police officers were called by the ambulance service to Little Green
Lane, in the Small Heath area of the city, shortly after 10.30pm on Monday, after
reports the pensioner had suffered serious injuries
The scene in Little Green lane with the junction of Arsenal Street,
Small Heath, Birmingham, where a highly respected member of the community was stabbed to death
Detectives said they believe Mr Saleem was subjected to a swift attack and one that left him no time to try and defend himself.
They are still trying to understand a motive for the fatal stabbing, a force spokesman said.
A joint family statement read during a press conference at West Midlands Police headquarters described Mr Saleem as 'a much-loved and respected community member'.
It said: 'We can’t express our feelings of sadness and devastation. It’s hard to accept that our beloved father and grandfather has been taken from us in such a brutal way.
'If anyone has their suspicions about who may have been responsible, or overhears anyone talking about the attack, please don’t hold that information back. Pick up the phone and let the police know... we beg you.'
They are still trying to understand a motive for the fatal stabbing, a force spokesman said.
A joint family statement read during a press conference at West Midlands Police headquarters described Mr Saleem as 'a much-loved and respected community member'.
It said: 'We can’t express our feelings of sadness and devastation. It’s hard to accept that our beloved father and grandfather has been taken from us in such a brutal way.
'If anyone has their suspicions about who may have been responsible, or overhears anyone talking about the attack, please don’t hold that information back. Pick up the phone and let the police know... we beg you.'
The stabbing happened in Little Green Lane in Small Heath, two miles from Birmingham city centre
'When we got there, he was rushed away at once, and then the doctors came out and told us that there was nothing they could do. It was the worst night of my life. Our world fell apart, my aunt is devastated.
'We can't understand why anyone would want to hurt Mohammed. He is a real family man and would never do anything to hurt anyone.
'I have no idea why he was attacked - he was just a defenceless old man, walking on his own, late at night. This is a very tightly knit community, and everyone has been rocked by the news. I just hope whoever did this will be brought to justice.'
He lived with his wife, Said Begum, in a terraced house off Little Green Lane, just yards from where he was stabbed.
His daughter, Shazia Khan, said he was returning from evening prayers at the nearby mosque when he was attacked and stabbed four times in the back.
Speaking outside her father's address, Mrs Khan, who travelled up from London, said: 'We're just so shocked - for him to lose his life in such a brutal way.
'It's very tragic. He was very well-respected in the community. He's such a lovely man. I just can't believe it. Everyone, old and young, knew him.
'Neighbours have told us they heard screams and called for an ambulance. It's thought he may have tried to fight off his attacker.'
She said the father of seven and grandfather of 22 used to walk to the mosque five times each day.
He had lived at the property off Little Green Lane with his wife for some 25 years and used to work at the RHM Bakery, which is now a Morrisons supermarket, before retiring some years ago, his daughter added.
'We just hope the police find who did this. It was him today, it could be someone else tomorrow.
'To kill a defenceless old man who had a walking stick - well, it's just terrible.'
Tragic: Shazia Khan, daughter of murder victim Mohanned Saleem, who was stabbed to death
VIDEO CCTV appeal in 75-year-old's murder
VIDEO Police investigate murder of pensioner outside his home
tragic
and terrible ,sympathy to the family. This is frightening. What is
becoming of this country when you can't even walk home in safety.
Report abuse
Wow....
what hard tough men.... NOT!
The pictures are so blurry it may be hard to identify them but someone
must know something - it takes a pathetic cowardly individual to stab a
disabled man in the back :-(
As
a child growing up in London I was mugged often and beaten up twice.
ALWAYS by groups of black youths. The assumption it was racially
motivated never arose, why here?
i wish there was a place where we can send all the terrorists,racists,sickos etc.so normal people can live in peace.hell? maybe
This is very tragic, but just because it was a white person running away doesn't make it racially motivated.
These Islamaphobic killings need to be highlighted and brought to the publics attention. Absolutely shocking
find him and hang him! what a sick pathetic COWARD of a criminal to stab an elderly man in the back!
