South Yorkshire PCC Quits Over Rotherham Abuse

16 September 2014, 11:45 | Updated: 16 September 2014, 11:50

South Yorkshire's police and crime commissioner has stepped down from the role after weeks of pressure over the Rotherham sexual abuse scandal.

Shaun Wright has come under increased fire since the report because he was in charge of children's services there from 2005 to 2010.

1,400 children were sexually exploited in Rotherham over the 16 year period, predominantly by men from the Pakistani community.

She found examples of “children who had been doused in petrol and threatened with being set alight, threatened with guns, made to witness brutally-violent rapes and threatened they would be next if they told anyone''.

He initially resisted calls to resign from the likes of the Prime Minister, Home Secretary and his former party, Labour.

But in a statement released by his office, Mr Wright resigned, saying: “My role as South Yorkshire police and crime commissioner has clearly become prominent in terms of public opinion and media coverage following the publication of Professor Alexis Jay's report.

“This is detracting from the important issue, which should be everybody's focus - the 1,400 victims outlined in the report - and in providing support to victims and bringing to justice the criminals responsible for the atrocious crimes committed against them.

“With this in mind, I feel that it is now right to step down from the position of police and crime commissioner for South Yorkshire, for the sake of those victims, for the sake of the public of South Yorkshire and to ensure that the important issues outlined in the report about tackling child sexual exploitation can be discussed and considered in full and without distraction.”

Mr Wright's resignation will trigger a by-election, the date of which is yet to be determined.