A veteran Scotland Yard detective has accused the Metropolitan Police of deceiving Mayor Sadiq Khan about the extent of grooming gangs operating in London.

Bernadette Murray claimed the force lacks basic knowledge about such criminal networks due to systematic data mismanagement.

Bernadette Murray, who served 32 years with the Met, alleges the force routinely provides false information to the Mayor’s office.

“I know that the Metropolitan Police lie to Mr Khan, that’s what they do,” she told the Daily Express.

The whistle-blower insists the Met cannot accurately report on grooming gang activity because of fundamental failures in recording and tracking cases involving vulnerable children.

“They don’t even know what grooming gangs they’ve got. They are not trying to find them,” Ms Murray stated.

Murray’s concerns originated in 2010 whilst working with a multi-agency unit in Haringey, established following the tragic deaths of Victoria Climbié and Baby P.

She discovered that child safeguarding reports were being rejected by the Child Abuse Investigation Team and vanishing without trace.

The former detective uncovered a practice called “locking-up” where crime reports were concealed within the Home Office Crime Reporting Information System, accessible only to select senior officers.

One such hidden report involved a three-year-old discovered abandoned in a Wood Green gutter, potentially a trafficking victim.

In another disturbing case, Murray found that officers had directed social workers to place a 10-year-old girl back with a man identified as a “pimp” who had attacked her mother and was suspected of prison drug smuggling.

Murray compiled a comprehensive 50-page dossier documenting the concealment of crime reports, which she submitted for review by then-Assistant Commissioner Mark Rowley.

She argued that hiding reports containing child safeguarding concerns was indefensible.

LATEST DEVELOPMENTS

• London council to consider branding ‘Operation Raise the Colours’ flag-hoisters ‘far-right extremists’
• ‘Disgusting’ pro-Palestine protests to strike UK universities on two-year anniversary of October 7 Hamas attacks
• Economy warning as UK risks £600BILLION stock market exodus to Wall Street

However, Sir Mark concluded he did “not accept that locking a CRIS is a dangerous practice”, adding that such measures were acceptable when implemented “in appropriate circumstances” with “robust supervision”.

He supported the Child Abuse Investigation Team’s conduct in the specific case Murray had raised.

The former detective claims this ruling effectively sanctioned what she considered corrupt practices.

She warned that concealing such reports had grave implications, preventing coroners from properly evaluating the risks children faced before their deaths.

Murray claims that when she reported standards had actually declined rather than improved, no meaningful action followed.

She said: “My understanding is they didn’t put anything in place [to change things], they just moved officers around.”

When questioned about whether Khan realised he was receiving misleading information, Murray responded: “Well, his auditors certainly told [him] that they were being lied to in my situation.”

Reacting to the news, Leader of the London Conservatives Susan Hall told GB News she was “mortified”, accusing Labour of “putting their fingers in their ears whole young girls were being groomed”.

She said: “Sadiq Khan should have been out there thoroughly investigating. It’s diabolical and I was disgusted to read this.”

A Metropolitan Police spokesperson said: “The Metropolitan Police Service (MPS) takes all allegations of sexual offences and exploitation extremely seriously.

“We are clear that we will investigate any allegation where there is sufficient evidence of an offence having taken place and where we are the appropriate authority to do so.

“We acknowledge the concerns raised regarding child safeguarding practices in Haringey between 2010 and 2012.

“These matters were referred to the Department for Professional Standards and reviewed in detail, with an internal finding of no operational failings in the cases identified.

“We take all safeguarding concerns seriously and remain committed to protecting vulnerable children and ensuring accountability in our practices.

“While historical reviews have highlighted areas for improvement, we continue to strengthen our systems, training, and oversight to uphold safeguarding standards across all units.

“The Met encourages staff to raise concerns through appropriate channels and is committed to supporting transparency and integrity in all aspects of our work.”

A spokesman for the Mayor of London said: “The safety of Londoners is a top priority for the Mayor and nowhere is this more true than in safeguarding children.

“Sadiq is doing everything within his power to protect children in the capital from abuse, violence and exploitation in all its forms.

“The Mayor will continue to support and challenge the Met and key partners to build a safer London for everyone – where no child is left unprotected.”