AI Revolutionises Grooming Gang Investigations as Police Target Cold Cases Across England and Wales

Published: 06 July ‘2025. The English Chronicle Desk

In a major technological breakthrough for UK law enforcement, police forces across England and Wales investigating grooming gangs will now have access to advanced artificial intelligence tools designed to expedite complex investigations and reopen cold cases involving some of the country’s most disturbing crimes. The move represents a significant step forward in efforts to deliver justice for survivors of child sexual exploitation and to hold perpetrators accountable.

The AI technology, which has already been deployed in 13 police forces, is credited with saving more than £20 million and over 16,000 hours of investigative work. The applications are capable of translating large volumes of text in foreign languages—particularly useful in examining data from seized mobile phones—and of scanning extensive digital records to detect patterns, link evidence, and identify associations between suspects.

The tools are being introduced as part of a £426,000 investment in the Tackling Organised Exploitation (TOEX) programme, which supports officers dealing with complex crimes such as modern slavery, county lines drug trafficking, and sexual exploitation of minors. This initiative directly responds to recommendations made by Baroness Louise Casey, who called for a national review of historic grooming gang cases and the modernisation of police information systems.

Under the new operation, more than 1,200 previously closed cases of child sexual exploitation will be revisited using AI-powered analysis, with hopes that the technology will uncover missed links or overlooked evidence that could lead to prosecutions or renewed investigations.

Safeguarding Minister Jess Phillips underlined the gravity of the issue, calling the crimes committed by grooming gangs among “the most horrific” in the UK. “We must punish perpetrators, provide justice for victims and survivors, and protect today’s children from harm,” she stated. “Baroness Casey flagged the need to upgrade police information systems to improve investigations and safeguard children at risk. Today we are investing in these critical tools.”

The integration of AI into frontline investigations also reflects a broader strategy within UK policing to enhance digital capabilities in the face of increasingly complex criminal networks. Experts say that in cases involving grooming gangs—where victims are often manipulated over long periods and evidence is buried across digital platforms—AI can drastically reduce time-consuming manual work and bring new clarity to tangled data sets.

While some privacy and civil liberties campaigners have raised concerns about AI’s use in policing, officials emphasise that the tools will be used with strict oversight, and that their application in reopening child exploitation cases is both necessary and overdue.

This development signals a new chapter in the UK’s fight against grooming gangs and marks a promising step towards ensuring that even long-cold cases may yet yield justice for survivors.