One of the most horrific aspects of the Rotherham abuse story

A report has laid bare the horrific scale and extent of sexual exploitation children experienced in Rotherham over a 16-year period.

An independent report commissioned by the town's borough council found 1,400 children were abused between 1997 and 2013.

Roger Stone, leader of the council since 2003, has stepped down after the report, by Professor Alexis Jay, was published.

Prof Jay said victims were treated "with contempt" by police throughout the period.

The report describes the appalling abuse victims experienced, including being doused with petrol and being threatened with being set alight; trafficked to other towns; girls as young as 11 being raped by multiple men and other children being forced to watch.

One of the most horrifying aspects of the report is that the true scale of the abuse may never be known.

"No one knows the true scale of child sexual exploitation in Rotherham over the years. Our conservative estimate is that approximately 1,400 children were sexually exploited over the full inquiry period, from 1997 to 2013," Professor Jay writes.

"This abuse is not confined to the past but continues to this day."

• Report author Professor Alexis Jay

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