The ultimate blame for this lies much further back in time, to 1990, when the Rochdale police were persuaded by a group of American fundies that there was a Satanist cult abusing children on their turf. The result was that 19 children were legally kidnapped and it took ten years for their families to clear themselves of these delusional accusations.

Now put yourself in the position of a Rochdale cop a decade later when you get ANOTHER sexual abuse gang accusation. Are you going to let yourself in for a repeat performance of making a catastrophic fool of yourself and your force?

The "Satanic Ritual Abuse" mythmakers (notably Ray Wyre) have a hell of a lot to answer for.