Barrow victim tells GB News ‘I was arrested and silenced’ in HORROR rape gang ordeal: ‘I was taken off the street in broad daylight’

Her testimony reveals a disturbing pattern of abuse that began in her early teens and continued for years, despite attempts to alert authorities.

The case highlights serious concerns about how reports of sexual exploitation are handled by police and social services.

"I was subjected in Cumbria, Barrow-in-Furness, I was taken off the streets in broad daylight, I was drugged, I was held hostage in takeaways", Reynolds told GB News.

"It was multiple gang rapes over the space of five years. It was a living nightmare, it really was. I have no idea how I got out of it."

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She described how care workers had suspicions about her situation but were unable to intervene effectively.

The systematic abuse continued as she remained trapped in a cycle of exploitation and fear.

Reynolds attempted to report the crimes to police on 3 March 2018, but found herself arrested the following day.

"I went to the police and tried to do so on 3 March 2018, I found myself arrest on 4 March 2018," she said.

The accusation of blackmail against her was eventually dropped after a three-year legal battle.

"That case went on for three years. I was acquitted. I feel like I tried to reach out to authorities but I was pretty much silenced."

Reynolds believes her arrest was an effort to prevent her from speaking out.

Reynolds revealed that her abusers were eventually jailed after "14 years of getting away with it".

"From my personal point of view, if the authorities had listened it could have been stopped a lot sooner", she said.

One of her abusers, 'Saj' Miah, has now been convicted of more than 40 sexual offences.

Despite authorities recently offering to reopen her case, Reynolds remains sceptical.

"They are saying they will reopen it, but I have no faith in them. Going to the authorities put me more at risk."

Reynolds' case comes amid growing concerns about child grooming across the UK.

The NSPCC reports that police forces recorded more than 7,000 online grooming crimes in 2023/24, an increase of 89 per cent since 2017/18.

Chief Constable Catherine Roper of Wiltshire Police recently warned that children are at risk of being groomed regardless of where they live.

"We need to accept that tragically children and young people are being groomed across all areas, urban and rural," she said.

She has urged the public to trust police with information about potential grooming cases.

Home Secretary Yvette Cooper has denied accusations that the government is "watering down" its response to tackling child grooming gangs.

"No, completely the opposite. What we're doing is increasing the action we're taking on this vile crime," Cooper told Sky News.

Earlier this year, Cooper announced plans for "victim-centred, locally-led inquiries" in five areas including Oldham.

More recently, safeguarding minister Jess Phillips indicated local authorities would be able to access a £5m fund to support work they wanted to carry out.