A POLITICIAN from East Lancashire has blasted police after it was announced an investigation into a former Greater Manchester residential school linked to the late MP Cyril Smith has been wound down.

Only one man will face trial over historic sex abuse allegations concerning Knowl House, near Rochdale, which was jointly run by Lancashire, Bolton Oldham and Rochdale councils.

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Greater Manchester Police has now announced Operation Jaguar, the inquiry into allegations of physical and sexual abuse there from 1969 to its closure in 1995, is over.

Hapton-born Rochdale MP Simon Danczuk has condemned a “catastrophic catalogue of failings” relating to previous inquiries involving the home and Cambridge House, a related children’s hostel.

Twenty-seven suspects were named by 16 alleged victims, leading to 13 prosecution files. All but one were dismissed by the Crown Prosecution Service last year.

The final case has been reviewed and no further action will now be taken, it has been decided.

Smith has been named as a sex abuser by 29 people since April 2012, according to police.

A GMP spokesman said: “These cases will not be taken further as the CPS does not make hypothetical charging decisions in respect of suspects that are now deceased.”

Cllr Alan Neal, a former mayor of Whitworth, was among those who claimed Smith had physically assaulted him, when he was aged 11 at Cambridge House in the 1960s.

Three separate files regarding Smith’s actions at Cambridge House were previously passed to the director of public prosecutions and the CPS, although on each occasion no prosecution was pursued.Mr Danczuk said: “I believe that there has been a catastrophic catalogue of failings by GMP during the investigation of these crimes.

“It is not just me that has reached this conclusion but former police officers, people who worked at Knowl View and the victims themselves.

“It is a scandal that GMP have previously admitted that they got it wrong when they failed to properly prosecute people under Operation Cleopatra in the 1990s.”

Police have refused to comment on the politician’s attack.

  • A 76-year-old man is set to face trial later this year over sex abuse claims involving two boys at Knowl View.