This
is what happens when the media fuels so much hatred towards Muslims.
The media has a responsability to not escalate hatred towards a
community, a faith. It saddens me so much. Rather then focusing on the
negative traits of a group of sick individuals who happen to be Muslim,
why not also remind people of those who are respectable people and who
do good. There is bad and good everywhere. Tolerance ad acceptance for
differences. Peace and respect are essential.
Yeah
what a big brave man he is stabbing a 75 year old man. What a horrible
way to die after living for 75 years. This man was born in 1938 what was
happening in the world in 1938? He lived through World War 2 as a
child, think of all the memories he would have shared with his family.
Only to be stabbed to death - and for what? Whoever that murderer is, he
is no longer a person to me. Not brave, not even a coward - he's just
evil.
Hope they find this person ASAP
Lots
of guessing going on here. Who says this is a Islamaphobic killing, and
who says the running man is white? Yet another horrible and cowardly
crime though and my thoughts are with the family. But wait till we know
more before being so judgmental.
Once again, rich councils and the well-funded Home Office can't put money into high-definition security systems.
Thank God for CCTV. Right. Who recognises him?
These
Islamaphobic killings need to be highlighted and brought to the publics
attention. Absolutely shocking
- Jonathan Carter , Berkshire, 02/5/2013 13:53--------------just because
he was Muslim, that in no way says it is racial. It is quite possible
it could have come from another Muslim sect. It happens daily in Iraq ,
Afghanistan and Pakistan. Iraqis, Afghans and Pakistanis and others live
in Britain. Let's wait until we learn more before we jump to a
conclusion.
These
Islamaphobic killings need to be highlighted and brought to the publics
attention. Absolutely shocking
- Jonathan Carter , Berkshire, 02/5/2013 13:53
And where is the evidence that it is racially motivated? Just because a
white man/black man etc kills another man of different colour means
nothing in itself stop jumping to conclusions you have no proof for.
That said I hope they catch whoever did it and throw the book at them ,
attacking OAP's/Kids is just pathetic and they should be strung up.
How
can anyone looking at that CCTV footage have any idea that man is
white? Even the police say only they believe him to be a white male,
wait before jumping to conclusions, racial hatred is only of many
possible reasons.
"Racial",
is this the only crime the Police deal with!, reality is it could have
been a mugging of a old man in a crime ridden part of the Country!
These Islamaphobic killings need to be highlighted and brought to the publics attention. Absolutely shocking
- Jonathan Carter , Berkshire, 02/5/2013 13:
What Islamic killings are not being reported?
Ridiculous comment!
These
Islamaphobic killings need to be highlighted and brought to the publics
attention. Absolutely shocking
- Jonathan Carter , Berkshire, 02/5/2013 13:53
What Islamphobic killings, if theres loads than highlight them here.
Use google and paste a few of the killings here on this comments page.
My
condolences go out to his wife and family, he looked a respectful
gentleman who did not deserve to die. I hope the police catch the
coward who did this, but as usual will get a lenient sentence and be
back on the streets!!!!!!
Sounds
like a "mafia-type" hit. Someone new where he was going to be. The
police should investigate people who have animosity towards his family..
TOLERANCE - a word and action not used often enough nowadays
Sorry for the tragic loss. I hope he comes and haunts the killer
so
sad and heartbreaking! whoever did this is a monster and should get
life in prison! but we all know that's not likely because his human
rights will probably overrule the crime...
we
should all live in peace, the country needs to bring back the death
sentence... potential murderers, child rapists etc will be deterred from
doing the crimes, its bloody common sense
Sympathies with Mohammed's family, absolutely despicable act of cowardliness and most definitely racially motivated.
"Just because it was a white person running away doesn't make it racially motivated"????
Do me a favour!......IF it was a "White Man" and only IF then it's highly likely that it WAS racially motivated
Wake up and smell the coffee dear!
They guy running away seems to be dressed like a typical EDL member you see at their rallies.
Looks like a Racist attack to me.
Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2318229/Mohammed-Saleem-Chaudhry-murder-racially-motivated-CCTV-showing-white-man-running-away-released.html#ixzz2SAkvkhDc
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Mosque Blasts: Ukrainian Student Pleads Guilty
By David Crabtree, Midlands Correspondent | Sky News – 4 hours agoView PhotoMosque Blasts: Ukrainian Student Pleads Guilty
A Ukrainian man has pleaded guilty to murdering a
Muslim pensioner and plotting to carry out a string of explosions near
mosques.
He also admitted causing an explosion on July 12 near the Kanzal Iman mosque in Tipton, and engaging in conduct in preparation of terrorist acts between April 24 and July 18 this year.
This included planting bombs near mosques in Walsall and Wolverhampton, researching locations to plant bombs and buying chemicals on the internet to make explosives.
Lapshyn, who arrived in the country only five days before the killing, later told police: "I have a racial hatred, so I have a motivation, a racial motivation and racial hatred."
The 25-year-old will be sentenced on Friday.
The Ukrainian was in the UK on a sponsored work placement at a software firm in the Small Heath area of Birmingham when he was arrested on suspicion of Mr Saleem's murder nearby on July 20.
The father-of-seven was stabbed three times yards from his house on April 29, which prompted an outpouring of grief from the community.
While Lapshyn remained at large, he plotted the planting of devices near three mosques. With each attack the homemade bombs, with timing devices, became ever more powerful.
In the attack on the mosque in Tipton, Lapshyn loaded the device with nails. Luckily no one was injured.
The bomb exploded at 1pm, the time worshippers would normally be at Friday prayers. Because of Ramadan the prayers were put back to 2pm and police said this may have saved a lot of people from death or serious injury.
No one was injured by any of the explosions.
The self-radicalised racist believed that a series of explosions would spread more panic and fear.
In police interviews he said: "I would like to increase racial conflit ... because they are not white and I am white."
Police trawled through thousands of hours of CCTV to track Lapshyn's movements.
When he was arrested, bomb-making equipment, including chemicals components from mobile phones were found at his flat.
Detective Superintendent Shaun Edwards said: "The words of the interviewing officers were calm, calculated and committed.
"He is a man with hatred of non-white people, coupled together with his skills in relation to creating bombs and actually being in the country for five days and to murder someone.
"From his premises he had other devices, other components of devices. He could have carried on with his campaign. If it wasn't for that intervention at the time he was arrested, this could have been much worse."
Speaking outside court, Mr Saleem's daughter Shazia Khan said it was "a relief not to have to sit through a long and tedious trial and listen to horrific details of this violent crime".
"Our dad was a lovely, kind man who left prayers for the last time that night. He did not do anything to deserve this horrific killing other than being a Muslim.
"He was targeted simply because of his faith. His beard and his clothing represented who he was. Pavlo chose to kill him that night with only that intention in mind.
"Hopefully he will get the sentence that he deserves and he will never be able to commit crimes like this again."
She added that when she saw Lapshyn in court, she pitied him: "We just looked at him and we felt pity. He looked pathetic. He looked frightened and stressed."
Home Secretary Theresa May said: "This is a satisfying outcome to a highly distressing case where Pavlo Lapshyn's hatred has robbed a family of a loved one and attempted to cause fear and division within our communities.
"I pay tribute to the work of West Midlands Police in bringing the perpetrator to justice and commend the resilience of communities across the West Midlands who showed such courage in the face of these cowardly attacks."
'I stabbed my son. I was sick of him calling me old': Father jailed for life after his confession to 999 operator that he had murdered 26-year-old
- Stephen Hall, 52, killed son Keith McGlone, 26, with a kitchen knife at their home in Hull
- Given life sentence at Hull Crown Court today and said: 'I don't deserve forgiveness'
- Immediately called 999 to confess saying: 'I just flipped. I was sick of him picking on me'
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A father who murdered his son for teasing him about his age and immediately called 999 to confess, has been jailed for life.
Stephen Hall, 52, told his family he does not expect or deserve forgiveness for stabbing his son Keith McGlone, 26 with an eight inch kitchen knife.
