A coroner has delivered a damning verdict, ruling that systemic failures by a National Health Service trust contributed to the death of a vulnerable young woman who endured horrific sexual abuse at the hands of the Rochdale grooming gang.
The victim, who cannot be named for legal reasons, took her own life in 2021 after what Senior Coroner Joanne Kearsley described as 'significant and prolonged' sexual exploitation during her childhood.
A Life Overshadowed by Trauma
The inquest heard harrowing details of how the woman's life was fundamentally shaped by the abuse she suffered. Despite being identified as a victim of child sexual exploitation, she was failed by the very systems meant to protect her.
Coroner Kearsley identified multiple critical failings by Greater Manchester Mental Health Trust, stating that the care provided 'did not adequately assess or manage the acute high risk she presented'.
Hospital's 'Missed Opportunities'
The coroner's report highlighted several specific failures:
- Inadequate risk assessment following a previous suicide attempt
- Failure to properly consider her traumatic background when planning care
- Lack of appropriate follow-up and monitoring after discharge
- Poor communication between different healthcare teams
Most tragically, the court heard that the victim had been removed from a hospital ward just days before her death, despite exhibiting clear signs of being at high risk.
Systemic Failures Exposed
This case represents another dark chapter in the Rochdale grooming scandal, which saw numerous young girls systematically abused between 2008 and 2010. While nine men were convicted in 2012 for their roles in the exploitation ring, the lasting impact on survivors continues to emerge.
The coroner emphasised that the mental health trust's failures 'more than minimally contributed' to the victim's death. She has now issued a prevention of future deaths report, demanding urgent improvements to protect other vulnerable patients.
A spokesperson for Greater Manchester Mental Health NHS Foundation Trust offered 'sincere condolences' to the woman's family and stated they are 'carefully considering the coroner's findings'.
