Sir Sadiq Khan is facing renewed pressure over his previous remarks on grooming gangs in London after the Metropolitan Police identified more than 4,000 potential child sexual exploitation cases that may now be reopened.
The figures, first reported by The Daily Telegraph, emerged after Scotland Yard reviewed around 12,000 allegations of child sexual exploitation dating back to 2010.
Around a third of those cases have now been marked for possible reinvestigation after earlier decisions by police or the Crown Prosecution Service to take no further action.
Sir Sadiq had previously said there was “no indication” of grooming gangs operating in the capital.
During an appearance before the London Assembly Police and Crime Committee in January 2025, the Mayor repeatedly avoided giving a direct answer when questioned by Conservative member Susan Hall about the scale of grooming gangs in London.
When asked how many rape gangs were active in the capital, Sir Sadiq repeatedly pressed Ms Hall to explain exactly what she meant.
At a later hearing, he said: “My understanding from speaking to the police… is there are no reported cases and also no indication of the grooming gangs she is concerned about in London.”
Those remarks sparked accusations of a cover-up, with victims claiming the Mayor was dismissing their experiences.
The review comes after Baroness Louise Casey published her landmark report into group-based child sexual exploitation, which found the justice system had failed victims for decades.
Her findings led to the National Crime Agency launching Operation Beaconport, a nationwide review of cases that may have been closed too soon.
The Met has now passed all 4,000 flagged cases to the NCA, which is expected to decide in the coming weeks how many will be formally reopened.
In places like South Yorkshire and Greater Manchester, offenders in several high-profile grooming gang cases have largely been Pakistani Muslim men.
However, London’s cases are believed to involve a wider mix of suspects and include abuse within families, online exploitation and face-to-face offending.
Ms Hall called the findings “utterly disgraceful”.
“It has been like getting blood out of a stone,” she said.
She added that the scale of the review should force people to face the true extent of the abuse.
“The resistance I have encountered has been completely unacceptable. When you look at the number of cases under review, you have to realise that’s 4,000 young girls subjected to horrific abuse.”
A spokesperson for Sir Sadiq rejected claims of any cover-up, saying the Mayor welcomed the review and had made clear that “no stone should be left unturned”.
City Hall also pointed to £2.4 million announced last November to fund specialist support for survivors of child sexual exploitation.
Met Commissioner Mark Rowley has warned the force will need extra officers and resources if new investigations are launched, noting police already deal with around 2,000 sexual offences every month.
Deputy Assistant Commissioner Kevin Southworth urged victims and survivors to come forward, saying they “will be listened to and supported.”