He was today sentenced to life with a minimum of 13 years at Hull Crown Court.
Hall was preparing a meal at his home in Hull in January when he stabbed his son twice in the chest, despite Mr McGlone begging: 'Dad please don't' after the first blow.
Stephen Hall, 52, (right) said he stabbed his
26-year-old son (left) because he was fed up with being picked on and
called an 'old man'
Hall became aggravated after being teased by his son and stabbed him in his chest and abdomen.
The court heard that Hall walked outside with the knife in his hand, and shouted: 'What are you looking at?' to his neighbours.
He is believed to have gone back into his house, before coming outside and asking for help, before dialling 999.
He told 999 operator Louise Robinson he had put the knife in the sink after the stabbing.
The details of the call have been released by police.
The call records Hall telling the operator: 'I've just stabbed my son.
'I don't know if he's alive or dead. I stabbed him in the living room and now he's in the bathroom.
'I said summat and he argued with me and then, all of a sudden, I just flipped.
'I was sick of him always picking on me and calling me an old man and everything.'
The police operator kept Hall on the phone until officers and paramedics arrived at the home in January 21.
Judge Michael Mettyear said: 'Your son was loved and treasured and did not deserve to die.
'Nothing he did that night could begin to justify the use of a knife against him let alone stabbing him twice.
Scroll down to listen to the 999 call
l be sentenced todayPolice arrived at the Hull
home while Hall was still on the line to the 999 operator he confessed
to. He was sentenced to life in prison today
Details of the shocking 999 call have been released by the police. Hall says 'I've just stabbed my son' during the recorded call
Police were told that the father and son had
been overheard arguing in a pub. Mr McGlone, who has two young sons, had
moved back home to live with his father
Hall was arrested for his son's murder at his home and has since been in custody. He told police: 'I love my son.
'I love him to bits, but we could not live together.'
Father-of-two, Mr McGlone, had recently moved back in with his father.
Jonathan Sharp, prosecuting, said: 'Mr McGlone had suffered a turbulent childhood and had moved back in with his father shortly before the incident.
'An independent witness said on the night in question, he had overheard arguing between the two.
The witness heard, what he thought was the defendant's voice, saying: 'If you don't leave me alone, I will kill you'.
The witness then described hearing a younger voice, presumably the deceased, crying and saying 'Please don't, just stop.'
Defence lawyer Simon Reevell, said: 'This will be with Mr Hall for the rest of his life.
'There is only one victim in this case, and that is the deceased. If he could change places with his son then he would do it.
'Mr Hall had no explanation as to what happened on the night in question.
'He has shown genuine remorse. He didn't plead guilty at an earlier hearing as he couldn't come to terms with the concept of being guilty of murder.
'The other victims are his friends, family and Keith's mother. He is fully aware of the damage and hurt that this has led to.'
Hall had been on anti-depressants for 18 years and pleaded guilty to murder.
Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2318183/Father-jailed-life-confessing-999-operator-stabbed-son.html#ixzz2SAjytxLp
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My
son calls me old lady all the time, finds my advice old fashioned but
I'm hardly going to kill him for doing it. It doesn't bother me, he's a
good man and well brought up, when he's my age his children will do the
same to him. No excuse for killing your child!
This
is a terrible tragedy but was avoidable. Never a good idea to
relentlessly pick on someone as one day they may have had enough and
lash out.
Disgusting waste of skin. Who kills their own children? Hope he gets life.
This
operator deserves a medal for how well she dealt with this call. What a
horrible job, but credit to "Louise" for keeping calm. Tragic story.
Quite
upsetting, the guy clearly was upset after the event and maybe was just
wound up beyond belief, a fair sentence should be given here.
Lots of people suffer from depression, doesn't mean they go around stabbing people though.
That
operator deserves a medal for how perfectly she dealt with that call.
Well done Louise, it must be a horrible one some days.
Be
kind to your parents. A lot of people are condemning this man but I had
a friend at secondary school that I witnessed relentlessly picking on
her mum and it was horrible. He snapped, it could happen to anyone. I
don't feel as though anybody should be in the position to judge, I'm
sure he's suffering enough knowing that he killed his own son. If this
were about a husband endlessly bullying his wife I think the comments
would be very different. Treat people how you wish to be treated.
Why dont people respect theyre parents anymore? Bullied his own dad :/
This
is so very sad. I wonder of the Father communicated to his Son in no
uncertain terms just how badly his teasing was affecting him? The young
have no idea how people feel when they're getting older and how hurtful
these taunts can be, but there's no justification for stabbing him. It
would have been better if he'd just stormed off to the pub, or went for
a walk to calm down, then tell his Son he either stopped the taunts, or
he had to move out. His house, his rules.
Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2318183/Father-jailed-life-confessing-999-operator-stabbed-son.html#ixzz2SAl4pypd
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Bedroom Tax Blamed For Woman's Suicide
Sky News – 6 hours agoView PhotoBedroom Tax Blamed For Woman's Suicide
A woman who committed suicide left a note blaming the Government's so-called bedroom tax for her death.
Stephanie Bottrill, who killed herself earlier this month, wrote in her
final letter: "I don't [blame] anyone for me death expect [sic] the
government."Her son Steven, 27, said she was struggling to cope after being told to pay £20-a-week extra for two under-occupied bedrooms at her home in Solihull.
He told the Sunday People: "I couldn't believe it. She said not to blame ourselves, it was the Government and what they were doing that caused her to do it.
"She was fine before this bedroom tax. It was dreamt up in London, by people living in offices and big houses. They have no idea the effect it has on people like my mum."
Ms Bottrill died 10 days ago. She was 53.
In the days running up to her death she had told neighbours: "I can't afford to live any more."
Describing her case as a "tragedy", shadow chancellor Ed Balls told Sky News' Murnaghan programme the bedroom tax was "driving people to the edge of despair in their many thousands across the country".
Solihull Council Labour group leader David Jamieson, who knows the family, said: "I'm absolutely appalled this poor lady has taken her own life because she was worried how she would pay the bedroom tax.
"I hope the Government will sit up and take notice and reconsider this policy."
The bedroom tax means people of a working age in social housing who
have a spare bedroom will find housing benefit claims reduced by £40 to
£80 a month.
Ms Bottrill had lived in her £320-a-month home for 18 years as she
raised her son and daughter, but she could not cope with the extra £80
she had to find every month.Mr Bottrill said his mother wanted to work, but there was no way she could.
As a child she was diagnosed with the auto-immune system deficiency, Myasthenia gravis.
The illness made her weak and she had to take constant medication.
Doctors had told her she was too ill to hold down a job, but she had never been registered as disabled, so she lived without disability benefit.
Neighbour Rosie Hough, who used to see Ms Bottrill every day, told Sky News: "She did say some things about her problems about the rent and that, and having to find the extra money and that but I would have never have said that she was a woman who would take her own life.
"It's absolutely shocked the whole street. We just can't comprehend that she has gone."
Brian McCann, who lives a few doors away from Ms Bottrill's home, said: "We knew that the tax had affected her because the girls had all chatted in the street and she was really worried about it."
Sky's Political Correspondent Sophy Ridge said: "Downing Street isn't commenting on what it says is a personal matter but clearly this will lead to calls for the policy to be changed.
"Downing Street knows it is controversial. That's why some amendments have been made to the policy already, saying armed services personnel and foster carers won't be affected.
"Iain Duncan Smith, the Work and Pensions Secretary, has argued consistently that he thinks this policy is a fair one, but certainly I think this row is going to keep going."
The Samaritans said that "although a catalyst may appear to be obvious, suicide is never the result of a single factor or event and is likely to have several inter-related causes".
:: Anyone feeling emotionally distressed or suicidal can call the Samaritans on 08457 90 90 90 or CALM on 0800 58 58 58.
RESULT OF WESTERN CULTURAL TERRORISM, HATRED, RACISM AND OPPRESSION DESTROYING MUSLIM YOUTH IN THE UK
Sex gang victim accuses council
Press Association – 5 hours agoView PhotoZeeshan Ahmed, 27, who was convicted as part of a paedophile ring (Thames Valley …
The youngest victim of the Oxford paedophile ring has
accused Oxfordshire county council of lying about the support it has
offered to her and her family.
Police and social workers have apologised to their victims for failing to rescue the vulnerable schoolgirls who were plucked from the streets and care homes to be drugged, raped and sold into prostitution.
Two sets of brothers, Akhtar Dogar, 32, and Anjum Dogar, 31, and Mohammed Karrar, 38, and Bassam Karrar, 33, were convicted along with Kamar Jamil, 27, Assad Hussain, 32, and Zeeshan Ahmed, 27.
Two years later the council agreed to put her in a temporary care home, but by then she had fallen under the control of the gang, who plied her with crack cocaine.
In an interview with The Guardian, Girl C said: "The council put out a press release claiming they had offered wraparound care to all the girls and their families, but the first we heard from them in five years was a letter on April 13 from Jim Leivers [director for children, education and families at the council], where he says he's been 'closely involved in providing support' to me.
"That's a complete lie. My family have had no support or offers of help at all from Oxfordshire. Nothing. Not at any point. Not even a phone call. The last contact we had with the council was five whole years ago, when my mum was begging them to help her stop me go off the rails. They ignored her then and they've ignored us since."
[Related: Abuse Of Care Home Children 'Truly Horrific']
"Our offer of a meeting with Girl [C] and her family was very sincere and similar offers to the other girls have been accepted. We want to do everything we can to help all the girls rebuild their lives and our door is open to Girl [C] and her family."
Abuse Of Care Home Children 'Truly Horrific'
Sky News – Tue, Jul 3, 2012historic paedophile ring in North Wales care homes
- View PhotoAbuse Of Care Home Children 'Truly Horrific'
Children in care homes are being subjected to sexual
abuse of a "violent and sadistic nature", England's deputy children's
commissioner Sue Berelowitz has warned.
The action comes following a report published by Ms Berelowitz, which was ordered after the jailing of a sex abuse ring in May which preyed on vulnerable girls in Rochdale.
Only one of the girls was in care at the time of the abuse but all were
said to have been known to social services at some point in their
childhood.
Ms Berelowitz said her research found perpetrators come from all ethnic
groups, as do their victims, who are as young as 11 and are largely but
not exclusively girls.
Ms Berelowitz said of the abuse: "It is of a violent and sadistic nature.
"The stories that children and young people tell us are truly horrific.
"I think it's quite right and proper that the Government is paying special attention to this group of children as the state is their parent and therefore we have a special duty of care to children who are under care orders of one kind or another."
Mr Loughton said three steps of immediate action would be taken.
Although police figures show that an estimated 10,000 children go
missing from care every year, the Government's official data recorded
only 930 children disappearing.
More will also be done to make sure children are sent to homes closer to where they are from.
Mr Loughton said there were currently clusters of children's homes in
certain areas, particularly coastal resorts like Margate in Kent, and in
his own constituency in Worthing, West Sussex.
Ministers also want to see the quality and effectiveness of children's homes improving by making inspections tougher.
He said: "We are talking about a very vulnerable group of children.
"Children who come into care should expect a degree of safety in the care of the state.
"These reports lift the lid on very serious weaknesses in the system.
"There are good children's homes and excellent care workers but it is clear
that far too many of the most vulnerable children in society are being exposed
to harm and danger.
"It is completely unacceptable that existing rules are simply being
ignored and that frankly, some local authorities and homes are letting
down children by failing to act as a proper parent.
Children's charity Barnardo's said 31% of the 3,500 young people it
looked after through its sexual exploitation services in the last six
years were in care.
"We need to be sure that by clustering vulnerable children together in
certain areas of England we are not putting already desperate children
in even greater danger of being preyed upon.
"However, action is also needed to protect those children in care now."
- Related stories
- Rochdale Grooming Case Is 'Tip Of Iceberg'
- Grooming Trial: Child Sex Gang Members Jailed
- Second 'Sex Grooming' Inquiry In Rochdale
